Healx and SCI Ventures partner to help treat paralysis using AI

AI drug discovery firm Healx has partnered with SCI Ventures to find and develop therapies for spinal cord injury (SCI).

The collaboration, which was confirmed in February 2025, will see Healx‘s AI platform used to identify new treatments for SCI, a condition that affects more than 20 million people globally and currently has limited treatment options.

Healx’s machine learning and drug discovery expertise will be combined with the scientific insight, domain expertise and unique dataset access of SCI Ventures, a specialist venture fund focused on curing paralysis.

Tim Guiliams, cofounder and chief executive of Healx, said: “This partnership will allow us to further push the boundaries of what’s possible in AI-driven drug discovery for neurotrauma.

“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.”

SCI Ventures’ $2 million (£1.46m) investment in Healx will be used to kickstart a programme targeted at chronic spinal cord injury.

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

Adrien Cohen, founding manager 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 partnership’s work is expected to extend across a wider range of central nervous system conditions.

SCO Ventures is backed by foundations in the US, UK and Europe, such as the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, Wings for Life, Spinal Research, Promobilia and the Shepherd Centre.

Meanwhile, in August 2024, Healx secured $47 million (£34.2m) in a Series C funding for its trial for neurofibromatosis treatment to support clinical trials and the development of new treatments for nerve-related tumour and neurodevelopmental disorders.

The company has raised more than $100m (£73m) since its inception in 2014.