The Technology
As human life-span increases, prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease is soaring, reaching plague-like numbers worldwide. Alzheimer’s disease is a debilitating disease characterized by toxic protein build up in the brain that inevitably leads to dementia and loss of independence of the afflicted individual. The overwhelming majority of cases are sporadic with no known genetic cause, and no clear risk factors. A few rare cases, called “Familial Alzheimer’s disease” are caused by specific hereditary genetic mutations. Currently, Alzheimer’s research relies heavily on these mutations even though it is clear that they do not contribute to the common sporadic form of the disease. There is no treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and no cure. With no known cause, there is no platform available to properly model sporadic Alzheimer’s nor system to screen for potential drugs or therapies. The novel technology utilizes RNA interference to modify stem cells and progenitors’ cells to mimic properties of brain nerve cells “in-a-dish”, thus offering a model of human sporadic Alzheimer’s disease that could be used to identify risk factors for the emergence of sporadic Alzheimer’s, as well as a platform for drug screening and development of intervention strategies.
Advantages
- Effective, RNA interference-based platform to mimic brain nerve cells “in-a-dish”
- A unique model of human sporadic Alzheimer’s disease
Applications
- Drug screening
- Therapeutic interventions
- Development of disease diagnostics
- Predictions of risk factors
Business Development Contacts