· LifeArc brings extensive expertise in translational research and drug development to a Consortium of 25 leading organisations, spearheaded by EATRIS and funded by the EU under Horizon Europe.
· By joining forces, REMEDi4ALL and LifeArc aim to accelerate the development and delivery of innovative repositioned and repurposed medicines with particular emphasis in rare diseases.
Amsterdam, 15 April 2025 – LifeArc, a leading UK medical research charity, and the EU-funded project REMEDi4ALL have announced a collaboration agreement to strengthen the partnership’s potential to transform and accelerate the repurposing of medicines in Europe. This agreement reflects the increased interest in drug repositioning and repurposing as a faster, more cost-effective strategy to complement de novo drug development approaches. Such medicines repurposing holds particular promise for rare diseases which otherwise have no effective treatment options.
As a new Associated Partner, LifeArc brings extensive expertise in translational research, drug development, and downstream development to the REMEDi4ALL consortium. This new collaboration will enhance the platform’s ability to connect researchers, clinicians, regulators, funders, and patient organisations, and to accelerate the development and delivery of innovative repositioned and repurposed treatments options for those who need them most.
Joanna Davidge (Head of Funding at LifeArc) comments: “This collaboration is a natural extension of LifeArc’s work to break down the barriers that prevent scientific breakthroughs from reaching those who need them most. Our expertise in translational research, drug development, and downstream development, combined with the REMEDi4ALL platform, will help to fast track the development of repurposed medicines that have the potential to transform the lives of people with rare diseases.”
Alicia Soler Cantón (Scientific Programme Manager at EATRIS) adds: “LifeArc shares the REMEDi4ALL vision. With over 30 years of experience in translational research and a strong interest in drug repurposing, their expertise will be invaluable in addressing medical challenges often neglected due to cost, complexity, or high-risk nature. Their impressive track-record in translational research will now greatly enhance the REMEDi4ALL platform, facilitating more equitable access to treatments for underserved patient groups.”
#iDR25, premiering the new alliance
LifeArc will be one of the sponsors of iDR25, the international drug repurposing conference that takes place in Amsterdam on 7-8 May 2025. Titled “Medicines Reimagined: Unlocking the Potential of Existing Drugs for Patient Benefit”, the event will bring together experts to discuss innovative approaches to drug repurposing. For more information, visit the conference webpage here.
About REMEDi4ALL
REMEDi4ALL is a research initiative funded with €25M under the Horizon Europe to drive forward the repurposing of medicines in Europe. The 5-year project is expected to make a major leap forward in this strategy which consists in finding new therapeutic options for already known approved and investigational-stage drugs. The REMEDi4ALL platform supports promising, high-impact drug repurposing projects championed by patients in any phase of development and disease area. The initiative is also establishing a global community to contribute to informing policy and advancing debate and knowledge exchange worldwide. The multidisciplinary consortium involves 24 European organisations, led by EATRIS, with the common goal of making cost-effective repurposed medicines the new normal. Find out more on the REMEDi4ALL website.
About LifeArc
LifeArc is a not-for-profit medical research organisation. We turn promising scientific research into impact for people living with rare diseases and areas of global health. We form partnerships and provide scientific expertise and funding to help break down the barriers preventing scientific breakthroughs from becoming life-transforming treatments and cures. We have been doing this for more than 30 years and our work has resulted in five licensed medicines, including cancer drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) and lecanemab for Alzheimer’s (Leqembi®). Our goal is a world where no one with a rare disease misses out on life-changing innovation because of complexity, cost or risk. LifeArc is a company limited by guarantee (registered in England and Wales under no. 2698321) and a charity (registered in England and Wales under no. 1015243 and in Scotland under no. SC037861).
About iDR25
iDR25, the second international drug repurposing conference, hosted by REMEDi4ALL and Beacon for Rare Diseases will take place this May 7-8 in Amsterdam. From cutting-edge AI approaches transforming drug discovery to exploring innovative business models and regulatory pathways for market access, the event brings together key opinion leaders from research and patient communities, policymakers, funders, regulators and the private sector. Join others who are passionate about the transformative potential of medicines, to innovate, connect and reshape drug repurposing.
Contact
For further information, please contact:
- Jake Fairnie, EATRIS Head of Communications, jakefairnie@eatris.eu
- Hannah Severyn, LifeArc Head of Media & PR, Hannah.Severyn@lifearc.org
