US regulator to expedite review of gut microbiome protector product from COMBACTE partner
16/04/2021The US FDA grants ‘fast track designation’ to Da Volterra’s DAV132 for the prevention of Clostridioides difficile infection
Newsroom
Neuropathic pain was classified in a way that stymied research. Not any more
15/04/2021EUROPAIN’s evidence that neuropathic pain patients should be grouped by their pain perception and not the event that sparked it has convinced the European regulator to change its guidelines
Machine learning models outperform traditional selection methods for recruiting osteoarthritis trial patients
08/04/2021APPROACH showed that the models were better at predicting whose disease would progress, thereby making drug testing more effective
Researchers tackle the product-agnostic problems that plague pain drug research
06/04/2021When it comes to what matters most to patients, the alleviation of pain is often top of the list. But designing clinical trials for new analgesics has proven particularly troublesome
A quick, cheap and non-invasive way to measure osteoarthritis
26/03/2021APPROACH found that a commercially-available motion-measuring technology could be used to gauge the extent of OA as an alternative or add-on to existing diagnostic options
A recipe for the next disaster: a new, pan-virus methodology for ramping up vaccine production
24/03/2021ZAPI have put in place a new pan-virus methodology for ramping up the production of new vaccines in the next crisis
We’re living longer. What does that mean for existing vaccine strategies?
19/03/2021VITAL are tallying the burden of infectious diseases in ageing adults to figure out the best strategies to keep people healthier for longer.
Alzheimer’s: visual assessment of [18F]flutemetamol PET can reveal not only presence but also extent and location of amyloid
17/03/2021AMYPAD researchers have shown that a ‘visual read’ of PET scans using radioactive diagnostic tracer flutemetamol can go beyond simple yes-or-no determination of the presence of Alzheimer’s hallmark protein.
Are there differences in the brains of autistic men and women?
12/03/2021New research by the AIMS-2-TRIALS project could shed light on the mechanisms underlying sex differences in autism.
Latest COVID-19 vaccine based on technology tested for safety & immunogenicity in IMI Ebola projects
11/03/2021Safety and immunogenicity data on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine technology was gathered during IMI EBOVAC clinical studies.
TRIC-TB starts clinical trial of anti-TB drug booster
10/03/2021If approved for use, BVL-GSK098 could allow doctors to reduce the efficacious dose of two potent drugs used to treat tuberculosis, along with the side effects they cause.
New vaccine technologies wouldn’t be possible without collaboration
08/03/2021Vaccines based on brand new delivery systems or manufacturing technologies need an all-hands approach.
Focus on: rare diseases
03/03/2021Science has tended to neglect diseases that affect small numbers of people, but that is changing.
Treatment tracker: COVID-19 therapeutics research makes progress
03/03/2021News from IMI’s COVID-19 therapeutics projects, launched in the wake of the pandemic outbreak.
How Europe can get better at treating rare diseases
25/02/2021Experts from the IMI Scientific Committee weigh in on what needs to happen to speed up rare disease research.
Algorithmic advances, triage models and getting the ethical all-clear: IMI COVID-19 research efforts advance
22/02/2021The diagnostic projects launched by IMI in 2020 are making steady progress.
Hope that a cancer drug can stop FOP, one of the rarest diseases in the world
19/02/2021STOPFOP are trialling the cancer drug saracatinib, which has shown promise in stopping muscle and tissue from turning to bone in FOP patients.
Regulators clear study of gut microbiome ‘protector’ in cancer patients
16/02/2021COMBACTE-NET partner Da Volterra can move forward with phase 3 trial of an innovative product used to protect the microbiome of patients from antibiotic-induced disruption
Paediatric cancer: 5 experts on the research gaps - and how to fill them
15/02/2021From co-design to connecting the dots, paediatric cancer needs to be integrated along the healthcare continuum
You can now find out your risk of picking up a drug-resistance bug on your travels
12/02/2021COMBACTE-MAGNET has launched a new, freely-accessible online tool that allows healthcare professionals and the public to assess the risk of international travellers acquiring (and spreading) antimicrobial-resistant bacteria
Viruses can be hijacked to help cure rare diseases, but the immune system keeps fighting back
11/02/2021ARDAT want to know more about the behaviour of gene and cell therapy treatments, delivered by viral vectors, once they’re inside the body
Treating rare diseases: can new business models solve equity of access issues?
04/02/2021From genetic newborn screening to helping pharma create a unified, shared platform for treating thousands of rare diseases, IMI stands ready to help drive the science forward.
Focus on: coronavirus
29/01/2021In March 2020, IMI responded rapidly to the emerging global COVID-19 pandemic. 144 applications led to 8 projects, and the funding pot was increased from €45 million to €72 million. Read about the projects and communications activities surrounding the Call.
Lab results show novel drug combo fights SARS-COV-2 on two fronts
28/01/2021MAD-COV 2 have shown that a low dose combination of the antiviral remdesivir and a drug called APN01 (hrsACE2) can stop the virus from multiplying in cells
Lab-grown tumours will help end drought of childhood cancer drugs
28/01/2021ITCC-P4 are creating a platform of hundreds of childhood cancer tumour models that can be used to test promising molecules
IMI pain project creates new business for Italian SME Axxam
21/01/2021Participating in the IMI pain project NGN-PET has delivered significant benefits for life sciences SME Axxam, including new contracts and alliances.
It's time to close the paediatric gap
14/01/2021Innovation has been slow to reach the youngest patients. Thankfully, that is changing.
Paediatric trial network gets put to the test
13/01/2021c4c aims to enable hospitals and clinical sites across Europe to become ‘trial ready’ for paediatric clinical trials. A Q&A with the project leaders
New report highlights socio-economic impacts of IMI projects
13/01/2021Are IMI projects delivering socio-economic benefits? Yes, but it often takes time for these to become apparent, concludes a new report on the outcomes of 44 IMI1 projects.
Wanted: technology that will run remote clinical trials from A-Z
05/01/2021Trials@Home are piloting remote decentralised clinical trials, and they’re seeking out the technology to make it happen
Season's greetings
18/12/2020We wish all of our stakeholders a relaxing, peaceful holiday season and a happy, healthy new year. The IMI Programme Office is closed from 24 December to 3 January inclusive.
IMI supported antibiotic passes Phase I clinical trials
14/12/2020A study in healthy volunteers showed that the antibiotic EBL-1003 is safe and well tolerated. EBL-1003 shows promise as a treatment for complex drug-resistant infections.
Could artificial intelligence help to diagnose COVID-19? IMI’s DRAGON project thinks so
10/12/2020The DRAGON project aims to use AI and machine learning to develop a decision support system capable of delivering more precise coronavirus diagnosis and predictions
New brochure: IMI – radical collaboration in action
08/12/2020A new brochure showcases success stories from IMI projects in infectious diseases, brain disorders, diabetes, cancer, and other areas.
One step closer: digital readouts of walking as a measure of health
03/12/2020Mobilise-D’s letter of support from the EMA is not only a nod to the promise of their research – it shows how important it is to connect with regulators early
Europe’s research and innovation partnerships: Innovation in action!
30/11/2020Europe’s research partnerships are delivering cutting-edge research and innovation and achieving great things together. These are the key messages of a new brochure entitled ‘Innovation In Action’, which was jointly produced by eight joint undertakings (JUs).
Focus on: technology convergence
30/11/2020IMI can provide a transparent, neutral and, importantly, pre-competitive setting that can provide regulators with solid evidence that new technologies are reliable. The technology will move very quickly, so we should, too.
Finally, a reliable way to track drug side effects
26/11/2020Thanks to WEB-RADR, a smartphone app is being used internationally for reporting side effects of medicines
Quality and quantity – IMI projects’ scientific publications
23/11/2020IMI’s projects are prolific in their production of scientific papers, and what’s more, they’re delivering quality and quantity. Much scientific knowledge is shared via scientific papers that are reviewed by other scientists and published in journals. Every year, IMI analyses the publications produced by IMI projects. The latest report, prepared by Clarivate, studies IMI project publications up until the end of 2019. It shows that IMI projects continue to deliver...
Can computers learn to think like chemists?
19/11/2020MELLODDY have shown that ‘federated learning’ can be used to pool datasets from multiple pharma companies without revealing any valuable secrets
Breathy, tense, tight, flat: a person’s voice can hint at depression, and AI can pick it up
12/11/2020RADAR-CNS is experimenting with using wearable devices and smartphones to pick up on biomarkers of central nervous system disorders
Regulators need solid evidence that new technologies are reliable. IMI can provide it
09/11/2020Innovation, meet regulation: oversight of the technosphere will be greatly helped by a neutral go-between
The WHO’s COVID-19 clinical trial is ‘adaptive’. What does that mean?
06/11/2020EU-PEARL is promoting the uptake of ‘adaptive trials’, of the type currently being used in the WHO Solidarity study, because they can speed up drug development times
Patient education project goes global with Japan national platform
04/11/2020Former IMI patient education project EUPATI is going global with the launch of a national platform in Japan, and the translation into Japanese of its toolbox. The move highlights EUPATI’s role as a global pioneer of patient education.
Focus on: SMEs
30/10/2020In October we focussed on the ways IMI boosts the competitiveness of SMEs.
Screening, certification and technology ‘scans’… how IMI’s projects can help SMEs
29/10/2020SMEs don’t have to join our projects to benefit from them. Here are some of the indirect ways IMI is supporting Europe’s smaller enterprises
A fertility tracker could be repurposed to spot early COVID-19 cases
26/10/2020COVID-RED’s wearable tech is intended to be able to track variables like skin temperature and breathing rate, potentially spotting early cases of Covid-19 for timely testing.
From start-up to scale-up: 4 ways IMI boosts small business
22/10/2020As they grow, SMEs in all sectors face constraints on their resources. IMI’s SME strategy allows us to support them in different ways
Major IMI patient education project embarks on new chapter
21/10/2020IMI patient education project EUPATI has set up an independent, non-profit foundation to build on the project’s work. The creation of the EUPATI Foundation secures the project’s legacy and paves the way for the further development of patient education resources in Europe and beyond.
UPDATED: Meet the IMI projects already helping to fight COVID-19
16/10/2020A number of IMI’s projects are making valuable contributions to the global effort to tackle COVID-19. The contributions include knowledge, tools and expertise, and while some come from projects in the infectious disease field, projects working in other areas, such as data management and Alzheimer’s disease, are also stepping up to the plate.
Small firms can see big gains from joining forces with pharma
15/10/2020Proximity to their customer base means SMEs can fine-tune their products and spot new applications for them. It also helps with the regulatory process
A rapid diagnostic test 'pipeline’ for current and future pathogens
14/10/2020KRONO’s COVID-19 test technology will make the world more prepared for new threats to human, animal and even plant health
The biomedical sector is full of giants, but it’s the start-ups that connect the dots
08/10/2020IMI has enticed over 300 SMEs to join our research efforts, despite legitimate concerns about IP and consortia size
Spot it, slow it, and stop it: trials of potential diabetes drugs to get underway
28/09/2020The INNODIA project is launching four diabetes drug studies, designed according to their regulator-approved master protocol
The constant threat of 'hypos' takes a heavy toll on people with diabetes
24/09/2020The Hypo-RESOLVE project is studying data to single out the risk factors for severe hypoglycaemic episodes
The diabetes epidemic requires a rethink about obesity
16/09/2020According to the SOPHIA project, the outdated way we treat obesity is not doing people living with obesity any favours. They aim to change that
Focus on: FAIRified data
15/09/2020When it comes to big data, no other industry has as much at stake as the biopharmaceutical sector. Data from sources like health records, imaging, genome sequencing and wearables are potentially very valuable, and could drive massive improvements in European health systems. Making this data FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable) is a simple message with wide appeal to researchers who spend an inordinate amount of time finding, processing, organising...
In the fight against the diabetes epidemic, new medicines are only half the battle
10/09/2020One of the biggest drains on EU health budgets is largely preventable
CARE is preparing for the new normal
31/08/2020CARE embarks on an unprecedented mission to get ready for coming COVID-19 waves and new coronavirus outbreaks
Could this cancer drug fight fluid build-up in the lungs of COVID patients?
25/08/2020IMPENTRI will look for clinical proof of the benefit of imatinib in COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome
SARS… or something else?
20/08/2020RAPID-COVID’s platform can detect up to 30 different infections in one test. This will help stem the spread of COVID-19 by getting the diagnosis right - especially important in flu season
ACE2 and COVID-19: studying the Achilles’ heel of the coronavirus
19/08/2020The virus’ passageway into lung cells is via a protein called ACE2. This team of scientists think it’s the weak link of coronaviruses and can be used for developing treatments
Two IMI projects to work with EMA on COVID-19
30/07/2020The EHDEN and ConcePTION projects plus the ADVANCE/VAC4EU will help the European Medicines Agency (EMA) gather real world data on COVID-19 vaccines and treatments once they are approved and being used in day-to-day clinical practice.
PharmaLedger selects use cases to advance adoption of blockchain in healthcare
27/07/2020IMI blockchain project PharmaLedger has selected specific use cases relating to the supply chain, health data and clinical trials to try out the implementation of blockchain technologies in healthcare.
Widespread testing will pave the road to recovery - as long as we can trust the results
20/07/2020DECISION researchers are working on a while-you-wait throwaway testing kit that works by amplifying the virus’ genetic material
Regulatory decision gives boost to development of potential new TB drug
16/07/2020A decision by US regulators is set to speed up reviews of a potential new TB drug being developed by IMI’s TRIC-TB project.
Previous IMI investments are proving prescient in the current COVID-19 crisis
10/07/2020Investment in AMR, vaccines and infectious disease preparedness research are proving extremely prescient in the current pandemic, as are the relationships and networks we’ve built around the globe.
IMI-supported Ebola vaccine regimen gets green light
01/07/2020The European Commission has officially granted market authorisation for an IMI-supported Ebola vaccine regimen, which represents a vital tool in the fight against the deadly disease.
Focus on: autoimmune diseases
29/06/2020During the month of June we took a look at some of our autoimmune disease research projects.
Unprecedented study of inflammatory skin disease data gets underway
22/06/2020IMI’s BIOMAP project is gathering data from previous and ongoing clinical studies to try to find out what lies beneath inflammatory skin ailments like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis
New tools to help identify potential targets in autoimmune diseases
15/06/2020Unexplored proteins could be targets for new drugs to treat autoimmune and other diseases, if only we knew more about them. ULTRA-DD has brought us a few steps closer.
ECSEL JU launches Call for proposals on decentralised clinical trials
10/06/2020ECSEL JU, the joint undertaking for electronic components and systems, has launched a Call for proposals on decentralised clinical trials that would complement the work of IMI’s Trials@Home project. IMI and ECSEL JU have been sharing information on their projects, and exploring ways to deepen their collaboration, for a number of years. Now, that collaboration is set to deepen with the launch of an ECSEL JU Call for proposals that...
Proposed ‘clustering’ of patients offers hope for better understanding of autoimmune diseases
08/06/2020PRECISESADS’ findings show that despite being diagnosed with an array of autoimmune diseases, patients can be grouped according to molecular patterns
Unravelling the enigma of autoimmune diseases
05/06/2020Diseases that involve the immune system going rogue share common molecular patterns - we’re slowly but surely teasing them out
Crucial step towards EC regulatory approval of IMI-funded J&J Ebola vaccine
29/05/2020Studies indicate that the vaccine regimen is well tolerated, with robust and durable immune responses to the Zaire ebolavirus strain.
More - and better - patient data, whatever the disease
28/05/2020The generic architecture of RADAR-Base forms a reusable, flexible IT platform that allows for the remote monitoring of different diseases and conditions using a large variety of technologies.
IMI2 – Calls 22 and 23: updated topics available and webinar registration open
25/05/2020Tackling cancer through artificial intelligence, antimicrobial resistance, neurodegenerative diseases, rare disease diagnosis, clinical trial data, and patient adherence are the topics proposed for IMI’s next Calls for proposals. IMI has published updated versions of the draft texts of the topics that are slated for inclusion in IMI’s next Calls for proposals, IMI2 – Calls 22 and 23, which are scheduled for launch on 23 June 2020. In addition, registration is...
From a few months to a few clicks: FAIRified datasets can fast-track drug development
20/05/2020Messy but valuable research data risks sitting for eternity in silos unless efforts are stepped up to make it FAIR
The story so FAIR
13/05/2020Making data FAIR could supercharge medicine development. FAIRplus is putting the principles into practice.
8 new COVID-19 projects announced
12/05/2020The Innovative Medicines Initiative has provisionally selected 8 projects for funding from its fast-track Call for proposals on coronavirus diagnostics and treatments. In addition, it has boosted the IMI funding pot from EUR 45 million to EUR 72 million. On top of this, EFPIA companies, IMI Associated Partners and other organisations will contribute over EUR 45 million to the projects.
When data is FAIR, citizens ultimately reap the benefit
04/05/2020Generated at ever-increasing speed and potentially extremely valuable, big data could drive massive improvements in European health systems, but only if we can agree on a set of rules for the use, reuse and management.
Socio-economic legacy: EHR4CR's data reuse revolution
30/04/2020Electronic health record (EHR) systems are widely used in Europe and worldwide. These rich data sources can be used to address bottle necks in clinical trial design and, crucially, patient recruitment. However the lack of interoperability between EHR systems has traditionally limited the ability to efficiently combine the data across large populations for research analysis. The EHR4CR project was launched in 2011 to develop a platform that can use de-identified...
PHAGO partner looks to patent new culturing technique for deriving microglia from stem cells
30/04/2020An SME partner in the IMI PHAGO project has filed a patent application with the European Patent Office for an improved protocol for generating high numbers of human microglia, implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Socio-economic legacy: the European Lead Factory
23/04/2020The European Lead Factory is a collaborative public-private partnership that delivers innovative drug discovery starting points.
Got COVID-19 patient data? Want to collaborate? IMI’s EHDEN project can help you standardise it.
20/04/2020EHDEN is offering to harmonise organisations’ clinical data to a standard model, while preserving patients’ privacy. This will make it easier to aggregate and jointly analyse data from different sources, something that is essential if we are to stop the outbreak and save lives.
Socio-economic legacy: GetReal's real-world resonance
16/04/2020IMI project GetReal and its follow-up, GetReal Initiative, show new methods of RWE collection and synthesis could be adopted earlier in pharmaceutical R&D and the healthcare decision making process.
Addressing the impacts of COVID-19 on IMI Calls and projects
08/04/2020At the IMI Programme Office, we are very conscious of the fact that the COVID-19 outbreak poses significant challenges for IMI projects and applicants alike. Here we summarise the steps taken at IMI to mitigate the situation, and provide links to resources that may be helpful. Information for applicants We have extended the following Call deadlines: IMI2 – Call 18 (stage 2): deadline extended to 2 April 2020 IMI2 –...
INNODIA set to speed up clinical trials for type 1 diabetes drugs
07/04/2020The INNODIA project’s clinical trial master protocol means launching new clinical trials for drugs to cure type 1 diabetes will be faster and easier.
Draft future Call topics published online
06/04/2020Tackling cancer through artificial intelligence, antimicrobial resistance, neurodegenerative diseases, rare disease diagnosis, clinical trial data, and patient adherence are the topics proposed for IMI’s next Calls for proposals.
ECSEL JU calls for input on planned Call for proposals on decentralised clinical trials
03/04/2020ECSEL JU, the joint undertaking for electronic components and systems, has launched a ‘Call for Vision’ for a planned Call for proposals that would complement the work of IMI’s Trials@Home project.
Focus on: socio-economic impact of IMI projects
02/04/2020In April, it's IMI's birthday, 12 years and 150 projects later, what kind of socio-economic impact has IMI-funded research had?
IMI networks are helping set up and run COVID-19 drug trials
30/03/2020IMI’s COMBACTE project is perfectly placed to support the DisCoVery studies of four potential COVID-19 therapies
New tools and trials combat the resurgence of whooping cough
30/03/2020EU-funded researchers hope a greater understanding of interactions between pertussis bacteria and the immune system, together with a toolkit for testing new vaccines, will help prevent whooping cough disease and deaths in babies worldwide.
IMI can help advance regulatory science for advanced therapies and digital tech, stakeholders say
27/03/2020Unblocking the regulatory challenges surrounding advanced therapies and digital technologies could be game-changing for all players, said attendees at IMI’s recent regulatory science summit.
“This is like a real-life experiment for us”
18/03/2020ZAPI is laying the groundwork for the response to zoonotic disease outbreaks like COVID-19
COVID-19 is a sign of the times
10/03/2020Repurposing existing drugs could get us out of the current predicament but it’s clear we need to prepare for more pandemics
IMI launches €45 million Call for proposals on the coronavirus
03/03/2020IMI has launched a fast-track Call for proposals to develop therapeutics and diagnostics for current and future coronavirus outbreaks
The secret life of tumours
26/02/2020In recent funding calls, IMI has turned its attention to emerging cancer therapies, seeking better understanding of things like the effect of tumour microenvironment on immunotherapy success
CANCER-ID hunts for cancer clues in blood samples
20/02/2020Today, many cancer patients have to undergo biopsy surgery to provide doctors with the cell samples they need to diagnose the disease and monitor how well a treatment is working. IMI’s CANCER-ID project has paved the way for the use of ‘liquid biopsies’ drawn from a blood sample.
IMI planning EUR 45 million Call for proposals on COVID-19
17/02/2020The fast-track, single stage Call will cover therapeutics and diagnostics to tackle the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. IMI plans to launch a Call for proposals on COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that was first reported in China in December 2019 and has since infected over 71 000 people and killed 1 700. The Call, which will be launched in early March, focuses on the development of: therapeutics to address the...
First batch of real-world data from prostate cancer studies added to big data platform
13/02/2020Partners in the PIONEER project have uploaded datasets from major studies, and are calling on others to do the same
New cancer therapies offer hope, but there’s still a lot we don’t know
03/02/2020If medicine developers are to invest heavily in immunotherapy, oncologists, authorities and insurers need clear guidance on who will benefit
PARADIGM: a ‘game changer’ for patient engagement in R&D
30/01/2020When and how should the health research and development community involve patients in their work? IMI’s PARADIGM project is trying to find out.
Identifying potential antibiotic leads is painfully slow, but these researchers identified 5 in only 6 years
28/01/2020ENABLE surpassed their goal of identifying 3 leads for new antibiotics. With more promising compounds in the pipeline, the project has been extended.
Cancer, TB, vaccines included as topics in latest Call
21/01/2020We've launched a new Call for proposals with funding opportunities in cancer, tuberculosis, vaccines, psoriatic arthritis and drugs based on proteins.
A school for patients? Yes, you can be an expert in that
21/01/2020Grassroots campaigners paved the way for the modern patient advocacy movement, which is becoming increasingly sophisticated
Web search keywords can help spot early Alzheimer’s cases
16/01/2020Researchers from MOPEAD tested different ways to engage patients, including reaching out to suspected early Alzheimer’s sufferers by flagging internet searches like “forgetfulness”
Focus on: patient involvement
09/01/2020Patients and drug developers look at an illness from entirely different perspectives. Closing this perspective gap is one of the unmet social needs that drove the creation of IMI. Though the industry agreed for a long time that patient engagement was welcome and necessary, nobody really knew how to go about it. There was one concern that worried them in particular: will people with no training in medicine R&D be...
What patients really want: "Nothing about us without us”
09/01/2020Drug-makers have only recently started to give drug-takers a say in how their medicines are made, turning patients into a new generation of experts.
PET scans that show brain changes caused by Alzheimer’s give doctors confidence in diagnosis
20/12/2019Being able to visualise the pathology linked to the disease is a big benefit for diagnosis and patient management. Researchers from an IMI project that set out to get definitive data on the role of amyloid PET scans in Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis are hearing from physicians that being able to visualise the underlying pathology linked to the disease is a big benefit for diagnosis and patient management. The ability to...
Sign up for the IMI2 – Call 20 webinars
17/12/2019IMI2 – Call 20 will be launched in January 2020 and features topics on cancer, tuberculosis, psoriasis, drugs based on proteins, and vaccines. Registration is now open for the IMI2 - Call 20 webinars, which will be held from 22 to 31 January 2020 inclusive. Registration is free but obligatory via the webinar page. There are webinars on all Call topics as well as IMI's rules and procedures and opportunities...
Cache of research materials on understudied proteins now available to scientific community
12/12/2019The RESOLUTE project have made the DNA reagents for 446 solute carriers freely available in the hope that the proteins might be used as targets in drug development
Alzheimer’s project EPAD releases first wave of data to research community
12/12/2019The data comes from EPAD’s study into the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s dementia – before symptoms appear.
Alzheimer's researchers use AI to get access to brains
10/12/2019The Aetionomy project used digital technology to study brains without needing samples from living people, allowing them to simulate processes associated with Alzheimer's.
How competition nearly killed Alzheimer’s research
06/12/2019Repeat failures put the brakes on research until the pharma industry regrouped in a new, non-competitive, way.
Focus on: Alzheimer's disease
06/12/2019Alzheimer’s is a scientific failure. It's an area of research suited to a public private partnership because it offers companies a chance to pool the lessons they've learned, mistakes they've made, and data they've compiled from years of unsuccessful attempts to develop treatments. The Alzheimer's research we fund is looking at the underlying biology rather than going after late-stage cures. We know now that there has been too much focus...
Genetically engineered antibodies cut infection rates in a trial. Could they wean us off antibiotics?
04/12/2019Researchers’ hopes are raised after a trial using monoclonal antibodies to prevent pneumonia in ventilated intensive care patients gets good results
IMI research gets cited at double the global average rate
27/11/2019Report shows rise in performance, with IMI research cited 60% more than EU average and twice as much as the rest of the world.
Can real world data replicate a clinical trial? EHDEN study suggests yes
26/11/2019IMI’s EHDEN project dramatically demonstrated the power of using clinical data in research by replicating, during a five-day ‘study-a-thon’, the results of a systematic review covering 20 years of research, and a multi-year clinical trial.
New IMI project 3TR to advance personalised treatments for immune diseases
25/11/20193TR hopes to unravel the mystery of why treatments don't work in some patients.
Technology, not instinct, should guide antibiotic prescribing. A Q&A with Herman Goossens
21/11/2019Quick tests for bacterial infections are out there, but insurers won’t cover them and doctors are reluctant to use them.
Trials@Home project brings clinical trials to the patient
21/11/2019In the future, patients could take part in clinical trials from the comfort of their own home, avoiding the inconvenience of regular clinic visits.
How can we make clinical trials more kid-friendly?
20/11/2019IMI-funded researchers are inviting children and young people to help decide how clinical trials with child participants should be run.
A very promising new antibiotic just started clinical trials
19/11/2019Researchers from ENABLE are hopeful about apramycin because it has passed the stage at which most potential antibiotics fail.
Why it’s so hard to make new antibiotics
15/11/2019There’s no lack of chemicals that can kill bacteria. One of the main reasons there have been so few new antibiotics developed in recent decades – apart from a poor return on investment – is that researchers have run out of ideas on how to outwit the protective mechanisms of Gram-negative bacteria.
For small companies, IMI projects can help tap into new markets
11/11/2019CEO of TRISTAN project partner tells IMI about the opportunities that can open up as a result of getting involved in an IMI project. Karin von Wachenfeldt, Ph. D. is the CEO of Truly Labs, a Swedish SME that carries out preclinical research. Tell us about your company: Truly Labs is a small preclinical CRO (contract research organisation) that provides lab services for drug development. We are based in Lund...
New antibiotics won’t stop antimicrobial resistance. Luckily, there are other things we can try
05/11/2019Vaccines could offer hope - but who to vaccinate, and against what, has no clear answer yet. By Pierre Meulien, Director, IMI
Focus: Antimicrobial resistance
04/11/2019Antimicrobial resistance is becoming one of the defining problems of our time. As bacteria become resistant to the drugs that are supposed to kill them, scientists, policy makers and the pharma industry are looking at different ways to fix the problem before it’s too late. IMI has invested heavily in AMR research. To date, we have invested almost €800 million on 14 projects. In November, we will be taking a...
New IMI project puts immune cells in the spotlight
04/11/2019EUR 27 million Immune-Image project will advance the use of imaging technologies to track immune cells. Immunotherapies, which harness the immune system to fight disease, are revolutionising the treatment of many cancers and inflammatory diseases. However, while these innovative treatments prove life-saving for some patients, others do not respond to immunotherapies at all, and others experience serious side effects. The 5-year Immune-Image project, which started recently, aims to pioneer the...
Trial of second Ebola vaccine to start in Democratic Republic of the Congo
31/10/2019The trial of the two-dose Ebola vaccine regimen aims to help tackle the current outbreak and strengthen future Ebola epidemic preparedness. An international consortium will soon start a large-scale clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine regimen in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which is currently experiencing the second worst Ebola epidemic in history. IMI has contributed significantly to the development of the two-dose vaccine regimen, which is manufactured by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.
Meet IMI at BIO-Europe 2019
29/10/2019In two weeks’ time, IMI will be in Hamburg for BIO-Europe 2019, which runs from 11 to 13 November. A highlight for IMI will be a session on the morning of 12 November on EU support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Among the speakers is IMI’s Magali Poinot, who will explain the benefits for SMEs of participating in IMI projects and show how SMEs can get involved in IMI...
Project to team up with African manufacturer to make diagnostic tests
28/10/2019This project is trying out a different kind of capacity building. Apart from hosting workshops and info sessions on the use of VHFMoDRAD's diagnostic tests, the project plans to identify and team up with a Senegalese producer that can make the tests themselves.
Spotlight on early-career investigators: an interview with Benjamin Falcon
23/10/2019Benjamin Falcon is a scientist in the IMPRiND project, which is investigating the role of misfolded proteins in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Dr Benjamin Falcon is a postdoctoral scientist at the UK Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, working to untangle the mysteries of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. He completed his PhD with Professor Michel Goedert and has developed an impressive track record of findings that progress...
Contribute to the research agenda of the new health PPP
23/10/2019Have your say on the strategic research agenda for a public-private partnership for health innovation under Horizon Europe.
Good data on medication safety for new and expectant mothers is overdue
18/10/2019A survey intends to get a clear picture of women’s experiences of medicating while pregnant or breast-feeding Video: Caroline Swain was five weeks pregnant when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her health providers didn't initially know what treatments she could take. © The Pregnancy and Medicines Initiative The problem Evidence suggests that up to 95% of the five million women who get pregnant in the EU every year will...
As Ebola rages in the DRC, the world is closer than ever to the first licensed vaccine
17/10/2019IMI contributed to development of the most promising Ebola vaccines, helping to bring them closer to regulatory approval
Find out about IMI’s future funding opportunities
15/10/2019Cancer, tuberculosis, and psoriasis are among the topics that could be part of our next Call for proposals, IMI2 – Call 20. Also slated for inclusion in the Call are topics on drugs based on proteins, and vaccines.
How do you prepare for a pandemic?
10/10/2019IMI Director Pierre Meulien talks about IMI's reaction to the biggest Ebola outbreak in history and how the world is better prepared for future major epidemics.
EUPATI patient expert training course is open for enrolment
08/10/2019Applications are now being accepted for EUPATI's 14-month training course for laypeople on medicines research and development.
Data-driven personalised care for Alzheimer's patients
07/10/2019EU and industry-funded researchers are testing wearable devices, Internet of Things technologies and smartphone apps to transform the lives of people with Alzheimer's disease.
Focus on: Ebola
03/10/2019During the month of October we will be taking a look at some of the results of our Ebola-related research projects.
Two genes singled out as significant in the development of Alzheimer's
01/10/2019The PHAGO project has identified two genes that might have a significant impact on Alzheimers disease development and progression.
Ebola can now be detected in 15 minutes. Here’s how the diagnostics tests work
30/09/2019IMI backed three bedside Ebola detection tests that work quickly with minimal equipment or training.