Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) continue to pose significant challenges for both healthcare professionals and patients. These conditions, characterized by persistent fatigue and various debilitating symptoms, affect millions globally. Despite ongoing research, there remain no approved diagnostics or targeted treatments, leading to misdiagnosis and inadequate care. Precision medicine company PrecisionLife is utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and combinatorial analytics to uncover genetic factors contributing to these diseases. By identifying underlying genetic patterns, the company aims to improve diagnostics and develop more effective treatment options for affected individuals.
Previous research into long COVID and ME/CFS has been hindered by the complexity of these diseases, given that no single genetic factor is solely responsible. Early studies lacked the depth needed to detect intricate genetic associations, often resulting in inconclusive findings. Recent advancements, however, have improved the ability to analyze high-dimensional patient data, allowing for deeper insights into the genetic mechanisms behind these conditions. PrecisionLife’s approach represents a shift from traditional genome-wide association studies by examining multiple genetic and non-genetic interactions that contribute to disease development.
How does PrecisionLife’s AI-driven approach work?
PrecisionLife’s technology identifies complex genetic patterns that influence disease risk, enabling a more refined understanding of long COVID and ME/CFS. The company has applied this method to approximately 60 diseases, revealing critical insights into disease progression and patient responses to treatment. CEO Steve Gardner highlighted the role of this approach in better characterizing diseases beyond symptom-based diagnoses.
“We generate patient stratification biomarkers to deliver precision medicine insights across dozens of chronic diseases.”
By leveraging multi-omics data, electronic medical records, and epidemiological factors, PrecisionLife aims to define specific patient subgroups. This methodology is expected to aid in the discovery of biomarkers, which could facilitate early disease detection and more targeted therapeutic interventions.
What genetic discoveries have been made?
Using its AI-driven analytics, PrecisionLife has identified significant genetic markers associated with long COVID and ME/CFS. The company’s research into long COVID revealed over 5,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 73 genes linked to the condition. Additionally, nine of these genes were also found in ME/CFS patients, reinforcing the genetic overlap between the two conditions. These discoveries provide critical insight into disease mechanisms and treatment possibilities.
“Today, we have zero approved diagnostics for long COVID. We have zero approved disease-modifying therapies. We don’t even know which organs in the body are involved for an individual patient.”
Further collaborations with the Metrodora Foundation aim to refine these findings through clinical studies involving 1,000 patients. The initiative seeks to apply genetic insights to patient care, potentially personalizing treatment based on individual genetic risk factors.
Beyond diagnostics, PrecisionLife’s research supports drug repurposing efforts by identifying potential existing medications that could be effective for long COVID and ME/CFS patients. In previous studies, the company found 68 novel gene targets linked to severe COVID-19, leading to evaluations of 13 drug candidates in clinical trials. This approach has the potential to accelerate the availability of treatments without the need for entirely new drug development.
Apart from identifying disease-associated genes, PrecisionLife is also exploring genetic factors that may protect individuals from developing these conditions. A recent study on ME/CFS uncovered nine protective genes that could counteract known disease mechanisms. Such findings could pave the way for preventative treatments and novel therapeutic strategies, possibly utilizing mRNA-based interventions similar to COVID-19 vaccines.
By integrating AI with precision medicine, PrecisionLife’s findings may reshape how chronic conditions like long COVID and ME/CFS are diagnosed and managed. The potential for personalized treatment based on genetic profiles could improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare burdens, and enhance early disease detection. While further validation is required, the insights gained through this research mark a step toward a more tailored healthcare approach for individuals affected by these complex conditions.
