February 2017 CÚRAM INVESTIGATORS RECEIVE SUPPORT TO TACKLE A GLOBAL HEALTH PROBLEM FROM THE EUROPEAN RESEARCH COUNCIL
CÚRAM Investigator Dr Martin O’Halloran has recently been awarded a second European Research Council (ERC) grant. ERC grants are Europe's most competitive and prestigious research funding, and in this case will support the development of a new medical device for the treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension). The project is a collaboration between CURAM Investigators Dr O’Halloran and Dr Conall Dennedy, who aim to bring the novel medical device towards first-in-man trials within the lifetime of the project. Since hypertension is such a major population heath problem, the team expect the project to have very significant societal and economic impact.
Hypertension is a global health problem affecting a large population of patients. The prevalence of hypertension in European countries is 28-44%5. This amounts to between 200 and 327 million Europeans. Excess production of the hormone aldosterone by the adrenal glands (also known as Primary Aldosteronism) is the most common endocrine cause and accounts for 8-20% of all hypertension. Current treatment regimens are dissatisfactory and costly, involving either surgery or lifelong drug therapy. Therefore, a cost-effective, minimally invasive & definitive management approach for this underlying cause would present a potential cure for an often undiagnosed and unmanaged disease. This is what is being proposed with the new ERC “REALTA” project.
Dr. O’Halloran secured his first ERC Starting Grant in 2015 to examine the electrical properties of human tissue, as a platform for novel medical device development in Europe. Supported by a Science Foundation Ireland ERC Support Grant, he established the Translational Medical Device Lab in Galway (http://www.tmdlab.ie), the first medical device lab in Ireland to be embedded in a regional hospital (UCHG), and co-located with the HRB’s Clinical Research Facility. Working closely with Dr. Conall Dennedy, Consultant Endocrinologist at NUI Galway, he began to examine the potential of new technologies to treat Primary Aldosteronism and consequently, hypertension.
“This REALTA project plan is very similar to that of a start-up medtech company, where as well as technology development, the team will also examine the competitive landscape, the clinical and regulatory pathway, and reimbursement opportunities” said Dr O’Halloran. “The overarching goal is to gather sufficient technical, clinical, regulatory and commercial evidence over the course of the next 18 months to be able to spin-out a company that is attractive to external investors. Such investment will be required to take the technology through to FDA approval and clinical trials.”
Prof Abhay Pandit, Scientific Director of CÚRAM said “The objectives of CÚRAM are to carry out research on the development of innovative ‘smart’ implantable medical devices, which will benefit patients with chronic ailments such as cardiovascular diseases. I would like to congratulate Dr O’Halloran and Dr Dennedy on their continued research success, which is supported by the excellent multidisciplinary team of clinicians, translational scientists and engineers here at CÚRAM and NUI, Galway and which reflects the interests and expertise of investigators in CÚRAM.”
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