conceptual period

Recipient: German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases e.V.
Funding: GO-Bio initial conceptual phase 2nd round (01/10.2021 to 30/09/2022, EUR 98,448.13)

Alzheimer's disease currently affects more than 50 million people worldwide, making it the most common neurodegenerative disease. Effective therapies are currently not available, as the diagnosis is often made late in the process, when the dying of nerve cells is already far advanced. Early signs of cognitive deficits are usually not measurable. Therapeutic intervention must therefore take place at a very early stage. In order to recognise this point in time, biomarkers are needed to identify risk factors in a simple and cost-effective screening process. Such an approach has already proved successful in other areas and has now been transferred to the research and treatment of Alzheimer's disease for the first time. The preliminary work on the project shows that RNA molecules in the blood can be used for early detection of Alzheimer's disease. The aim here is to transfer the analysis of these molecules into a diagnostic tool. In this way, the research project contributes to the sharpening of life science utilisation ideas and to testing their viability in line with the announcement.

feasibility stage

Recipient: German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in the Helmholtz Association
Funding GO-Bio initial feasibility phase 2 (01/10/2022 to 30/09/2024, EUR 440,121.00)

Despite intensive research into neurodegenerative diseases, there is a current lack of simple and cost-effective methods for the early detection of age-related dementia such as Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is characterised by the death of brain nerve cells and its progression is accompanied by irreversible cognitive impairment.

The aim of the miRassay-2 project is to develop a point-of-care diagnostic assay in form of a lateral flow test. It enables the measurement of three small ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules, so-called microRNAs, in human blood. Their specific signature can be used to detect an Alzheimer's risk at an early stage. The innovative and promising assay is simple, cost-effective and widely applicable. A potential application of the lateral flow test is in the medical field for an early identification of people at risk of Alzheimer's disease. It would also enable self-testing to determine a potential onset of Alzheimer's disease.

The GO-Bio initial project aims at developing a commercialisation and business plan including a marketing commercialisation strategy. Itcontributes to the transfer of innovative research approaches from the life sciences to commercial utilisation as defined in the announcement.