Groundbreaking innovators to revolutionize arthritis care through Arthritis Society Canada and Creative Destruction Lab partnership

Four arthritis-focused companies will receive support to launch their innovations into market, improving the future for people living with arthritis

TORONTO, Oct. 9, 2024 /CNW/ - Ahead of World Arthritis Day on October 12, Arthritis Society Canada, in partnership with Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, is proud to announce four arthritis-focused innovators with world class solutions from across the globe who have been selected to enter CDL's nine-month program, with the potential to advance the future of arthritis care.

"At the beginning of this year, a powerful partnership was formed with CDL to open new opportunities and create impactful solutions for the 6 million people in Canada living with arthritis, and the millions more who are at risk," says Trish Barbato, president and CEO at Arthritis Society Canada. "As we approach World Arthritis Day, we recognize the crucial need to advance cutting-edge innovation to reimagine arthritis care, and we're thrilled to highlight four innovators leading the charge."

The list includes:

• Canurta Therapeutics – Canurta Therapeutics is a biotechnology company addressing the problem of chronic inflammation. Through the development of rare, botanical drugs, Canurta is addressing unmet needs in neurodegenerative diseases including ALS, dementia, rheumatoid and juvenile arthritis.
  
  
• Interface Biosciences – Interface Biosciences is accelerating the development of therapies for autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis as well as cancer, using a novel drug discovery platform that integrates artificial intelligence with metabolomics and natural products chemistry. This approach shortens drug development timelines for complex diseases from 6-10 years to just 3-5 years.
  
  
• SereNeuro Therapeutics – SereNeuro Therapeutics is pioneering non-opioid pain therapies using advanced cell and gene therapy. Its innovative treatments for chronic pain, including adult osteoarthritis knee pain and juvenile idiopathic arthritis, reduce pain and regenerate bone density, reducing reliance on joint replacement surgery and improving patients' quality of life.
  
  
• A new company (yet to be public) is advancing precision therapeutics targeting the root causes of inflammation in antibody-mediated diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. Through its proprietary platform, they can rapidly analyze and isolate millions of antibodies in autoimmune patients, pinpointing disease-causing antibodies to develop highly targeted treatments.

These four innovators are among 15 other seed-stage science and technology-based companies entering CDL's program to receive access to an expert venture management team and a world class group of mentors to develop and bring their innovations to market.

Upon successful completion of CDL's program, the four innovators will be on track to establish successful businesses with strong mentorship, guidance and structure. In Spring 2025, Arthritis Society Canada and CDL will celebrate the innovators for their groundbreaking innovations and contributions to arthritis care in an inaugural showcase recognizing the significance and prevalence of arthritis and the need for innovative solutions.

About Creative Destruction Lab
Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies. Its nine-month program allows founders to learn from experienced entrepreneurs, increasing their likelihood of success. Founded in 2012 by Professor Ajay Agrawal at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, the program has expanded to 13 sites across seven countries: Oxford, Seattle, Paris, Atlanta, Madison, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Halifax, Berlin, Estonia, and Melbourne. Learn more at creativedestructionlab.com.

About Arthritis Society Canada
Arthritis Society Canada represents the six million people in Canada living with arthritis today, and the millions more who are impacted or at risk. Fueled by the trust and support of our donors and volunteers, Arthritis Society Canada is fighting arthritis with research, advocacy, innovation, information and support. We are Canada's largest charitable funder of cutting-edge arthritis research. We will not give up our efforts until everyone is free from the agony of arthritis. Arthritis Society Canada is accredited under Imagine Canada's Standards Program. For more information, visit arthritis.ca.

SOURCE Arthritis Society Canada

Media Contact: Jenny Ng, Senior Manager, Public Relations & Media, Arthritis Society Canada, [email protected], 416-455-1182