Innovation Center for Neuroresilience (ICoN)

Neurodegenerative diseases currently affect more than 70 million people worldwide and this number is expected to exceed 175 million by 2050. Among the most concerning conditions are α-synucleinopathies, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA) - all rapidly increasing and lacking treatments to stop or slow disease progression. Despite the enormous global impact associated with these conditions, major bottlenecks continue to limit progress and breakthroughs in the field. Treatments often start too late, after irreversible brain damage has already occurred. Drug candidates tested in clinical trials lack clear evidence that they reach and act in the human brain as intended. At the same time, potentially promising compounds remain unexplored, and the influence of diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors on disease development is poorly understood. ICoN aims to close these critical gaps by addressing each of them and by driving a fundamental shift in how neurodegenerative diseases are approached: change late-stage treatment to early prevention. 

By bringing together Norway’s leading academic institutions and 20 industry partners across pharma, biotech, digital health, food, and supplements, ICoN will co-develop scalable science-based solutions that promote brain resilience and neuroprotection—while also creating new market opportunities for Norwegian industry.