Quiver Bioscience and QurAlis Announce Research Collaboration to Advance Novel Therapeutic Approach for Fragile X Syndrome
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Quiver Bioscience ('Quiver') and QurAlis Corporation ('QurAlis'), today announced that the companies have entered into a research collaboration to advance a novel gene-targeted therapeutic approach for the treatment of Fragile X syndrome (FXS). The goal of the collaboration is to combine Quiver's unique 'Genomic Positioning System' (GPS) drug discovery platform with QurAlis' expertise in developing next-generation precision medicines for neurodegenerative and neurological diseases to build a foundational data package in support of advancing a potentially transformative therapeutic for FXS.
Quiver's GPS platform integrates unique-in-world, scalable, human neuronal electrophysiology data (the 'language' of the brain) with artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) to drive novel insights into disease biology and enable optimized drug discovery. Quiver has successfully applied its GPS approach to a variety of central nervous system (CNS) disorders and recently published modeling and drug discovery efforts in FXS.
'Our platform technology is uniquely suited to improving understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of neurogenetic disorders such as FXS. We are excited to embark on this partnership with QurAlis which aspires to bring about groundbreaking therapies for the FXS community,' said Graham Dempsey, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Quiver Bioscience.
'FXS is a devastating neurodevelopmental disease. It is the leading inherited form of intellectual disability and known cause of autism for which there are no disease-modifying therapies,' said Kasper Roet, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of QurAlis. 'We look forward to this research collaboration with Quiver. The combination of enabling technologies and drug development experience built through this partnership holds great promise for progressing novel therapeutics for FXS, for which there exists a significant unmet medical need.'
FXS, the leading genetic form of intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder, is caused by loss of the FMR1 encoded protein Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein (FMRP). It currently affects approximately 87,000 individuals in the U.S. alone – occurring at an incidence of 1 in 4,000 males and 1 in 6,000 females. In addition to intellectual disability, FXS symptoms include delays in development, seizures, speech difficulties, hyperactivity and attention deficit, severe anxiety, and others. There are no disease-modifying therapies currently available for FXS.
Destum Partners acted as transaction advisor to Quiver Bioscience.
About Quiver Bioscience
Quiver Bioscience is a technology-driven company established to create transformational medicines for the brain while simultaneously uncovering new biology and novel, effective drug targets. Using advanced single-cell imaging and multi-omics, we are building the world's most information-rich neuronal insight map via our "Genomic Positioning System." Our approach integrates cutting-edge scalable human models, state-of-the-art technology and proprietary engineering, and learning and surrogate AI/ML models to identify novel therapeutic targets and the best candidate molecules to deliver new and meaningful therapeutics to patients. For information, including additional publications describing application of Quiver's GPS to drug discovery, visit www.quiverbioscience.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
About QurAlis Corporation
At QurAlis, we are neuro pioneers on a quest to cure, boldly seeking to translate scientific breakthroughs into powerful precision medicines. We work collaboratively with a relentless pursuit of knowledge, precise attention to craft, and compassion to discover and develop medicines that have the potential to transform the lives of people living with neurodegenerative and neurological diseases. QurAlis is the leader in development of precision therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In addition to ALS, QurAlis is advancing a robust precision medicine pipeline to bring effective disease-modifying therapeutics to patients suffering from severe diseases defined by genetics and clinical biomarkers. For more information, please visit www.quralis.com or follow us on X @QurAlisCo or LinkedIn.
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