Chiesi links with UCL to test a novel therapeutic for birth asphyxia

Privately-held Italian drugmaker Chiesi Farmaceutici has entered into a collaboration with University College London (UCL) to test a novel melatonin formulation as a brain protective medicine for babies who suffer birth asphyxia.

The collaboration is supported by UCL Business, the University’s wholly-owned technology transfer company that has granted Chiesi access to specific research knowledge developed by Nicola Robertson, a renowned expert in the field of neonatal neuroscience and neuroprotection and Xavier Golay an expert in the field of physiological MRI and image-based biomarkers.

Birth asphyxia is a very serious clinical condition caused by temporary but abrupt interruption of the constant blood flow to the brain around the time of birth. In Europe, the USA and Australia the incidence of birth asphyxia is two-three cases per 1,000 births at term; in mid and low resource settings the incidence can be five-20 times more common. Globally, birth asphyxia is the fifth leading cause of child deaths and there is a significant burden of disability as children mature. In 2010, birth asphyxia was the cause of 2.4% of the global burden of disease and 6.1 million years of life with disability.