LifeArc is partnering with the European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration (EMBARC) to improve healthcare for thousands of people across Europe living with bronchiectasis.

The three-year partnership – part of LifeArc’s £100m Chronic Respiratory Infection Translational Challenge – will see LifeArc join more than a dozen organisations in a pan-European effort to deepen understanding of bronchiectasis and deliver new diagnostics and treatments for patients faster.

Bronchiectasis is a life-limiting long-term condition that causes excess mucus to build-up in the lungs, increasing the risk of infection, inflammation, and permanent lung damage. The third largest chronic respiratory disease after asthma and COPD, bronchiectasis affects at least 300,000 people across the UK alone and causes an estimated 1,500 deaths each year. There is currently no licensed treatment for bronchiectasis.

Professor James Chalmers, Chair of EMBARC, said: “EMBARC is an international collaboration of clinicians, health professionals, scientists, patients and industry partners dedicated to improving care and generating new knowledge in the field of bronchiectasis. Established in 2012, EMBARC has made a major contribution to our understanding of bronchiectasis and created the world’s largest bronchiectasis registry and biorepository with data and samples provided by over 20,000 people across 40 countries.

“I’m delighted LifeArc is joining us in our next phase of collaborative research to deliver new diagnostics and therapies for patients.”

Dr Catherine Kettleborough, who leads the LifeArc Chronic Respiratory Infection Translational Challenge, said: “LifeArc is investing up to £100m by 2030 to accelerate scientific innovation for people living with bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis.

“Our goal is to enable people to live longer with improved quality of life by ending the vicious cycle of infection, inflammation and permanent lung damage. We can’t achieve this ambitious goal alone. We want to engage all parts of the life science ecosystem in this effort.

“Our new partnership with EMBARC reflects our commitment to work with others to deliver breakthroughs for patients faster.”