Get to know the visionary teams selected to compete for the €100,000 Jorge Ruas Award in September.

We are thrilled to announce the 10 finalist teams advancing to the final stage of the Tecnimede Open Innovation Competition, an initiative designed between our member company Tecnimede Group and HiSeedTech to strengthen collaboration between Tecnimede and leading innovators across Europe.

After a highly competitive selection process, these projects stood out for their scientific excellence, strong market potential, and transformative impact in the field of pharmaceutical technologies.

Meet the 10 Finalists:

• AAV-Based Gene Therapy for PPMS - A novel Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy for Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS). Its intravenously injected delivery system efficiently crosses the blood-brain barrier, offering a new treatment for this currently untreatable neurodegenerative disease.
  
• Glioblastoma Treatment Innovation - A novel glioblastoma treatment using a patient-tailored stent (gliomaSTENT) and hybrid nanoparticles. This platform delivers targeted chemotherapy and localized heat therapy to improve drug retention and patient outcomes.
  
• GnRHope- A novel cognitive-enhancing treatment approach for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. It aims to improve patient autonomy, aid workforce integration, and relieve caregiver burden.
  
• iPLUS - A disruptive technology for biomanufacturing that doubles therapeutic protein yield. It easily integrates into vectors without altering coding sequences, simplifying regulatory compliance, seamlessly integrating into current biopharma manufacturing and boosting production.
• mFibro - a polymeric carrier system for targeted mRNA delivery to fibroblasts. This technology aims to treat fibrotic diseases by enhancing stability and creating an efficient delivery platform.
• NEXOLIVAD- An exosome-based therapy for Alzheimer's, targeting the liver-brain axis. Its engineered exosomes cross the blood-brain barrier, restoring metabolic health and reducing neuroinflammation to slow disease progression.
  
• Optomics® Technology - A photonics and AI platform creating digital libraries of nano-biomarkers for rapid, label-free blood analysis, advancing Alzheimer’s diagnostics.
• PURR.AI’s AGELESS Platform - An AI-powered platform accelerating drug discovery for brain diseases by predicting blood-brain barrier permeability and reducing failure rates in Central Nervous System drug development.
• Reventus Pharma - Repositioning REV-604 to target MELAS syndrome, accelerating development for this severe mitochondrial disorder using AI-driven selection and strong preclinical data.
• Targeting VGF Receptor Signalling for Brain Metastasis - A dual-action small-molecule therapy designed to block key signaling pathways, preventing tumor cells from entering the brain and stopping metastasis progression at its origin.
  

The finalist teams will present their solutions to a distinguished jury of academic, healthcare, and industry leaders at a private final event on September 17, hosted at the Ordem dos Farmacêuticos in Lisbon. At this event, one outstanding project will be selected to receive the €100.000 Jorge Ruas Award, in recognition of its potential to transform pharmaceutical innovation.

Want to meet the teams in advance?
Watch the video pitches from the 10 finalists on our YouTube channel, available here.

Follow the Tecnimede Open Innovation Competition on LinkedIn to stay updated as we approach the final stage and discover more about each finalist team.