€4.8m deal for Irish autism research

Irish scientists have signed a €4.8m research deal with a British pharmaceutical company to develop new drugs which target the gut and treat symptoms of autism.

The APC Microbiome Institute (APC) at University College Cork confirmed Friday that it will collaborate with 4D pharma on the four-year project.

It will focus on the discovery and development of live biotherapeutics — drugs based on living micro-organisms found in the gut — for the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and associated disorders.