Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP

A milestone in the treatment of Leigh syndrome, a rare, early-onset disease in children, has been reached: At the Hamburg site of the Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, in collaboration with Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) and University Hospital Düsseldorf (UKD), as well as Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, a promising agent for the treatment of Leigh syndrome was identified. The researchers were able to demonstrate a positive effect of the active substance sildenafil on the disease course. 

From molecules to realistic therapeutic approaches: Fraunhofer ITMP receives funding for three ERDERA projects aimed at developing potential therapies for a rare lysosomal storage disorder, a severe mitochondrial disease, and rare genetic epilepsies. All three conditions are very difficult or impossible to treat. In collaboration with international consortia, work is now underway to validate drugs that could lead to improved therapies for affected infants and young children.

Dr. Schara Safarian took up a visiting professorship at the Institute of Translational Medicine at the First Hospital of Jilin University in China in October. The appointment is part of a scientific exchange agreement and is intended to further intensify international cooperation. At the same time, it strengthens the strategic positioning of the Fraunhofer ITMP on the Chinese research market.