SafeAlleleSCA, a pioneering precision gene therapy project for Machado–Joseph disease, has been awarded the €100,000 Jorge Ruas Award at the Final Event of the Tecnimede Open Innovation Competition 2026, held on 27 May at the Pavilhão do Conhecimento in Lisbon.

The award recognises outstanding innovation in pharmaceutical technologies and was presented following a highly competitive international competition that brought together some of the most promising researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators working at the forefront of healthcare and life sciences.

The Final Event was honoured by the presence of His Excellency the President of the Portuguese Republic, António José Seguro, who highlighted the importance of the pharmaceutical industry as a driver of research, technological development, highly qualified employment and value creation for Portugal.

Addressing the audience, the President emphasised the need for Portugal to strengthen its position as a producer of health innovation and praised initiatives such as the Jorge Ruas Award for fostering talent, strengthening the connection between science and industry, and helping transform promising ideas into solutions with real impact on society.

The opening session was delivered by Maria do Carmo Neves, President of the Board of the Tecnimede Group, who paid tribute to the legacy of Jorge Ruas and his unwavering belief that scientific knowledge achieves its greatest value when translated into solutions that improve people’s lives.

A highlight of the event was the keynote address by Yann Gaston-Mathé, Founder and CEO of Iktos, who explored the current state of artificial intelligence in drug discovery and its growing role in accelerating pharmaceutical innovation. His presentation offered valuable insights into one of the most transformative technologies currently shaping the future of medicine.