H2i Ventures in the News: Neuropeutics, PrehabRx, Epiloid, Inteligex & Cove Neurosciences
Neuropeutics and LifeArc Inc Announce Collaboration to Advance Treatment of MND/ALS
Congratulations to Neuropeutics, who recently announced a strategic partnership with LifeArc Inc. The Toronto startup and U.K. medical research charity are joining forces to advance the development of novel effective treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
UofT grown, Neuropeutics traces its beginnings to the Tanz Centre for Research in Neurogenerative Diseases and the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. It was at the Tanz Centre that post-doctoral researcher Marc Shenouda, now CEO of Neuropeutics, and researcher and professor Janice Robertson discovered JRMS-22, a molecule that can break up the TDP-43 protein aggregates which occur in ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. Since the company’s formation in 2023, the Neuropeutics team has seen impressive growth. They have participated in accelerators like H2i, Lab2Market and Creative Destruction Lab, and pitched in competitions globally. The collaboration with LifeArc will further drive the advancement of novel treatments, with LifeArc sharing their expert scientists and proprietary assays.
To learn more about Neuropeutics’ beginnings at UofT, click here!
Prehab Coverage on CBC News Features Dr. Daniel Santa Mina & Maggie Chen
H2i venture-founders Dr. Daniel Santa Mina and Maggie Chen recently participated in a CBC News segment examining the emerging evidence behind ‘prehab.’ Prehab programs use exercise and other health-optimizing interventions to help improve patient health before undergoing surgery. Growing research supports prehab’s role in improving surgical outcomes, with a recent study by University of Ottawa’s Dr. Dan McIsaac showing up to a 40-50% reduction in surgical complications and an average of one less day of in-hospital recovery. Santa Mina and Chen support prehab research and care delivery at UHN’s own prehabilitation program here in Toronto. Inspired by their work and the emerging field, they co-founded PrehabRx with Dr. Zia Poonja, a medical oncologist from Victoria B.C. PrehabRx is leveraging technology to increase the reach of prehabilitation, to improve the health and surgical outcomes of Canadians across the country.
Watch the full CBC News segment here!
Epiloid and Inteligex Accepted to BioCreate Accelerator, Receive CAD$150,000
Congratulations to Epiloid and Inteligex, who are among eight startups welcomed into the highly competitive BioCreate program. The program, run by Ontario Genomics and funded through investment from FedDev Ontario, is supporting the commercialization of genomics and engineering biology within health, food, agriculture and cleantech. It offers selected SMEs CAD$150,000 in funding, 18 months of mentorship, access to critical infrastructure and connections to potential investors. Being welcomed into the program is a testament to Epiloid and Inteligex’s growth and traction in the biotech space. Epiloid is a biotech company focused on finding effective treatments for neurological conditions through data analysis and personalized medicine. Inteligex is a genomics company hoping to change the way traumatic spinal cord injuries are treated by developing drug and stem cell therapies for patients.
Cove Neurosciences Featured in Toronto Star
Congratulations to Cove Neurosciences, whose work was recently featured in the Toronto Star! CEO and co-founder Nardin Samuel, neurology resident and Temerty Faculty of Medicine MD/PhD alum, sat down with the Star to provide insight into the venture’s development to date. Samuel and co-founder Irene Harmsen are using their advanced software solution to revolutionize the way we analyze, understand and use brain data. Cove’s platform enables the advanced analysis of multimodal brain imaging data, in turn allowing for enhanced data analysis pipelines over time, de-risked research and development, accelerated advancements in care and improved patient outcomes.
From psychiatric disorders to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Cove’s team is ready to change the way we understand and use brain data to innovate and deliver treatment. Read the full interview to learn more!