University of Strathclyde

Orlando Ely, has turned to additive manufacturing, to bring a device that could change the way people recover from strokes and cognitive impairment a step closer to launch. The therapy tool, called Blossom, was designed by Ely after two close family members suffered strokes and, as part of the rehabilitation process, required a tool to improve and practice their fine motor skills in a creative and engaging way. He is now developing a 3D-printed prototype of the nature-inspired product in collaboration with the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), operated by the University of Strathclyde and part of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult, which has been tested in clinical consultation and by users from dementia groups. The project was also supported with £15,000 of funding from Innovate UK. Blossom is a hand-held therapy device featuring three buildable flowers designed to challenge fine motor skills and enhance cognitive function. Users can practice arranging the petals and stamen, with each flower increasing in difficulty. Its design, incorporating various petal layouts, encourages users to engage both hands and utilise 16 different pinch and grasp exercises. Blossom uniquely offers the evidence-based benefits of patterns, a re-connection with nature, and a creative outlet, all of which boost mood and motivation. The NMIS Design Engineering and Additive Manufacturing teams provided comprehensive support to Ely, transforming his vision into a viable product through detailed 3D modelling to optimise the design. This included evaluating and selecting appropriate materials and manufacturing processes to achieve the desired appearance and functional requirements. Various manufacturing techniques were evaluated, including injection moulding and additive manufacturing processes like Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) and Material Extrusion (MEX). PBF proved most suitable because of its ability to produce strong, durable, and complex parts with a textured finish, which is crucial for the tool's usability. Additionally, the team introduced design enhancements like a dimple fastening method to further elevate the sensory experience. The 3D printed prototypes of the developed design have allowed Orlando to engage in further user testing and gain feedback on the changes and selection of manufacturing method. Orlando Ely said: "With assistance from NMIS to evaluate different manufacturing methods, I'm now well positioned to approach a partner that can manufacture the product at scale. Based on user feedback, my next phase will focus on refining the design, enhancing aesthetic appearance, and expanding the range of therapeutic applications. "Blossom’s nature-inspired design sets it apart from other therapy tools on the market, which can sometimes appear juvenile. The tool combines the beauty of flowers and their phyllotactic patterns – the regular arrangement of leaves and petals on a plant stem – providing both cognitive and sensory stimulation. This activates brain regions associated with reward, encouraging repeated use, essential to the tool’s effectiveness. The design offers a fresh, versatile approach to this kind of repetitive, but essential, therapy. “So many people could benefit from Blossom. A sense that life is worth living is key to people getting better and I believe that Blossom can help with this.” Pritty Mathew, assistant design engineer at NMIS, said: "Working with Orlando to bring Blossom to life has been inspiring. It exemplifies how innovative ideas, combined with advanced manufacturing technologies, can lead to new products that make a real difference. "This collaboration underscores our role in assisting growing businesses to get the best from their future manufacturing partners by identifying optimal approaches and materials. Orlando first created this device using an at-home 3D printer, and now, with our support, it can be developed for commercial scale production. It's projects like these that showcase the practical benefits of modern manufacturing techniques and highlight the potential for significant improvements they can make to patient recovery solutions."

Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) has awarded £100,000 to researchers based at Scottish universities to help develop future treatments for dementia. The award is part of a £4m funding announcement to help UK researchers find new ways to treat, diagnose and prevent dementia. Affecting more than 944,000 people in the UK, dementia is a general term for the impaired ability to think, remember or make decisions on a daily basis. The University of Strathclyde’s Dr Shuzo Sakata has been awarded £70,000 to further understand the link between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and potentially reveal new ways to prevent the neurological disease. Despite previous research demonstrating associations between changes in sleep patterns and dementia, the reason for this still remains unclear. The pilot project will identify how sleep disruption affects the brain’s immune cells (microglia), which protect the brain and remove debris, including amyloid, a harmful protein that builds up in AD. Using imaging techniques to investigate the immune cells in different areas of the brain in mice, the project will investigate how amyloid affects the calcium levels in microglia while sleeping and when awake, as well as how a lack of sleep affects the calcium levels. The additional £30,000 will be awarded to Dr Paula Beltran-Lobo from the University of Edinburgh, who will investigate how the protective blood-brain barrier becomes damaged by dementia-causing diseases. Tau builds up in astrocytes, star-shaped cells that support the blood-brain barrier, in diseases such as AD and frontotemporal dementia, which can interfere with brain function and lead to the blood-brain barrier becoming ‘leaky’. Using brain tissue from people who had high levels of tau protein when they died, the project aims to gain a better understanding of how the blood-brain barrier is affected by dementia. To date, ARUK has provided more than £10m of funding for dementia research in Scotland in the past two decades. Dr Julia Dudley, head of strategic programmes, ARUK, commented: “It’s essential that we keep investing in studies like these to accelerate progress towards a cure and to end the fear, harm and heartbreak from dementia.”

Mironid Presents Translational Data in Oral Presentation at the European Renal Association Congress LoAc® compound lowers renal cAMP after single or multiple doses and demonstrates efficacy in a preclinical model of ADPKDMironid will select a development candidate from its LoAc® programme to advance as a treatment for ADPKD 28 May 2024, Glasgow, Scotland – Mironid, a biopharmaceutical company developing small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD), a serious hereditary kidney disease, presented preclinical data on the effects of a compound from its LoAc® pipeline on a model of ADPKD on 25 May 2024 at the European Renal Association (ERA) Congress, held in Stockholm, Sweden. The presentation, by Mironid Chief Scientific Officer Dr Adele Rowley, was entitled ‘Targeting cAMP in ADPKD by small molecule activation of long form PDE4 enzymes’. ADPKD is the most common hereditary kidney disorder and affects over 12 million people worldwide. ADPKD is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of fluid-filled cysts in the kidney that can lead to kidney enlargement, loss of function, and associated complications. By activating long form PDE4 enzymes and increasing cAMP hydrolysis, LoAc®, Mironid’s first-in-class small molecules1 directly target the increased kidney cAMP levels that are known to drive cyst formation in ADPKD, resulting in decreased cyst growth in vitro and in vivo. The presentation highlighted translational data demonstrating that a LoAc® compound results in a significant reduction of cAMP levels in ADPKD models. By directly targeting cAMP, LoAc® compounds have the potential to slow renal disease progression, and to delay or prevent the need for dialysis, offering a potential new treatment option for ADPKD patients. Mironid is working to select a development candidate from its LoAc® programme to advance as a treatment for ADPKD. Omar, F., et al. (2019) Small-molecule allosteric activators of PDE4 long form cyclic AMP phosphodiesterases. PNAS 116(27): 13320-13329 -ENDS- Enquiries:Mironidenquiries@mironid.com ICR ConsiliumSukaina Virji / Lindsey Neville / Evi UsehMironid@consilium-comms.com About MironidMironid is a biopharmaceutical company developing small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of life-threatening hereditary kidney disease. Its lead programme is for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD), which is characterized by uncontrolled growth of fluid-filled cysts and is the most common hereditary kidney disorder, but has limited treatment options. Mironid’s first-in-class small molecule LoAc® drug candidates directly target the abnormally high kidney cAMP levels that drive cyst formation. The Company is led by an industry-experienced management team and supported by a strong advisory network and blue-chip investors including Roche Venture Fund, Epidarex Capital, Sofinnova Partners and BioGeneration Ventures. The University of Strathclyde, Scottish Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund (EIF) are also investors in Mironid.