According to a study the 90% of migraines can be treated with the enzyme DAO – Interview of RTVE to Juanjo Duelo, CEO of DR Healthcare
7/3/2013 – interview to Juanjo Duelo in rtve 24h. Language: Spanish
These last hours has been spoken about migraines, from which has been made public that the fifteen percent of the world’s population suffers from these tremendous headaches that go beyond a headache. Juanjo Duelo, in addition to suffering from migraines, directs a research team that assures to be able to determine the causes of migraines and most importantly, their solution.
The biomedical company DR Healthcare installs a research center and production plant on the Campus of Rovira i Virgili University – Indicador d’Economia
The center will dedicate 75% of the activity in research and a 25% in the production of the enzyme DiAmine Oxidase (DAO) as an ingredient in functional foods
DR Healthcare has invested 500,000 euros in this new center for research and in the production plant, both located in the Sescelades Campus of the URV (Tarragona, Spain). This biomedical company manufactured in Tarragona the enzyme that is the essential ingredient of its innovative product indicated for the dietary treatment of migraine.“The URV is a dynamic university and in Tarragona we hope to generate many synergies with different research groups located in the same campus” explains Juanjo Duelo, founder and CEO of DR Healthcare.
DR Healthcare was founded 12 years ago as a emergent company (start up) of the Universitat de Barcelona to investigate the relationship between diet and migraine. In 2010 published one of the first studies, which demonstrated the relationship between the DAO deficiency and the triggering of migraine. In these years the company, with headquarters in Barcelona, has focused the activity to generate scientific and clinical evidence about the deficit of diaminooxidase, the key enzyme in the metabolism of histamine. This deficiency leads to a series of associated disorders that, in addition to migraine, include fibromyalgia, dermatological problems, rhinitis, irritable bowel syndrome or Attention Deficiency- Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The dietary product of DR Healthcare for the treatment of migraine obtained last year the official certificate of the European Union that categorizes it as “new food with therapeutic objective.” This new recognition should definitely boost the marketing of the DAO enzyme as “food for special medical purposes,” according to Duelo, beyond the 500 pharmacies in within the Spanish state that they have participated in a pilot test.
The goal of the new plant of DR Healthcare
The company has generated more than 80 patents and the aim of the Tarragona plant is to continue with the production of DAO of animal origin for marketing, in addition to do research to lead to other modalities of this enzyme, such as that of plant and biotechnology origin. “We are the only company specialized in DAO deficiency and in the treatment of its associated symptoms, and we want that the plant of Tarragona to become a center of reference from where we will promote various research projects in collaboration with other departments of the University,” explains Juanjo Duelo, founder and director of the company.The plant has been installed in the building N5 of the Sescelades Campus and will be managed by Jaume Bori, holds a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Biotechnology by the URV and PHD in Environmental Engineering. His figure will depend on the scientific department of the company, and will be devoted to seek synergies in the environment of the URV and launch projects with different areas of the University.The incorporation of this new company in the campus is in the line of the University, who wants to promote the relationship with the company and to promote the transfer of knowledge for the benefit of society.
The plant is managed by Jaume Bori, graduated in Biochemistry and Biotecnology by URV.
Other arguments in favor of this location, according to Duelo is that “we are looking for partners to be able to expand all over the world. If we have to use the airport of Tarragona or the Prat, we will obtain the same as if we are in Barcelona.”
Objective of the URV: The attraction of companies of high technological value
The attraction of companies of high technological value is a strategic objective for the URV, who currently maintains advanced negotiations with another company in the health sector. “This type of companies are very interesting because with their level of specialization cause interaction, mutual learning and generate new opportunities and projects. Contribute to raise the bar of the research that we do in the university,” explains Lourdes Jane, director of the Center for Transfer of Technology of the Foundation URV.
Data of interest
The Technology Transfer Center of the Foundation URV managed 318 collaboration contracts with companies and institutions the year 2018. Transfer contracts allow to create applicable solutions, and from the research results that are generated in the university. Of the 190 clients with whom collaborated the URV last year, 85 are private companies. The rest are public entities, associations, foundations and cooperatives. The sum of the value of contracts was supposed to the university 5.6 million euros of income.
Access the original new through here.
This new also has been published in the digital diary of University Rovira i Virgili the 1-4-2019, access the publication here, and in the publication Economic Indicator of URV, access the pdf.
The International Society of DAO Deficiency debuts new website: get profit from its news
The International Society of DAO Deficiency debuts new website and we are delighted that you form part of its members. If you aren`t jet members you can send your request through the next link and enjoy of great benefits.
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Three hospitals of QuirónSalud in Catalonia put in place units of DAO deficiency
The measurement of the functional activity of the enzyme DiaminoOxidasa consolidates its position as a key biomarker and after eight years since the beginning of the R&D project of DR Healthcare on the deficit of DAO as the principal cause of migraine and other associated symptoms, we are glad to see how it also consolidates at the clinical level. The Group Chiron Health has announced the implementation of units of Deficit of DAO in the entire network of hospitals that the group has in Spain.
A Spanish study points to the deficit of diamine oxidase as a possible cause of migraine – Medical Publication of neurology
On 24 May 2010 in the Medical Journal of neurology (a publication of GlaxoSmithKline and SANITARIA 2000 – with the support of Spanish Society of Neurology) presented the topics addressed during the day to raise awareness of migraine and other vascular headaches, held in the Congress of Deputies of Spain. On this day had presence personalities from the worlds of politics and national and international medicine as the European Federation of Neurological Associations`s president, Mary Baker, or the member of the European Parliament Nessa Childens, also member of the European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
Mary Baker, president of the FENA (European Federation of Neurological Associations); Fabio Antonaci, president of the Europen Headache Federation; Nessa Childens, MEP and member of ENVI (European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety); Gaspar Llamazares, president of the Commission for Health of the Congress; Audrey Craven, President of the EHA (European Headache Alliance ) ; Jesus Olesen, founder of the European Brain Council. Image credits: Medical Journal of neurology.
In this way it became apparent the institutional , the international community and the scientific community support to join efforts and promote research and protocols on migraine and other vascular headaches, in order to lay their biological bases as well as their correct diagnosis, treatment, and prevention at the clinical level.
MIGRADAO Study
In the field of research at the clinical level, were presented the main findings of the study MIGRADAO (which has had its continuation in the study MIGRADAO 002), apioneer clinical study at the global level in Nutritional Medicine and DAO deficiency/Migraines, and that was promoted by the Spanish Association of patients with headache (Aepac) and the Spanish laboratory DR Healthcare, specialist in the treatment of the DAO deficiency symptoms.
The main research was directed by Carmen Vidal, Professor of Nutrition and Bromatology at the University of Barcelona, and its results showed a significant relationship between deficits of the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO) and the emergence of migraine attacks by accumulation of histamine derived from the diet.
Histamine is a molecule that is present in all foods of the daily diet, and is metabolized mainly at the level of the intestine and in blood by the DAO enzyme . The histamine presents different vital functions and physiological and pathological effects throughout the body, but their involvement in the migraine is associated with its capacity to produce neurological disorders at a cerebral level.
The results indicated that 96 percent of migraine sufferers have a reduced level of DAO (49 percent with values between 40 and 80 udh/ml.) or very low (47 percent with values less than 40 udh/ml.), leading to an accumulation of histamine in tissues and organs, leading to migraine and other vascular headaches.
New Horizons
Also, on the occasion of this day, there were numerous new projects both in the scope of the Members of the European Parliament and the working life of affected patients. In addition, the European Headache Alliance (EHA) presented his “Manifest of Madrid on headache and migraine” which follows the previous protocols of the Declarations of Rome and Amsterdam.
The latter was signed in December 2009 and laid the basis for a greater involvement of the patient in the treatment of headache as well as a better patient-physician communication as pathways necessary for effective management of these ailments.
In addition, this Dutch city, highlighted the importance of the attention of migraines by a multidisciplinary team, which appears as the more effective care in terms of cost-effectiveness. Finally, another of the conclusions which were distilled on that occasion was the need for the multidisciplinary team is properly trained and that there is greater communication between doctors themselves.
The Manifest of Madrid, which has been presented at the Congress of Deputies in a session opened by Gaspar Llamazares, medic and in that time diputie for Asturias and Madrid in the General Courts of the Spanish Parliament, involves an appeal to all European politicians to make the investigation of this disease a priority.
“The migraine should be strongly taken into account in the political agenda,” said Audrey Craven, President of the EHA (European Headache Alliance ).
In it was stablished that migraine is a neurological disorder of the brain, which is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the 12th leading cause of disability and that involves a cost to the European economy of 27 billion euros a year. And it is that migraine affects more than 80 million people in the world and nearly five million in our country. Hence the need to carry out policies of action jointly by all countries.
Patients’ access to health care
With the objective to determine the access of patients to the assistance, the EHA conducted a survey in which 84 percent of respondents were female and 16 percent male. Some of the data that it throw is that although in almost all countries in which this survey was conducted there are doctors and specialized centers, the majority of respondents considered inadequate the assistance. Despite the fact that the reasons are varied, in general most makes reference to the fact that migraine is not considered as a “true disease.”
In addition, revealed that 60 percent of respondents are not satisfied with the management and treatment of migraine, considered to be ineffective treatments, little information on how to use them and difficult access to specialist. Another fact that emerges is that only an eight percent have access to specialist and the patient takes an average of 12.8 years to be aware of the existence of a specialized center.
This discontent rises in Spain to 81 per cent.
In the following links you can access the original article published in Medical Journal of Neurology, or download the pdf through here. Get access also through these links to more information about the DAO Deficiency, its origin and the presence of histamine and other biogenic amines en different types of foods.