The University of Manchester has partnered with a new national research hub, which aims to position the UK as a world leader in the emerging global field of long-acting therapeutics.

The new Hub for Advanced Long-acting Therapeutics (HALo) will focus on driving research, public and patient engagement, and the translational infrastructure required for the development and manufacture of new Long-acting therapeutics (LATs).

LATs are predicted to revolutionise treatment of health conditions by replacing extensive periods of daily pill taking with a single administered dose.

The approach addresses the issue of missed daily drug doses, which can cause a range of complications, from a lack of efficacy to pathogen resistance. They will also help patients stay on treatment, make it easier to achieve optimal dosing targets and reduce the burden on health systems.

The project is supported with an £11 million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). As a key partner, The University of Manchester has been awarded £1.5m from the grant to lead efforts to advance multiple strands of LAT research.

The Manchester activity is an interdisciplinary team, led by Dr Tom McDonald, Reader in Sustainable Materials. Dr McDonald is Head of Environmental Sustainability and Engagement for the School of Natural Sciences and is also Research Area lead for Chemical Materials Design within the Henry Royce Institute.

Alongside Dr McDonald is Dr Alejandro Gallego Schmid, Dr Cyrill Bussy, Dr Marilena Hadjidemetriou and Dr Christos Tapeinos.