On 22nd July 2022, on Fragile X Syndrome Awareness Day, the event “Fragile X Syndrome: Innovative Approaches to Finding a Cure" was held.

Our CTO Nik Subramanian spoke at the Innovation Showcase III: Drug Repurposing together with innovative players working on Fragile X. He presented how Artificial Intelligence can be used to find promising repurposable drugs, and the novel approach of Kantify to accelerate the discovery of promising compounds.

About the Fragile X Syndrome

Fragile X syndrome is a genetic disorder that occurs when a single gene on the X chromosome shuts down. This gene makes a protein needed for normal brain development. In FXS it does not work properly, the protein is not made, and the brain does not develop as it should.

FXS can affect both sexes. Females generally have milder symptoms than males, although there is a lot of variation and no good way to predict this. While most males have intellectual impairment, only one-third of females have significant intellectual challenges. The rest have either normal IQ or learning disabilities. Math is often a particular challenge for females. Emotional and behavioral problems are common in both sexes.

Both boys and girls may have delays in learning to speak, but most individuals with Fragile X are verbal. Lifespan for people with Fragile X syndrome is generally normal. Most affected people have active lifestyles and good health.