IXICO (LSE:IXI) has reinforced its scientific leadership with the appointment of three internationally recognised neuroscience experts to its Scientific Advisory Board, while also launching new research initiatives aimed at advancing imaging biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease.
The company announced that Professor Jeffrey Cummings, a leading authority in Alzheimer’s disease from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Professor Charles DeCarli, a distinguished neurologist and Alzheimer’s researcher at the University of California, Davis, and Professor Stéphane Lehéricy, a renowned neuroradiology specialist at the Paris Brain Institute, have joined its advisory board.
The appointments broaden IXICO’s expertise across both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, supporting the company’s strategy of combining advanced imaging technologies, biomarker analytics and artificial intelligence to accelerate neurological drug development.
Alongside the advisory board expansion, IXICO unveiled two new Parkinson’s-focused scientific collaborations.
The first is a research partnership with the Paris Brain Institute (ICM), where the organisations will undertake a prospective study evaluating novel neuromelanin-sensitive MRI techniques as potential imaging biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease. The project will focus on refining MRI acquisition methods and applying advanced AI-based analysis to improve the reliability and reproducibility of the technology, with the aim of supporting its future use in clinical trials.
In a separate development, IXICO’s Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, Robin Wolz, and Principal Biomarker Scientist, Kirsi Kinnunen, have been invited to join the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s MRI Advisory Committee. The committee brings together leading academic, industry and non-profit organisations to support the development, standardisation and validation of quantitative MRI biomarkers for Parkinson’s research. The initiative seeks to improve the measurement of disease progression and treatment response through greater collaboration on imaging protocols, data sharing and reproducibility standards.
Commenting on the developments, Robin Wolz, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of IXICO, said: “IXICO’s business proposition is grounded in science, which is why working with some of the world’s most important KOLs ensures the validation and clinical relevance of the services and technology we provide to the biopharma industry. In addition, adding further expertise and collaborative R&D activity, including our research collaboration with the Paris Brain Institute and participation in MRI biomarker advisory activities, IXICO further deepens its presence in the CNS space.”
He added, “I’m delighted to welcome Jeff, Charlie and Stéphane to the Scientific Advisory Board adding knowledge and experience to an already strong group of advisors. We will continue to explore opportunities to work with the most important individuals and organisations pioneering progress towards better understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of neurodegenerative disease.”
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