Sugars for Health Ltd specialises in the identification and development of sugar-like compounds extracted from plants known as iminosugars. These molecules act as therapeutics for a variety of diseases, including cancer.
The team, based in Aberystwyth is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms of action of iminosugars to reactivate the immune system and fight cancer. They hope that the compounds can be used alongside conventional chemotherapies to improve their effectiveness.
Dr Matthew Turner, Innovation Technologist at Healthcare Technology Centre, said:
"Dr Robert Nash and his company have identified some interesting compounds called iminosugars. We know the molecule has an anti-cancer activity. We're very good on the chemistry, what we don't have is the ability to do the immunology, and so the collaboration with Swansea University to understand how it activates the immune system is very useful to us, so the Accelerate programme has been crucial to move the project forward."
This project was supported by Accelerate, a now-closed programme led by Life Sciences Hub Wales.
