Healx, an expert in AI-powered drug discovery for rare and neglected conditions, has partnered with SCI Ventures to try to accelerate the discovery and development of therapies for spinal cord injury (SCI) using artificial intelligence. This collaboration will apply Healx’s AI platform to identify new promising treatments for SCI, which affects over 20 million people globally, with limited treatment options.
This partnership combines the machine learning and drug discovery expertise of Healx with the scientific insight, domain expertise, and unique dataset access of SCI Ventures. Backed by foundations in the United States, U.K., and EU, such as the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Wings for Life, Spinal Research, Promobilia, and the Shepherd Center, SCI Ventures brings credibility and commitment to the neuroregeneration space, according to Tim Guiliams, co-founder and CEO of Healx.
SCI Ventures’ investment in Healx will kick-start a first program targeted at chronic spinal cord injury, a large unmet medical need, and one of the most expensive medical conditions to manage, with lifetime care costs reaching US$3–6 million per patient.
By prioritizing AI-driven target-discovery strategies and drug repurposing, the partnership is expected to dramatically shorten the path from discovery to clinical application. Given the recent explosion in multiomic neuro-regeneration datasets, this collaboration is timely, noted Guiliams.
Chronic spinal cord injury, a large unmet medical need, is one of the most expensive medical conditions to manage, with lifetime care costs reaching US$3–6 million per patient. [Baranozdemir/Getty Images]
“This partnership will allow us to further push the boundaries of what’s possible in AI-driven drug discovery for neurotrauma,” he said. “Spinal cord injury is one of the clearest test cases for our approach. While the mechanics and biology are well understood, treatments have lagged behind. If we can unlock progress here, it could open the door to a new generation of AI-powered therapies for previously incurable conditions.”
“Recent technological advancements have made recovery from paralysis a real possibility for the first time in history,“ added Adrien Cohen, founding managing director of SCI Ventures. We are thrilled to partner with Healx to pioneer a new frontier in neuroregeneration using AI technology. By pairing our clinic-ready insight with Healx’s AI engine, we aim to make this the first generation that does not have to live with paralysis for the rest of their lives.”
While the first target is chronic SCI, the collaboration’s impact will extend across a broader spectrum of central nervous system (CNS) conditions. Spinal cord injury is a biologically well-defined and stable condition, which makes it an ideal strategic indication to generate insights and fast track innovation in other neurological conditions such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s (PD), and Alzheimer’s (AD), opening the door to potential breakthroughs across the broader neurodegenerative and neurotrauma landscape.
The post Healx and SCI Ventures Partner to Uncover Cures for Paralysis with AI-Driven Drug Discovery appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
This partnership combines the machine learning and drug discovery expertise of Healx with the scientific insight, domain expertise, and unique dataset access of SCI Ventures. Backed by foundations in the United States, U.K., and EU, such as the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Wings for Life, Spinal Research, Promobilia, and the Shepherd Center, SCI Ventures brings credibility and commitment to the neuroregeneration space, according to Tim Guiliams, co-founder and CEO of Healx.
SCI Ventures’ investment in Healx will kick-start a first program targeted at chronic spinal cord injury, a large unmet medical need, and one of the most expensive medical conditions to manage, with lifetime care costs reaching US$3–6 million per patient.
Accelerating treatments
By prioritizing AI-driven target-discovery strategies and drug repurposing, the partnership is expected to dramatically shorten the path from discovery to clinical application. Given the recent explosion in multiomic neuro-regeneration datasets, this collaboration is timely, noted Guiliams.
Chronic spinal cord injury, a large unmet medical need, is one of the most expensive medical conditions to manage, with lifetime care costs reaching US$3–6 million per patient. [Baranozdemir/Getty Images]
“This partnership will allow us to further push the boundaries of what’s possible in AI-driven drug discovery for neurotrauma,” he said. “Spinal cord injury is one of the clearest test cases for our approach. While the mechanics and biology are well understood, treatments have lagged behind. If we can unlock progress here, it could open the door to a new generation of AI-powered therapies for previously incurable conditions.”
“Recent technological advancements have made recovery from paralysis a real possibility for the first time in history,“ added Adrien Cohen, founding managing director of SCI Ventures. We are thrilled to partner with Healx to pioneer a new frontier in neuroregeneration using AI technology. By pairing our clinic-ready insight with Healx’s AI engine, we aim to make this the first generation that does not have to live with paralysis for the rest of their lives.”
While the first target is chronic SCI, the collaboration’s impact will extend across a broader spectrum of central nervous system (CNS) conditions. Spinal cord injury is a biologically well-defined and stable condition, which makes it an ideal strategic indication to generate insights and fast track innovation in other neurological conditions such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s (PD), and Alzheimer’s (AD), opening the door to potential breakthroughs across the broader neurodegenerative and neurotrauma landscape.
The post Healx and SCI Ventures Partner to Uncover Cures for Paralysis with AI-Driven Drug Discovery appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.