Ixico partners with the Medical Research Council to launch UK Dementias Research Platform

Biotechnology group Ixico has partnered with the Medical Research Council (MRC) to launch the UK Dementias Research Platform (UKDP), a £16m public-private partnership.The group, which set up the partnership to speed up research into dementias, will act as the MRC's imaging partner on the project alongside FTSE 100 constituent GlaxoSmithKline and other industry partners.UKDP will investigate the causes of dementia across a range of different neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and motor neurone disease. The company aims to detect early signs, along with improving treatment and disease prevention.Chief Executive Officer Derek Hill said: "We are pleased to be part of this collaboration, and to provide the use of Assessa, our CE marked digital healthcare platform for decision-support in dementia diagnosis. "With two million volunteers providing data, this is the world's largest study into dementias and we look forward to working with both industry and academic experts to gain a greater understanding of this debilitating condition."As of 08:45 the share price was unchanged at 58p.WS