Génome Québec Announces $400,000 in Funding to Discover New Therapies for ALS
MONTREAL, February 28, 2025 – Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of motor neurons and atrophy of skeletal muscles, for which there is currently no cure. The lack of preclinical models that faithfully replicate the disease mechanisms observed in humans presents a major obstacle to the discovery of new therapies.
Our project aims to develop a computational model of ALS using transcriptomic data obtained from human cellular models derived from patients with the sporadic form of the disease. We will co-culture motor neurons and astrocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells of both patients and healthy individuals. The transcriptomic profiles of these models will be integrated by our partner, Simmunome Inc., to develop a computational ALS model, from which disease signatures will be identified. This could potentially lead to the discovery of biomarkers and new therapeutic targets.
This project will benefit our partner by facilitating the development of their artificial intelligence platform and will help the industry optimize clinical trials for ALS, thereby reducing associated costs and accelerating the development of therapies. Furthermore, this research will support the growth of academic and biotechnology sectors in Quebec.
About Génome Québec
Génome Québec’s mission is to catalyze the development and excellence of genomics research and promote its integration and democratization. It is a pillar of the Québec bioeconomy and contributes to Québec’s influence and its social and sustainable development. The funds invested by Génome Québec are provided by the ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie du Québec (MEIE), the government of Canada, through Genome Canada, and private partners. To learn more, visit www.genomequebec.com.
About Simmunome
Simmunome is at the leading edge of leveraging AI towards unraveling biological complexity. Simmunome’s platform allows users to input preclinical and clinical data to derive disease-specific insights and help R&D researchers make critical go/no-go decisions. By combining multi-omic data to create comprehensive models of disease, Simmunome simulates biological processes to identify novel drug targets and predict and improve clinical outcomes. Simmunome de-risks clinical research, reduces R&D costs and dramatically accelerates health research and innovation. For more information, visit simmunome.com.