Healx secures $2m from SCI Ventures for neurotrauma focus

Healx has partnered with SCI Ventures – the world’s first specialist venture fund focused on curing paralysis – to accelerate the discovery and development of therapies for spinal cord injury (SCI) using AI.

London-based SCI Ventures operates a $40m fund and is headed up by two-time unicorn founder, Adrien Cohen. Established in 2024, its first major investment is a $2m partnership with pioneering Cambridge-based AI drug discovery company Healx, and will focus on tackling paralysis.

Backed by leading foundations in the US, UK and EU such as the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Wings for Life, Spinal Research, Promobilia and the Shepherd Center, SCI Ventures brings unmatched credibility and commitment to the neuroregeneration space.

The partnership combines the machine learning and drug discovery expertise of Healx with the deep scientific insight, domain expertise, and unique dataset access of SCI Ventures.

This first-of-its kind collaboration will apply Healx’s cutting-edge AI platform to identify promising new treatments for SCI — a life-altering condition affecting more than 20 million people globally, with limited treatment options.

By prioritising AI driven target-discovery strategies and drug repurposing, the partnership will dramatically shorten the path from discovery to clinical application.

Adrien Cohen, founding managing director of SCI Ventures, said: “Recent technological advancements have made recovery from paralysis a real possibility for the first time in history.

“We are thrilled to partner with Healx to pioneer a new frontier in neuroregeneration using cutting-edge AI technology. By pairing our clinic-ready insight with Healx’s AI engine, we aim to make this the first generation that does not have to live with paralysis for the rest of their lives.”

While the first target is chronic SCI, the collaboration’s impact will extend across a broader spectrum of central nervous system (CNS) conditions. including traumatic brain injury, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

“This partnership will allow us to further push the boundaries of what’s possible in AI-driven drug discovery for neurotrauma.” said Tim Guilliams, co-founder and CEO of Healx. “Spinal cord injury is one of the clearest test cases for our approach – whilst the mechanics and biology is well understood, treatments have lagged behind. If we can unlock progress here, it could open the door to a new generation of AI-powered therapies for previously incurable conditions.”