NIH-funded research Sbir 2 grant

EEG-based drug repurposing for rare CNS diseases

Official title: EEG Signature Analysis for Drug Repurposing for Rare Diseases

Funded at Psychogenics, INC. · NIH-11536936 · Data updated 2026-11-12

A new approach uses EEG brain signatures to find existing drugs that might help people with rare nervous-system disorders.

Quick facts

Grant typeSbir 2 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionPsychogenics, INC.
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Paramus, UNITED STATES)
Project startAugust 5, 2024
Project endJuly 31, 2028
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$924,001
NIH project number4R44MH138151-03
Project IDNIH-11536936 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Patients with rare CNS or psychiatric conditions that lack effective treatments, who may participate through future clinical testing or related biomarker studies.

Less likely to help

If a patient’s specific condition does not align with the modeled diseases or the drugs identified do not translate to humans, direct benefit may be limited.

What this research studies

This project aims to build an EEG-based drug repurposing platform using the eCube fast EEG system and animal models of rare diseases. Researchers will develop a Drug EEG Signature Analysis (DESA) algorithm to compare EEG patterns from disease models with reference drug signatures to generate repurposing hypotheses. The work blends behavioral neuroscience data with computational methods to streamline identifying potential therapies for conditions with few treatment options. If successful, the platform could speed up discovering new uses for already approved drugs, narrowing the gap between discovery and patient access.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: Could speed up identifying existing medications that might help patients with rare CNS disorders.

How similar studies have gone: Previous phenotypic drug repurposing efforts using EEG or behavioral signatures show promise but remain early in translation.

Where this research is happening

  • Psychogenics, INC.
    Paramus, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Leahy, Emer — Psychogenics, INC.
  • Study coordinator: Leahy, Emer

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.