Synergy for Healthy Longevity

Project Information

SynHealth

Grant agreement ID: 101159018

DOI

10.3030/101159018

EC signature date 1 March 2024

Start date 1 March 2024

End date 28 February 2027

Funded under

• Widening participation and spreading excellence

Total cost

€ 1 217 125,00

EU contribution

€ 1 217 125,00

Coordinated by

GENOS DOO ZA VJESTACENJE I ANALIZU
Croatia

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SynHealth (Synergy for Healthy Longevity)

Reporting period: 2024-03-01 to 2025-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The rapid increase in global life expectancy presents both a triumph of modern medicine and a significant societal challenge. As people live longer, ensuring these extended years are healthy and productive requires a concerted effort to prevent and manage age-related diseases and enhance overall well-being. This is the central challenge that the SynHealth project aims to address. "Synergy for Healthy Longevity" is a groundbreaking European-funded initiative dedicated to unlocking the secrets of healthy ageing and translating this knowledge into tangible benefits for citizens. Our primary objective is to bridge existing gaps in research, healthcare, and innovation by fostering unprecedented collaboration across diverse fields and stakeholders. By synergising expertise from various disciplines, including biological sciences, medical research, public health, social sciences, and cutting-edge digital technologies like Artificial Intelligence and big data analytics, we can develop holistic and personalised approaches to promoting healthy longevity.

Glycan biomarkers hold great promise for earlier disease detection and personalised healthcare, but their clinical implementation remains limited. The SynHealth project aims to valorise glycan biomarker research and prepare it for ERDF funding, enabling implementation in two Croatian and one Slovenian region. This will boost innovation capacity and competitiveness in less-developed areas.

Key objectives include:
SO1: Develop an AI-based tool to scale GlycanAge personalised counselling and support healthcare professionals, with pilot validation.
SO2: Prepare a clinical study for glycan biomarkers, including a regulatory roadmap and collaborations with clinical centres.
SO3: Demonstrate the use of glycan biomarkers in real-life settings through pilot projects and establish regional healthcare partnerships.
SO4: Strengthen innovation and IP management capacities through workshops and support future ERDF proposals.
SO5: Maximise project impact through targeted communication, dissemination, and EU-level networking to engage key stakeholders.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the reporting period, progress was made across key deliverables and milestones. We submitted the Valorization Studies (D2.1) and the Regulatory Road to Market Plan (D2.2) by month 15, outlining market potential and regulatory needs. The Workshop on Innovation, Innovation Management, and Knowledge Transfer (D5.1) in month 15 supported consortium-wide knowledge exchange. The Dissemination and Exploitation Plan (D6.1) defined communication activities to raise awareness and increase impact. Data handling was addressed early with the Data Management Plan (D7.1) in month 6, ensuring compliance with standards. The Kick-off Event (M1) in month 2 launched the project under WP7, while the Project Website (M2), live by month 3 (WP6), provides a key platform for outreach. The explainable prediction model for extracting scientific summaries (M3, WP1) progressed toward completion by month 15. A Preparatory Workshop with ERDF authorities (M4, WP4) was held in month 12 to ensure alignment with funding rules and best practices. These outcomes reflect strong progress and position the project well for the next phases.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

SynHealth is preparing glycan biomarkers for personalised preventive healthcare by developing an AI-based counselling tool (GlycanAge), drafting a clinical study protocol, and launching pilot studies in Croatia and Slovenia. The project has also strengthened regional innovation ecosystems and enhanced collaboration across research, clinical, and industry sectors.
The expected impact includes earlier detection of disease risk, more personalised care, and better health system efficiency. The project also contributes to smart specialisation and builds capacity in less-developed regions through targeted training and knowledge transfer.
To ensure further uptake and sustainability of SynHealth results, several key needs have been identified:
First, the finalisation of the clinical validation and the regulatory roadmap is essential to enable the transition of glycan biomarkers from research to routine clinical use. This includes aligning study protocols with regulatory expectations and ensuring readiness for CE-IVDR compliance.
Secondly, broader demonstration in real-world healthcare settings is needed to confirm usability, scalability, and value of the developed tools and biomarkers in diverse clinical environments.
Access to funding—particularly through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and national programmes—is crucial to support the scale-up and regional implementation of the solutions developed within the project.
Protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) and access to commercialisation expertise will ensure the long-term sustainability and market readiness of key innovations, such as the AI-based counselling tool.
Establishing strong partnerships with industry and engaging potential investors will be critical to support technology transfer, product development, and market access.
Moreover, alignment with CE-IVDR and national regulatory frameworks is required to ensure legal compliance and facilitate healthcare system integration.
Finally, continued international networking and visibility will help position SynHealth within the European personalised medicine ecosystem and promote cross-border collaboration, scalability, and policy impact.