HKCeND Wins 3 Awards at International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2024

Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (HKCeND) has received 3 prestigious awards at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2024. These accolades highlight the groundbreaking innovations showcased by the HKCeND team, aimed at addressing the pressing medical challenges posed by Alzheimer‘s disease (AD).

One of the award-winning inventions introduces an innovative strategy targeting soluble ST2 (sST2), a blood protein, for the development of AD therapeutics. This research has won the Prize of the Chinese Delegation for Invention and Innovation, as well as the Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury. The research findings have unlocked new possibilities for the development of AD therapeutics. Therapeutics targeting sST2 can reduce the risk of AD development and ameliorate associated pathologies. Importantly, these therapeutic approaches offer a simpler, less invasive, and safer option compared to traditional AD treatment approaches.

Moreover, the non-invasive brain-wide genome editing approach for treating familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD), has garnered a Gold Medal. This revolutionary invention is a universal approach capable of correcting specific genetic mutations in individual patients, thereby alleviating the pathologies associated with FAD. The technology offers immense potential to revolutionize treatments of familial diseases.

HKCeND Center Director, Prof. Nancy IP said, “We are honoured to receive global recognition for our scientific breakthroughs. Through collaborations with academia, research and medical institutes, industry partners, as well as the government, we remain dedicated to translating our research innovations into practical solutions that benefit society.”

The International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva is one of the largest annual global events devoted exclusively to inventions. This year, the exhibition showcased 1,035 inventions from 38 countries and regions.