About Us
About Our Research
AD is a neurodegenerative disease with no known cure. The disease is characterized by the accumulation of beta – amyloid plaque (Aβ) in the brain of sufferers. It is unlikely; however, that Aβ is the cause of AD since many other factors have been shown to contribute to the disease and its progression. Indeed, all of the clinical trials to date targeting Aβ have failed. Clearly another approach is required.
NWC has focused on an important aspect of AD in that it is a neuroinflammatory disease. Considerable evidence suggests that anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxen and celecoxib are linked with a reduced occurrence of AD. However, controlled clinical trials did not show an improvement over placebo. In addition, the naproxen and celecoxib groups displayed adverse events including vascular and cardiac problems.
Linked to the epidemiological studies it was noted that a lower incidence of AD was observed in those populations who ate a diet containing higher amounts of oily fish had the lower incidence of dementia.
Oily fish such as herring or mackerel contain relatively high amounts of high molecular weight polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Both these PUFAs exhibit anti-inflammatory properties invitro.
What is the goal?
Our research was initially funded by a European Union grant which has led to:
- The development of new synthetic procedures to isolate novel, high purity lipids
- Identification of candidate molecules exhibiting high efficacy in inhibiting neuroinflammation
In partnership with Innoprot, we are currently developing advanced test methodologies to assess both suppression of inflammation and neuron resilience to degeneration and cell death.
Our goal is to identify strategic partners to further progress the project and take product to market.
What is the goal?
Our research was initially funded by a European Union grant which has led to:
- The development of new synthetic procedures to isolate novel, high purity lipids
- Identification of candidate molecules exhibiting high efficacy in inhibiting neuroinflammation
In partnership with Innoprot, we are currently developing advanced test methodologies to assess both suppression of inflammation and neuron resilience to degeneration and cell death.
Our goal is to identify strategic partners to further progress the project and take product to market.
Our Team
The competitive strength of the company lies in the experience and expertise of its two Directors, David Parker and Keith Coupland.
Both possess post graduate qualifications from the University of Hull and have held senior research positions in blue chip, multinational oil and chemical companies. Each has an impressive record track record of successful innovation and new product launches.
The Alzheimer’s project is underpinned by past research in developing lipid based solutions for healthcare.
Our Partners
Innoprot, a Spanish biotech company founded in 2007 as a spin-off from the University of the Basque Country, is a provider of cell-based assays and technologies in drug discovery and development. The company is specialized in developing in vitro assay models in CNS diseases, such as Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or LATE Dementia and has a proprietary technology for GPCR screening.
The University of Hull (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry) has been an active partner with NWC for many years. The lipid group has developed novel syntheses to provide several lipidbased compounds.These compounds have been studied for activity in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.These studies include work on multiple sclerosis, adrenoleukodystrophy and more recently Alzheimer’s disease.