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Conscience announces recipients of inaugural program to foster collaborative drug discovery and development
The Developing Medicines through Open Science program supports preclinical drug development in areas of pharmaceutical market failure

Reposted from Conscience Medicines Network.
Toronto, ON, Canada, February 27, 2025 — Conscience, a non-profit focused on accelerating drug discovery in areas of unmet medical need using open science and radical collaboration, is pleased to announce three recipients and projects have been approved for its Developing Medicines through Open Science (DMOS) program. The DMOS program is designed to foster collaborative drug discovery and development in areas often overlooked by the pharmaceutical industry, such as rare and orphan diseases and antimicrobial resistance. The inaugural round of this program is offering a total of $5M in funding and partnership opportunities to support significant advancements toward drug candidates.
Rare Disease Day is recognized on the last day of February to increase awareness for rare diseases and improve access to treatment for those living with rare diseases and their families. The DMOS program grantees are working towards treatments and cures for three rare diseases: a genetic neuromuscular disorder, a pediatric brain cancer, and a liver disease.
“The DMOS program is underscored by our vision of a world where more drug therapies are developed, and these treatments are both accessible and affordable,” says Anne Fortier, Vice President (VP), Drug Discovery at Conscience. “We believe collaboration is the solution and proudly support projects that undertake preclinical research to establish proof-of-concept for an open science approach towards treatments and cures for life-threatening or severely debilitating diseases in areas of market failure. We can’t wait to work with and learn from each of the projects currently in our program.”
Additional Quotes
“Rare Disease Day offers a reminder that while rare diseases affect a limited number of people, their effects are devastating to those impacted and their loved ones. That is why our government supports Conscience’s expertise through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) to tackle rare diseases to improve access to care and treatments for Canadians. This contribution will help develop drug discovery through open science, and I look forward to the results of these projects.”
– François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
“We are grateful for how the Conscience grant is supporting Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) research. PSC is a rare and devastating liver disease with no treatments or cure. This grant enables us to build on work that maps PSC liver cells for pursuing preclinical drug development. With an unwavering commitment to a cure, we believe in the power of an open science approach. We envision a world where a PSC diagnosis comes with a safe and effective treatment, and Conscience’s Developing Medicines through Open Science program takes us one step closer”
– Mary Vyas, President, PSC Partners Seeking a Cure Canada
DMOS Project Details
The following projects listed below were selected in this round. Although submissions for the inaugural round are now closed, DMOS may accept proposals on a rolling basis. For applicants interested in submitting a proposal that adheres to the program’s scope and eligibility criteria, please visit the website to learn more.
Project 1 |
Focus: Small Molecule PRMT6 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Spinal Bulbar Muscular Atrophy |
Project 2 |
Focus: Pre-Clinical Development of an ALK2 Inhibitor for the Treatment of Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma |
Project 3 |
Focus: Open Drug Discovery to Treat Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis |
DMOS offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the advancement of drug discovery and development through open science. In 2024, proposals were submitted to Conscience for consideration, each requiring a comprehensive preclinical research plan targeting an area of pharmaceutical market failure, with research conducted at Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 2-6. Additionally, each proposal needed to involve at least one Canadian SME, commit to Conscience’s Open Science Policy, and provide proof of matching funds to cover the remaining cost, as Conscience currently funds a maximum of 33 per cent to academics and 50 per cent to SMEs.
About Conscience
Conscience is a nonprofit biotech focused on transforming the drug development landscape by enabling the discovery of potential treatments for diseases that have received limited attention from the pharmaceutical industry. Conscience seeks to use collaborative approaches, open science, and artificial intelligence to break down barriers of profit-driven models. Powered by a network that includes academics, industry, technologists, policy experts, and public support, Conscience aims to drive innovation in drug discovery and development, and treatment accessibility. Through key initiatives, such as its DMOS (Developing Medicines through Open Science) program and CACHE (Critical Assessment of Computation Hit-finding Experiments) Challenges, Conscience is accelerating the path to treatments for those who need them most to ensure no one is left behind. For more information, visit www.conscience.ca.
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