Cambridge-based biotech firm has entered into a new partnership with a specialist venture fund to explore treatments for paralysis using artificial intelligence.
Healx, which uses machine learning to discover new therapies for rare diseases, has partnered with SCI Ventures, a fund focused on spinal cord injury (SCI). The two organisations will work together to repurpose existing drugs for use in treating SCI, which affects hundreds of thousands of people globally each year.
The collaboration will use Healx’s AI-powered platform to analyse existing compounds and identify those with potential to be fast-tracked for clinical development. By focusing on repurposing, the approach could reduce the time and cost typically involved in bringing new treatments to patients.
SCI Ventures supports companies developing technologies and therapies aimed at improving outcomes for people with spinal cord injuries. As part of the partnership, it will provide strategic input and help prioritise candidates for further research.
Dr Tim Guilliams, CEO and co-founder of Healx, commented that the partnership represented a meaningful step forward. “This partnership with SCI Ventures allows us to expand the reach of our technology and explore urgently needed treatments for spinal cord injury. We are excited to combine our drug discovery capabilities with their clinical and patient-centred expertise.”
Healx’s platform has previously been used to develop drug candidates for conditions such as neurofibromatosis type 1, a rare genetic disorder. The company specialises in finding new applications for already-approved medicines, a process that is often more cost-efficient than traditional drug development.
Dr Rory Murphy, co-founder of SCI Ventures and a spinal neurosurgeon, commented “There is a huge unmet need in this space. We believe that by applying AI to drug repurposing, we can uncover hidden opportunities that conventional research might miss.”
The project will begin with a review of available data and a shortlist of compounds to take forward. Neither organisation has provided a specific timeline for when clinical trials might commence.
Healx, founded in 2014, has raised more than 70 million US dollars (approximately 55 million pounds) to date. It is part of the growing biotech hub in Cambridge, which is recognised internationally for its life sciences research and innovation.
Reporting from: Cambridge
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