Firefly Neuroscience (NASDAQ: AIFF) has announced its continued collaboration with Prof. Christian Schaaf, MD, Director of the Institute of Human Genetics at Heidelberg University Hospital and Chairman of Human Genetics at the Medical Faculty of Heidelburg University, on a groundbreaking study investigating the neurophysiological impact of 15q13.3 copy number variants (CNVs). This builds on prior work between Firefly and Prof. Schaaf, including a joint publication on CHRNA7-related phenotypes.
The current study leverages Firefly’s FDA-cleared technology to analyze electroencephalograms (EEG) data from 30 subjects—15 with deletions and 15 with duplications of the 15q13.3 chromosomal region. Participants undergo resting-state and two cognitive paradigms, which run automatically through Firefly’s BNA platform.
The study is scheduled to continue through 2026, with Firefly commercially engaged to provide EEG systems, training, and full analytic support, including comparisons to its proprietary FDA-cleared normative Resting and Event-Related Potential Cognitive tasks database.
The study aims to:
- Identify electrophysiological biomarkers associated with 15q13.3 CNVs;
- Characterize neurocognitive profiles linked to deletions versus duplications; and
- Support future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Gil Issachar, CTO of Firefly, commented, “This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to advancing precision neuroscience. By combining Heidelberg’s clinical expertise with our proprietary technology, we aim to uncover novel insights into the brain’s functional architecture in rare genetic conditions. But our mission goes well beyond any single study — deepening our understanding of cognitive disorders, both common and rare, is essential to transforming how we diagnose, monitor, and treat these conditions. Every insight we gain from rare genetic variants like 15q13.3 helps illuminate the broader landscape of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. We believe that by decoding the brain’s electrical language, we can bridge the gap between genotype and phenotype, and ultimately bring more personalized, effective care to patients worldwide.”
Greg Lipschitz, CEO of Firefly, remarked, “As pharma and medtech organizations increasingly look to leverage the use of objective measures of brain activity such as EEG across various stages of new product development, from ideation up to and including commercialization, there is growing industry awareness and adoption of our highly differentiated, AI-powered technology. We are truly honoured that a world-renowned physician scientist, like Prof. Schaaf, is the latest to see the value of his institution licensing our technology, and we look forward to updating our stakeholders as this important research is completed.”
