Autoimmune encephalitis refers to a group of inflammatory diseases of the brain that affect people of all ages. They occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own proteins, such as neurotransmitter receptors or neuronal cell surface proteins, causing complex neuropsychiatric symptoms, from memory and behavioural problems to seizures, somnolence, or coma. Making an early diagnosis is key to being able to administer immunotherapy treatment as soon as possible and thus improve the patient's prognosis. However, the diagnostic tests available on the market lack specificity and sensitivity, leading to delays and errors in diagnosis.
The aim of this project is to achieve a new, rapid, and highly accurate diagnostic test that allows the disease to be identified early and contributes towards improving its evolution. In previous phases, the researchers developed NeurAntigen, a test capable of detecting or ruling out the presence of antibodies specific to the disease, directed against neurons, both in the patient's blood and cerebrospinal fluid. In this new phase, they will validate its diagnostic accuracy and effectiveness in a real clinical environment, with the aim of progressing towards the commercialisation of the test.
The CaixaImpulse Innovation programme
The "la Caixa" Foundation has resolved the 2024 call for the CaixaImpulse Innovation programme, through which it is supporting 29 new biomedical projects from research centres, hospitals, and universities in Spain and Portugal. In total, the organisation will allocate 3.4 million euros to this initiative, which aims to accelerate the arrival of these innovations to the market and thus bring them closer to patients who may need them. CaixaImpulse Innovation also promotes the creation of new products, services and companies related to the life sciences and healthcare.
The winning projects – chosen from over 400 applications received – were evaluated by six panels of international experts and professionals in this field. Among those selected this year are 17 projects led by researchers from 14 Catalan research centres, including the IDIBAPS project.
