Unlearn®, a pioneering artificial intelligence company, announced a groundbreaking partnership with German-based APST Research (APST), a leading platform for ALS clinical research. Founded by renowned ALS Key Opinion Leader (KOL) Prof. Thomas Meyer, APST has played a pivotal role in advancing ALS research, including real-world studies on Biogen’s tofersen in SOD1-associated ALS. Through this collaboration, Unlearn’s Digital Twin Generator (DTG) for ALS will now integrate data from over 8,000 patients in APST’s longitudinal study. This dataset includes clinical data, patient self-assessments, biomarker analyses, and common ALS clinical assessments such as ALSFRS-R, SVC, FVC, and neurofilament light chain (NfL) measurements.
By 2040, the global incidence of ALS is projected to increase by 70%. Despite decades of research, the cause of this progressive neurodegenerative disease—which damages nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord—remains unclear, and no cure has been identified. However, elevated levels of NfL, a biomarker for neuron death, have been linked to the progression of ALS and are now widely used as a surrogate marker of drug efficacy in early-stage ALS trials. APST’s dataset offers unprecedented insight into ALS progression and significantly strengthens the DTG’s performance in creating accurate digital twins of ALS patients.
“Our ability to improve on and deliver digital twins of clinical trial participants relies on the quality of our data,” said Steve Herne, CEO of Unlearn. “This collaboration with APST not only establishes a long-term partnership but also equips us with the most robust ALS dataset available. Together, we’re advancing the fight against ALS by significantly reducing research timelines.”
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In addition to integrating the APST dataset into its DTG, Unlearn and APST plan to collaborate on future research publications, highlighting advancements in digital twin technology and its applications. Unlearn will also provide digital twins of study participants to APST, supporting further research initiatives and enhancing the dataset’s utility.
“This collaboration marks the first time APST’s dataset has been licensed, creating a unique opportunity to positively impact ALS clinical trials,” said Thomas Meyer at APST Research. “By working with Unlearn, we can accelerate research projects and clinical trials, bringing us closer to a holistic understanding of ALS and potential breakthroughs for people with ALS.”
Delivered through Unlearn’s Platform, digital twins support clinical trials at every stage—from design and planning to execution and analysis. The Platform enables trial sponsors to increase power, reduce the number of patients randomized to control groups, identify subgroups with different responses to treatment, optimize eligibility criteria, add simulated comparator arms to single-arm trials, and estimate individual treatment effects.
Source: Businesswire