We are pleased to announce the launch of the NEUROAON project!
This project aims to develop new advanced therapies based on antisense oligonucleotides (AON) for the treatment of neuromuscular and neurological diseases that currently lack effective therapeutic options. It is expected to help strengthen the competitiveness of the industrial fabric through collaboration between companies and research organisations.
About the NEUROAON Project
The NEUROAON project has been selected under the “Grants for Regional Consortia actions (INNTERCONECTA-STEP)” call, driven by Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico y la Innovación (CDTI E.P.E.) and co-financed by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER).
NEUROAON aims to develop new advanced therapies based on antisense oligonucleotides (AON) for neuromuscular and neurological diseases that currently lack effective therapeutic options. Through a multidisciplinary approach integrating biotechnology, computational chemistry and precision medicine, the project will optimise the design, targeted delivery and preclinical validation of these compounds, improving their efficacy, stability and specificity.
ProtoQSAR’s role is to develop advanced computational tools for the in silico design and optimisation of therapeutic oligonucleotides. Its work focuses on models based on molecular simulations and machine learning techniques to predict candidate efficacy, minimise potential adverse effects, and identify unwanted interactions with other proteins (off-targets). Molecular docking and molecular dynamics techniques will also be used to assess the affinity, stability and interaction mechanism of the oligonucleotides with their biological targets, contributing to the rational design of safer and more effective therapies.
The consortium is formed by specialised companies such as ARTHEx, ProtoQSAR, AMS Biopharma and Curapath, together with national research organisations, including CSIC, Instituto de Bioingeniería de Cataluña (IBEC) and Universidad de Jaén, promoting a public-private collaboration model aimed at accelerating the development of new therapies for neuromuscular diseases.
Kick-off Meeting
The NEUROAON kick-off meeting took place on 22 July, bringing together the entire consortium. It was an opportunity to present each partner’s planned activities and to define short- and long-term work strategies for the coming months of the project.
