ND BioSciences, the Swiss biotech co-founded by Prof. Hilal Lashuel, the director of the laboratory of molecular and chemical biology of neurodegeneration at EPFL’s Brain Mind Institute is the 6th venture to join Biopôle’s StartLab incubation program. The startup aims to accelerate the development of early diagnostics and therapies for neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease.
Biopôle Lausanne has just announced the sixth life science company to join its StartLab Incubation Program in Epalinges. ND BioSciences is a Swiss biotech founded in March 2019 by Prof. Hilal Lashuel and Dr. Bilal Fares with the mission of developing and providing innovative technologies, solutions, tools and assays to accelerate the development of therapies and early diagnostics for neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). The company was recognized in 2019 by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) with two grants.
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are among the top disorders that affect elderly people, debilitate their lives, ultimately leading to their death. With global population growth and increased numbers of senior citizens, the number of people affected by Alzheimer's alone is projected to rise from the current 40 million to 135 million by 2050. This increase will not only have devastating effects on individuals, families and societies, but will also entail a tremendous economic burden, expected to reach ~$1 trillion per year in the USA alone. To date, there is no cure for NDs, and there is no diagnostic marker that can predict the onset of NDs, or allow accurate monitoring of disease progression and efficacy response in clinical trials.
ND Bioscience technologies allow, for the first time, to reproduce in vitro and in neuronal models the complexity and diversity of protein conformations and inclusions observed in patients suffering from NDs. In addition, the Vaud startup is the only company capable of deploying protein chemical synthesis for aggregation prone proteins. These unique technologies place the biotech in a unique position to identify and develop novel therapeutic drugs and biologics, and to identify biomarkers that capture the diversity of pathological species for early diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression.
The ideal venue to grow
Startlab is the ideal venue for ND BioSciences, to launch its activities and develop as an R&D biotech company. Furthermore, both founders explain: “In addition to offering well-equipped laboratory space and world-class infrastructure, Startlab offers a unique ecosystem at the heart of the Swiss Health Valley, comprising a network of leading academic institutions, vibrant life science industries and business experts. This ecosystem provides a dynamic and rich environment for the founding team of ND BioSciences to interact with experienced professionals, learn new skills, and accumulate vital knowledge to drive and realize the full potential of technologies pioneered at ND BioSciences. We feel very fortunate to be part of this dynamic community and are grateful to the leadership of Biopôle for hosting ND BioSciences and for their tremendous support.”
Based already at Biopôle’s StartLab Incubator together with 11 other startups, the biotech employing 6 people is currently working on establishing its technology platforms and hopes to complete key proof of concept studies to demonstrate the power of its technologies and validate its diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The startup is also raising the necessary resources to advance its mission and strategic goals.
(ES)
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