In the early stages of drug development, scientists seek to identify (and weed out) compounds that could prove harmful to the brain and nervous system. However, current tests for this are not reliable, meaning that sometimes toxicities are only identified when the first human volunteers test a new drug in clinical trials. The aim of NeuroDeRisk is to deliver a comprehensive toolbox of tools and data that would make it easier for researchers to assess whether or not a compound is likely to be toxic to the brain and nervous system, long before the first tests in humans. They will focus their efforts on three of the most challenging effects: seizures, psychological / psychiatric changes, and peripheral neuropathies (in which the nerves in the extremities are damaged resulting in symptoms such as numbness, tingling and pain).

They will collect, organise and build on our current knowledge of the adverse effects of drugs on the nervous system. They will also develop new and improve existing tools to predict neurotoxicity, with an emphasis on approaches that are in line with the ‘3Rs’ principles to reduce, refine and replace animal use. Finally, they will organise all the tools and associated data in a comprehensive, integrated toolbox that researchers will be able to use to aid decision making during the early stages of drug development. Ultimately, the results of the project will help to make clinical trials safer for human volunteers. They will also make drug development more efficient, as scientists will not waste time studying compounds that prove to be toxic to vital organs.