• The first-ever hackathon focused on the challenges of childhood cancer organized by the PSCC and its Childhood Cancer Working Group Imagine for Margo, la Fondation S and LifeArc.
• 3 winners among 20 applicants: TheraSonic, Deeplife and HEPHAISTOS-Pharma.
• TheraSonic won the 1st Jury Prize for its development of a non-invasive ultrasound device to open the blood-brain barrier in the treatment of brain tumors.
On November 22nd, the Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster (PSCC) and its Childhood Cancer Working Group (Imagine for Margo, LifeArc, Sanofi, ITCC, Institut Gustave Roussy, Institut Curie, Servier, ITCC-P4, and Owkin) hosted Hack4Hope, the first hackathon dedicated to tackling major challenges in childhood cancer. This event received the institutional support of the Health Innovation Agency, in charge of the implementation of the French Health Innovation Plan for 2030. This plan provides substantial investments for bioclusters such as the PSCC, in the aim to create international hubs of reference in their domain. Taking place at Futur4care in Paris, this one-of-a-kind event brought together an inspiring community of researchers, clinicians, biotech experts, and patient advocates, all committed to making a difference in the care and treatment of young cancer patients.
Despite significant medical advances, cancer remains the second leading cause of death by disease among children worldwide. Each year, approximately 400,000 new cancer cases (In France, nearly 2,500) are diagnosed globally in children and adolescents under 20, making them the leading cause of death by disease in children aged one and above. While overall survival rates for some cancers have reached 80%, aggressive types such as brain tumours, sarcomas, and high-risk leukaemia still show limited progress, underlining the urgent need for innovative solutions to improve diagnosis, treatment, and care.
Hack4Hope aims to speed up progress by bringing together pioneering innovators working in different fields, including diagnostics, treatments, improvement of quality of life during and after treatment, and the application of AI and digital technologies to tackle complex clinical and biological questions, all with the aim of ultimately advancing care for pediatric cancer patients.
Eric Vivier president of the PSCC shared, “Hack4Hope captures our commitment to collaboration and innovation to offer a brighter future for kids fighting cancer. By bringing these brilliant minds together around this challenge, we’re creating an environment where each idea can make a real difference in the lives of thousands of children and their families.”
The winning projects include:
• 1st - TheraSonic, who is developing a non-invasive ultrasound device to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier for brain tumor treatments
• 2nd (and awarded by the audience) - DeepLife, who is an IT Tech company developing a Digital Twin technology to analyze single-cell data and other datasets to support drug discovery
• 3rd - HEPHAISTOS-Pharma, who is designing and developing a new generation of immune sensors modulators in oncology.
In addition, the Family Prize was awarded to Vesynta, a UK-based HealthTech company developing a PK/PD tool (DosoLogic) to optimize dosing of pediatric cancer medicines, selected by patient advocates and supported by Imagine for Margo - Children without Cancer.
Out of a strong field of applicants, 10 outstanding projects were selected to compete in Hack4Hope, each addressing critical areas of childhood cancer care. These projects showcased a wide range of innovative solutions, from drug discovery, where teams presented new therapeutic compounds specifically aimed at paediatric cancer, to cancer therapies that focus on innovative ways to treat aggressive tumours. Other teams explored regenerative medicine, looking for ways to restore or replace damaged tissues to help young patients recover more fully while reducing long-term side effects. Drug delivery projects showcased targeted systems designed to allow medication to go directly to where it’s needed, while minimizing effects on healthy tissue.
The area of clinical trials also saw strong representation, with innovative methods to make trials safer, faster, and more accessible for children. Finally, AI applications in healthcare highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, from improving diagnostic accuracy to personalizing treatment plans based on each child’s unique medical data. The pre-selection of the 10 competing projects was based primarily on projects that would have the greatest impact in children and adolescents affected by cancer.
This event would not have been possible without the combined efforts of the PSCC, particularly its group dedicated to childhood and adolescent cancers, Imagine for Margo, Fondation S, and LifeArc. Hack4Hope illustrates the power of collaboration in advancing care for children with cancer.
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