Gates commits up to $35 million to ProFound’s preeclampsia research

The Gates Foundation has committed up to $35 million to ProFound Therapeutics for research into preeclampsia and eclampsia, including an initial $20 million investment and up to $15 million tied to milestones.

ProFound will use its ProFoundry platform, proteomics datasets, and AI capabilities to search the expanded human proteome for biomarkers and potential drug targets.

The research will analyze proteins in placental tissue and blood serum from women with and without preeclampsia, aiming to identify causal disease biology and validate promising targets.

Preeclampsia is a dangerous pregnancy complication involving high blood pressure that can progress to eclampsia, threatening the lives of mothers and babies.

The project also aims to develop a disease-specific AI tool to help interpret newly identified proteins and guide laboratory validation and future drug development.