Biotechnology company Enhanced Genomics has announced a strategic partnership with The ALBORADA Drug Discovery Institute at the University of Cambridge.  

Funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK, The ALBORADA Drug Discovery Institute is developing the next generation of treatments for the diseases that cause dementia.  

The partnership has already yielded novel drug targets for Alzheimer’s disease, demonstrating the potential of 3D multi-omics to vastly reduce drug-discovery timelines and increase success rates across various disease areas. 

Under the partnership agreement, Enhanced applied its Promoter Capture Hi-C technology and multi-omics data to map long-range chromatin interactions, revealing gene regulatory-mechanisms involved in driving Alzheimer’s disease.  

This approach identified several novel targets, as well as corroborating targets already reported in the literature, opening new avenues for therapeutic intervention. 

Dr John Skidmore, CSO at The ALBORADA Drug Discovery Institute, said: “Using the insights provided by Enhanced’s technology, we have gained new actionable targets operating by a range of mechanisms. This could significantly advance our ability to develop effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.” 

The partners are now exploring opportunities to expand their partnership to other neurodegenerative diseases. 

“Our partnership with The ALBORADA Drug Discovery Institute showcases the transformative power of 3D multi-omics in drug discovery,” said Dr Dan Turner, CSO of Enhanced Genomics. “By harnessing our unique platform, we have not only accelerated the target discovery process but also unveiled new therapeutic possibilities by harnessing the full potential of the non-coding genome. We’re confident that we can improve both timescales and success rates of target ID and drug development using 3D multi-omics.” 

Diana Spencer, Senior Digital Content Editor, DDW