The Aqeilan’s laboratory won the prestigious proof-of-concept ERC (PoC-ERC) grant to develop a cure for WOREE syndrome.
Prof. Rami Aqeilan is among 55 scientists who received €8.25 in #ERCPoC grants. The proposed study, WWOXAID, focuses on WWOX-related epileptic encephalopathy (WOREE) syndrome, also known as early infantile epileptic encephalopathy, 28 (EIEE28, OMIM: 616211). WOREE is a very severe epileptic encephalopathy characterized by absence of language development and acquisition of walking, early-onset drug-resistant seizures, ophthalmological involvement, and a very high likelihood of premature death. Above all, WWOXAID aims to set the basis for bringing into clinical development a treatment for WOREE syndrome affecting children in infancy. This development is critical because there is no current treatment that could save children with WOREE. In addition to this highly humanitarian purpose, Prof. Aqeilan is confident that this PoC achievement shall be also of importance for broadening the spectrum of applications of this treatment in other WWOX-related disorders.