Chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, Hilary Evans, and leader of pharmaceutical company, Eisai, Nadeem Sarwar, have been appointed co-chairs of a national mission to tackle dementia in memory of Dame Barbara Windsor.

The Dementia Mission brings industry, academia and the NHS together to speed up dementia research, using the successful approach of the Covid Vaccine Taskforce with government backing for dementia research to reach £160 million by 2024.

Evans said: “I’m delighted to take on this vital role as co-chair of the UK’s Dementia Mission, alongside Nadeem. Over the last decade, I have developed partnerships with industry, academia and the NHS and will be ensuring that people with dementia are at the heart of this Mission. This significant initiative will drive forward progress in dementia research and bring us closer to a cure.

“Dementia research has made great strides in recent years, but there is still important progress to be made on multiple fronts, and this needs effective collaboration across the whole dementia landscape.  From researchers, to regulatory bodies responsible for making sure patients can access safe and effective treatments without delay, and of course the NHS and research workforce. I look forward to working closely with Nadeem to make this happen, and help ensure the UK is at the forefront of dementia research for years to come.”

Professor Sarwar said: “Driven by rapid and ongoing scientific advances, we have arrived at a true inflection in dementia research and innovation. We now have an unprecedented scientific foundation upon which to build, to deliver transformative solutions for people with and at risk of dementia. The UK – anchored by its world-class scientific ecosystem that intersects scalable human biology, health technology and data sciences – has the opportunity to serve as a global catalyst and help lead the fight against dementia. I am humbled, and inspired, therefore to serve as the co-chair of the UK Dementia Mission, and look forward to working with Hilary to help realize this vision.”

One million people are predicted to be living with dementia by 2025, and 1.6 million by 2040. It is the leading cause of death in the UK.

The new national Mission will build on recent advances in biological and data sciences, including genomics, AI and the latest brain imaging technology, to test new treatments from a growing range of possible options. The Mission will work in partnership with industry and other key system partners and leverage the rich research ecosystem in the UK.