The pioneering gene therapy project for Machado-Joseph disease was selected by an international jury of experts, recognising its scientific excellence, innovation potential and prospective impact on patients' lives.

The Final Event of the Tecnimede Open Innovation Competition 2026 brought together researchers, entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, investors and industry leaders at the Pavilhão do Conhecimento in Lisbon to celebrate innovation in pharmaceutical technologies and the transformative potential of scientific research.

Organised by Tecnimede Group in partnership with HiSeedTech, the competition concluded with the announcement of SafeAlleleSCA as the recipient of the Jorge Ruas Award, recognising a breakthrough innovation with the potential to address an unmet medical need and improve patients' lives.

The Final Event was honoured by the presence of the President of the Portuguese Republic, António José Seguro, who highlighted the strategic importance of scientific research, innovation and the pharmaceutical industry in strengthening Portugal's competitiveness and creating long-term societal value.

The opening session featured remarks from Maria do Carmo Neves, President of the Board of Tecnimede Group, who paid tribute to the legacy of Jorge Ruas and his vision of promoting innovation capable of generating a meaningful impact on healthcare and society.

Participants also attended a keynote presentation by Yann Gaston-Mathé, Founder and CEO of Iktos, who explored the role of artificial intelligence in accelerating drug discoveryand shaping the future of pharmaceutical research and development.

Ten Finalists Showcasing the Future of Pharmaceutical Technologies

Selected from a highly competitive international pool of applications, ten finalist teams presented innovative technologies addressing major healthcare challenges through advances in gene therapy, regenerative medicine, nanotechnology, advanced drug delivery systems, tissue engineering and artificial intelligence.

The finalist projects were Biodiffuse, CELLIMMUNE, Exobiosphere, GILDED, NanoPyl, ohmPRO, PEPILSKIN, SafeAlleleSCA, SilenSCAs and VTμA Accelerate.

The projects were evaluated by an international jury composed of leading experts from academia, healthcare and industry, who assessed each technology based on scientific excellence, innovation potential, feasibility and expected impact on healthcare and society.

SafeAlleleSCA Receives the Jorge Ruas Award

Following the jury's deliberation, SafeAlleleSCA was selected as the winner of the 2026 Jorge Ruas Award.

Developed by a research team from the Centre of Excellence in Gene Therapy (GeneT), CNC – University of Coimbra, the project is advancing a precision gene therapy approach for Machado–Joseph disease, a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder for which there is currently no cure.

The technology selectively silences the disease-causing mutation while preserving the normal function of the gene, overcoming one of the major challenges associated with gene-silencing therapies. By combining scientific excellence with strong translational potential, SafeAlleleSCA represents a promising step towards new therapeutic options for patients affected by this devastating disease.

The jury recognised the project for its scientific excellence, innovation potential and prospective impact on patients' lives.

The event concluded with remarks from Hélder Mota Filipe, President of the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society and member of the jury panel, who highlighted the importance of supporting innovation and creating opportunities for promising healthcare technologies to reach society.

Strengthening the Connection Between Science and Industry

The Tecnimede Open Innovation Competition was created to identify and support innovative pharmaceutical technologies capable of addressing significant healthcare challenges while fostering collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs and industry.

As a partner of the initiative, HiSeedTech is proud to contribute to an ecosystem that promotes the translation of scientific knowledge into real-world solutions, helping innovative technologies progress from the laboratory towards societal and market impact.

The quality of the projects presented throughout the competition demonstrates the strength of the innovation ecosystem and reinforces the importance of continued investment in research, entrepreneurship and collaboration.

We congratulate the SafeAlleleSCA team on this achievement and thank all finalist teams, jury members, speakers, partners and participants who contributed to the success of the 2026 edition.

Through initiatives such as the Tecnimede Open Innovation Competition, breakthrough scientific discoveries can be transformed into innovations with the potential to improve healthcare and create lasting value for society.