Centre for Human Drug Research

Congratulations to Jannik Rousel, for successfully defending his PhD thesis on October 24, 2024! Jannik’s research introduces non-invasive technologies to enhance early clinical trials for chronic skin diseases like dermatitis and psoriasis. Chronic skin diseases impact 20% of the global population while treatments remain insufficient. His thesis demonstrates data-driven methods that improve decision-making in drug development, including advanced diagnostic tools in a dermatitis trial, increased confidence in clinical outcomes, and the identification of ceramides as a key biomarker for skin barrier health. Well done, Jannik, on this contribution to advancing skin disease research and advancements in early clinical decision-making!  Find his thesis here: https://lnkd.in/ezkrhm9Z #PhDDefense #dermatology #Skindiseases #ClinicalResearch 

During this year’s end-of-the-year sprint we have a fantastic line-up of scientists approaching the finish line of their PhDs in the field of immunology, dermatology, and drug delivery: Jannik Rousel: “Non-Invasive Biomarkers for Inflammatory Skin Diseases: Towards Systems Dermatology” 24 October 14.30 at Leiden University Eveline in 't Veld: “Monitoring immune responsiveness - Novel assays to explore immune system dynamics in health and disease” 14 November 14.30 at Leiden University Mahdi Saghari: “Keyhole limpet hemocyanin challenge model for studying adaptive immune system responses in early-phase clinical drug development” 17 December 10.00 at Leiden University   Wouter ten Voorde: “Rubor, Calor, Tumor, Dolor: Objective assessments of inflammation” 17 December 13.00 at Leiden University Salma Assil: “Lost in translation: The Toll-like receptor 7 induced pharmacological challenge model of the skin” 10 January 2025 – 11.30 at Leiden University Vazula Bekkers: “Needle-free jet injector-assisted drug delivery in dermatology: Towards effective and minimally invasive treatment of severe keloids” 28 January 2025 – 10.30 at Erasmus MC Please get in touch if you would like to receive a digital or hard copy of their thesis. All are engineered by exceptional science and powered by CHDR. #teamwork Universiteit Leiden, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Erasmus MC, Leiden University Medical Center

In recent years, we’ve been actively advancing our research in dermatology, focusing on conditions like eczema and plaque psoriasis. To accurately measure and quantify the burden of these diseases, we have developed a proprietary measurement battery mainly based on imaging - the DermaToolbox. During our recent internal lunch meeting titled ‘The amazing journey through the skin’, our derma team showcased how the DermaToolbox enables us to make a difference in drug development and, ultimately, for patients. A key moment was the live demonstration of the Toolbox on a psoriasis patient, giving everyone a firsthand look at how it works in practice. We were truly honoured to have this patient, who has participated in several of our studies, join us. Their personal journey provided invaluable insights into the real-life impact of the disease, reminding us all of the importance of our work. #clinicalresearch #dermatology #psoriasis

Join us at the 18th Annual Pain Therapeutics Summit (https://lnkd.in/evDCNbu) on October 28-29, 2024 in Boston, MA! On the second day, our CEO Prof. Geert Jan Groeneveld will give a presentation on proof-of-concept in early phase clinical studies of new analgesics. CHDR has created a comprehensive nociceptive test battery, PainCart, to screen new analgesic compounds for their potential to influence various pain mechanisms, both nociceptive and neuropathic. This allows us to determine the analgesic potency and profile of new drugs in healthy volunteers, establishing the active concentration range to aid in dose selection for initial patient studies. PainCart has been used to generate proof-of-concept for Nav1.8 blockers, advancing them to phase 2 and phase 3 trials, and to make early no-go decisions for clinical drug programs. In his presentation, Prof. Groeneveld will introduce PainCart and he will provide examples of both types of studies. #clinicalresearch #pain #painresearch

In (popular) literature, cannabidiol (CBD), the main non-intoxicating compound in cannabis, is commonly hypothesized to reduce the adverse effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive and analgesic component of cannabis. We have put this hypothesis to the test in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial comparing the psychoactive and analgesic effects of oral THC alone, compared to THC combined with different doses of oral CBD. We found that CBD did not reduce the adverse effects of THC, but rather increased them by means of a pharmacokinetic interaction. Furthermore, CBD did not enhance the analgesic properties of THC. These results provide evidence against the hypothesis that CBD attenuates THC effects, highlight the potential for drug interactions even at low doses of CBD, and add to the understanding of cannabinoid analgesia. Read more in our new publication: https://lnkd.in/e7_v4hRx   With this publication, we underline CHDR’s vision to contribute to societally important pharmacological topics. We are thankful for the funding we received from The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) to support this study (grant number 848120001). #clinicalresearch #clinicaltrials #CBD #THC

We are expanding! Yesterday we have signed a cooperation agreement with the regional hospital Medisch Spectrum Twente (MST) and TechMed Centre - University of Twente (UT) for our new location in Twente. Geert Jan Groeneveld, CEO CHDR: “We are looking forward to establishing a presence in Twente and carrying out technically innovative clinical drug research in close collaboration with MST and UT. Collaboration between a major hospital, a university of technology and an institute conducting phase 1 drug research is unique, so this is a hugely exciting step!” Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eAZzp-5N

We are thrilled to announce that we are among the winners of the 2024 CRO Leadership awards! Based on research from ISR’s Contract Research Organization Quality Benchmarking annual online survey, 42 contract research organizations were evaluated on more than 20 different performance metrics. CHDR is among the champions for compatibility, therapeutic expertise, data quality, and reliability! At CHDR, we believe in continuously pushing the boundaries to deliver outstanding results for our clients. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team. We are grateful for the support of our partners and clients, and we will continue to strive for excellence in everything we do. Here's to many more milestones and successes together! https://lnkd.in/dj-M_hk

We are proud to share the results of a phase 1 clinical trial in patients with Parkinson's disease, published in Nature Medicine. This patient study, conducted in collaboration with Vaxxinity and the The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, demonstrates that UB-312 is the first drug candidate to produce a demonstrable immunological response in patients. UB-312 is a form of active immunotherapy that targets the aggregated protein α-synuclein (aSN), which plays an important role in Parkinson's disease. UB-312 not only proved to be safe and well tolerated, but also reached its target: anti-aSN antibodies were found in the cerebrospinal fluid, accompanied by a significant reduction in the concentration of aggregated aSN. These results mark a milestone in the search for new treatments for Parkinson's disease and support the further development of UB-312. Read the paper here: https://lnkd.in/ghwXYSVx #nature #clinicalresearch #clinicaltrials #parkinson's

Join us for the Dutch Bio Science Week on 22-29 June 2024! As part of the Dutch Bio Science Week programme, CHDR is opening its doors to everyone interested in learning more about the work we do. On Saturday 29 June from 10:00-15:00, you will be able to take a tour through our building, have a demonstration of some of the tests we use to show drug effects, and much more (including activities for children). Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/dv8SW-jT About Dutch Bio Science Week 2024: Dutch Bio Science Week is an eight-day action-packed programme, inviting everyone from age 4 to 104 to come and discover how groundbreaking innovations are shaping the future of our health. #DBSW24 takes place in Leiden and is a joint initiative by Leiden Bio Science Park in collaboration with Leiden Kennisstad, Leiden Healthy Society Centre, Leiden & Partners and many partners in the Life Science & Health ecosystem. Visit www.dutchbioscienceweek.nl for the entire programme.

A great week for science! On the 12th of June Eva Thijssen successfully defended her PhD thesis, and on the 13th of June Ahnjili ZhuParris, Ph.D successfully defended hers. Congratulations to both of them on this great accomplishment! Read their thesis here: https://lnkd.in/d8xihWiH