Abcam collaborates with Loulou Foundation to accelerate research into CDKL5 deficiency disorder

Abcam has entered a research collaboration with the Loulou Foundation, a private UK-based foundation dedicated to the development of therapeutics for CDKL5 deficiency disorder.

Affecting one in 40,000 newborns, it leads to spasms and largely intractable epilepsy, for which current treatments are only partly effective. It also causes neurodevelopmental delay for which there is no treatment.

Antibody experts at Cambridge-based life science research tools specialist Abcam will work with the Loulou Foundation, using proprietary RabMab technology to generate novel rabbit monoclonal antibody reagents for the detection of CDKL5 and its downstream kinase phosphorylation targets.

It is hoped the collaboration will accelerate research into the disorder by developing new, more relevant high-throughput assays.

Daniel Lavery, chief scientific officer at the Loulou Foundation, said: “Despite ongoing research, the mechanisms responsible for the neurodevelopmental delay and epilepsy caused by CDKL5 deficiency disorder remain unknown. The lack of quality reagents for detecting the expression and function of CDKL5 has been a significant hurdle to our understanding of the biology. We are excited to be partnering with Abcam on this critical project to identify and develop the vital tools to drive research into this devastating disorder.”

John Baker, SVP, portfolio and business development at Abcam, added: “Improved detection and characterization of the CDKL5 protein and its phosphorylation targets will significantly aid in pre-clinical and clinical research and help pave the way for more effective therapies. We are looking forward to a successful collaboration with the Loulou Foundation. We believe their disease area expertise will perfectly complement our in-house product development skills and capabilities, to drive much-needed progress and innovation in this project.”

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