Collaboration with GalenusRx aims to improve prescribing safety by reducing the risk of drug-induced cognitive decline, particularly for older patients who are at risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA, 17 October 2025: Hesperos, Inc., a global leader focused on improving preclinical drug development, food, cosmetic, and chemical testing with its Human-on-a-Chip® (HoaC) single- and multi-organ systems platform, has been awarded a Phase IIB SBIR grant (R44AG071386) from the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
In partnership with GalenusRx, Hesperos will use its HoaC, multi-organ systems, to study how combinations of anticholinergic (and other types of) medications contribute to cognitive impairment, including drug-induced dementia in older adults. Data generated from Hesperos’ multi-organ systems will contribute to enhancing GalenusRx’ APPRAISE® software platform, a clinician-friendly tool designed to guide better informed and safer prescribing decisions.
Project Highlights & Outcomes
- Clinically relevant data: Hesperos’ HoaC organ model can replicate cognitive deficits observed in patients associated with anticholinergic agents.
- Reduced healthcare costs: GalenusRx’ APPRAISE platform can support better informed medication prescribing regimens that will improve patient care by decreasing the likelihood of triggering ADEs that lead to emergency department visits, and hospitalizations.
Why It Matters
Often, different physicians are involved in the management of a patient who is dealing with multiple health conditions, for example: asthma, diabetes, hypertension and overactive bladder. Unfortunately, while each medication or treatment regimen may be appropriate on its own, because of a lack of awareness, the combination of different drug regimens may increase the risk of adverse drug-drug interactions.
Of particular concern is the additive burden of anticholinergic agents. Anticholinergic burden has been linked to onset of cognitive decline and is particularly dangerous for patients that already may be at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias.
“Understanding how combinations of drugs affect the brain is critical to improving safety for aging populations. By recreating these interactions in a human-relevant system, we can generate data that reveal how specific drug combinations impact brain function, helping drive better clinical decisions and improving healthcare overall.”
James J. Hickman, PhD
Chief Scientist, Hesperos, Inc.
“By combining Hesperos’ functional human data with our APPRAISE algorithms, we can translate complex pharmacology into practical answers for clinicians.”
Jacques Turgeon, PharmD, PhD
CEO, GalenusRx
About GalenusRx
Founded in 2023 by a team of internationally recognized healthcare leaders, GalenusRx is revolutionizing medication safety with precision. The company's proprietary platform, APPRAISE, analyzes drug-drug, multi-drug, drug-gene, and drug-disease interactions to provide a unique and comprehensive risk assessment, individualized down to the DNA. Through the Lifesaving Insights consulting service, Precision Clinical Pharmacists deliver tailored recommendations for safer, more effective drug regimens. Together, these solutions directly address polypharmacy and the potential for predictable adverse drug events a leading cause of death in the U.S. and around the world. GalenusRx is leading the way to better health outcomes and lower total medical costs. Learn more at https://galenusrx.com.
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