Onco-Innovations Limited and Redwood AI Inc., in collaboration with Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre and Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, have been awarded a competitive Digital Health Innovation Fund grant administered by the Terry Fox Research Institute. The grant, announced by BioMedWire, supports the development of the Onco SynoGraph AI-driven oncology platform, a project that aims to transform how cancer therapies are evaluated before human trials.
The reimbursement-based grant covers up to 25% of an estimated $3.5 million project budget, underscoring the significant investment required to bring advanced AI tools to oncology. The project will advance SynoGraph using federated learning and causal AI to predict first-in-human clinical outcomes from preclinical studies and real-world clinico-genomic data. This approach could reduce the time and cost of drug development while improving the likelihood of success in clinical trials.
Redwood AI will contribute proprietary data integration and physicochemical modelling methods, while the academic partners will provide clinico-genomic and imaging data. Onco-Innovations will contribute its causal AI methods and federated pipeline development. The collaboration leverages each partner’s strengths to create a robust platform that integrates diverse data sources while preserving patient privacy through federated learning.
The implications for oncology are substantial. By better predicting which therapies will succeed in humans, SynoGraph could help prioritize the most promising candidates, reduce attrition in clinical trials, and ultimately bring new treatments to patients faster. This is particularly critical in cancer research, where the failure rate of experimental drugs remains high.
Onco-Innovations, a Canadian company focused on cancer research and treatment, holds an exclusive worldwide licence to patented technology for the therapeutic inhibition of PNKP, a novel clinical target in DNA damage response. The company’s involvement in this project aligns with its mission to pursue prevention and treatment of cancer through pioneering research. For the latest news and updates relating to Onco-Innovations, visit the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ONNVF.
Redwood AI is a technology company developing advanced artificial intelligence and cybersecurity solutions for defence, public safety, and life sciences. Its work spans quantum cybersecurity, scientific research, and advanced chemistry applications, positioning it to address both the opportunities and threats of emerging technologies.
The grant and collaboration were announced through BioMedWire, a specialized communications platform focused on biotechnology, biomedical sciences, and life sciences. BioMedWire is part of the Dynamic Brand Portfolio at IBN, which provides wire solutions through InvestorWire, editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets, press release enhancement, social media distribution, and tailored corporate communications solutions. For full terms and disclaimers, see https://www.BioMedWire.com/Disclaimer.
