Glasgow Uni spinout gets grant

A spinout company from the University of Glasgow has been awarded seven-figure grant funding to develop a new treatment for a common but costly musculoskeletal problem.

Causeway Therapeutics currently develops therapies for soft tissue injuries including damage to tendons collectively known as tendinopathies, which account for up to half of all sporting injuries and cost the NHS an estimated £250 million per year.

The firm has been awarded a grant of £1.3 million to help develop a treatment that switches off disease pathways, restoring tendon function and structure. It will use the funding to begin Phase 1 human trials for its new therapy for the treatment of tendinopathy in 24 patients early next year.

Neal Millar, co-founder and clinical senior lecturer in orthopaedics at the Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation and trial lead, said: “Tendinopathy represents a serious unmet clinical need, with one in three GP consultations in the UK being due to soft tissue tendon disease.

“Given the basic standard of care remains physiotherapy, which is only effective approximately 50 per cent of cases, leaving the remaining patients with tendons that are weakened and painful, we hope our discovery will one day transform patient care in this field.”

Derek Gilchrist, co-founder and chief executive of Causeway Therapeutics, added: “We believe Tenomir is a novel regenerative therapeutic, with the potential to transform the treatment of tendon disease. We’re very grateful to Innovate UK for the funding to hopefully make this possible.”

Millar has also been awarded a separate grant worth £670,000 to explore damage mechanisms associated with human tendon disease. It is the first such award to an orthopaedic surgeon and promotes investigation of musculoskeletal soft tissue disorders.