OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS IN 2025
We're proud to share that SYNAPSE has contributed to three impactful scientific publications so far in 2025, underlining our commitment to advancing real-world data, AI, and data-driven research.
Our team members – Montse Camprubí, Inari Soininen, and Noemí Manero – have each contributed to publications related to the EHDEN, VICT3R, and CLAIMS projects, respectively.
Advancing Real-World Evidence Through a Federated Health Data Network (EHDEN): Descriptive Study This study aims to describe the composition and characteristics of the databases harmonized within EHDEN as of September 2024. We seek to provide transparency regarding the types of RWD available and their potential to support collaborative research and regulatory use.
RECLAIM – A multicentre observational study enabling AI-driven prognostic models for multiple sclerosis progression Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by a progressive worsening of disability over time. As many regulatory-cleared disease-modifying treatments aiming to slow down this progression are now available, a clear need has arisen for a personalized and data-driven approach to treatment optimization in order to more efficiently slow down disease progression and eventually, progressive disability worsening. This strongly depends on the availability of biomarkers that can detect and differentiate between the different forms of disease worsening, and on predictive models to estimate the disease trajectory for each patient under certain treatment conditions. To this end, we here describe a multicenter, retrospective, observational study, aimed at setting up a harmonized database to allow the development, training, optimization, and validation of such novel biomarkers and AI-based decision models. Additionally, the data will be used to develop the tools required to better monitor this progression and to generate further insights on disease worsening and progression, patient prognosis, treatment decisions and responses, and patient profiles of patients with MS.
IHI VICT3R: Virtual control groups to reduce animal use in toxicology research The virtual control group (VCG) concept was originally developed in the IMI2 project eTRANSAFE, using data of control animals which pharmaceutical companies have accrued over decades from animal toxicity studies. This control data could be repurposed to create virtual control animals to reduce or replace concurrent controls in animal studies. Initial work demonstrated the general feasibility of the VCG concept, but implementation requires significant further collaborative efforts. The new Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) project VICT3R aims to address these challenges and to obtain regulatory acceptance for the VCG concept. To achieve these goals, VICT3R will build a database comprising high-quality, standardized, and duly annotated control animal data from past and forthcoming toxicity studies. The VICT3R project will create workflows and computational tools to generate adequate VCGs based on statistical and artificial intelligence (AI) approaches. The validity, reproducibility, and robustness of the resulting VCGs will be assessed by comparing the performance of their use with that of real control groups.
Congratulations to all our collaborators for this excellent work. We look forward to continuing to push the boundaries of research through trusted data, collaborative science, and innovative technologies, together with our partners.
Explore our full repository of publications with our contributions here.
The mission of the European Health Data & Evidence Network (EHDEN) is to provide a new paradigm for the discovery and analysis of health data in Europe, by building a large-scale, federated network of data sources standardised to a common data model. EHDEN will build on prior projects, such as EMIF and EHR4CR, in scaling their original intents and technologies.
The CLAIMS (Clinical impact through AI-assisted MS care) project will run over the next 4 years to realize a companion diagnostic platform supporting the assessment and specification of disease worsening in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and making data-driven precision medicine a reality for patients with MS (pwMS).
VICT3R is dedicated to reducing animal use in toxicology research. Aligned with the 3Rs principles—Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement—VICT3R aims to revolutionize the field by developing innovative Virtual Control Groups (VCGs) that not only enhance scientific outcomes but also uphold higher ethical standards.
