Biomedical material sciences company, DSM has announced that it has become a member of the PANOPTES consortium which is funded by the EU. The company will provide proprietary knowledge towards the development of amino-based polymers and offer its facilities to be used for the sustained delivery of drug molecules.
The main aim of the PANOPTES consortium is to conduct research and development for the posterior eye segment. The partnership of the company with the consortium further establishes the properties of polyesteramide (PEA) biomaterials as an effective and advanced drug delivery technology.
According to the American Health Assistance Foundation, about 9.1 million Americans are currently affected by macular degeneration due to age. Additionally around 6.5 million Europeans also suffer from the disorder. The project which will span four years is funded by Nanotechnologies, Materials and New Production Technologies Theme of the Cooperation Programme and Nanosciences.
Apart from DSM, the other participants in the consortium are Complutense University of Madrid, University of Helsinki, University of Durham, Eberhard Karls University Tubingen and Radboud University Nijmegen. The research team comprises researchers from various disciplines such as ophthalmology, pharmaceutical and material sciences.
According to Marc Hendriks, DSM’s Biomedical Research, Technology and Development Director, this partnership will further enhance the company’s efforts to innovate and explore the academic community so that patients can benefit from the results of such studies.
Source: http://www.dsm.com