Developing gene therapies to make nerve cells more resilient to ALS
ALS progressively destroys motor neurons, weakening muscles and impairing movement, speech and breathing. Available medicines may prolong survival or slow decline, but no known treatment stops or reverses progression, leaving patients facing a continuing loss of function.
Axial Cell Systems develops early-stage gene therapies based on neurons that resist ALS, aiming to make vulnerable neurons more resilient. It plans to license drug candidates to pharmaceutical companies for clinical development and market access.
What stands out about Axial Cell Systems
Co-founder Eva Hedlund co-led a 2020 study showing SYT13 gene therapy protected motor neurons and extended survival in ALS and SMA mouse models.
Co-founder Sofia Svanteson previously founded Ocean Observations in 2001 and the health-tech company Elsa Science in 2017.
Vinnova awarded SEK 15,000 for participation in SwissNordicBio 2025.
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