Salk Institute to Lead $41.3M ARPA-H Project Advancing Sonogenetics Therapies

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is leading a multi-institutional effort to advance sonogenetics, a noninvasive therapeutic approach that uses ultrasound to control mammalian cells. The project is supported by an award of up to $41.3 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Led by Salk professor Sreekanth Chalasani, PhD, the initiative aims to translate sonogenetics from a laboratory discovery into clinical applications. The technology is designed to provide a drug-free alternative for treating various human conditions, with a specific focus on peripheral neuropathies, such as diabetic neuropathy.

How Sonogenetics Works

Sonogenetics is an emerging modality that enables the precise control of specific cell types by making them sensitive to ultrasound. This is achieved by equipping the target cells with specialized ultrasound-responsive proteins, effectively tagging them so they can be modulated without the need for invasive procedures or systemic pharmaceuticals.

By utilizing gene therapy to express these ultrasound-sensitive proteins in specific cells, researchers can change cellular activity with high spatial and temporal precision. This approach is intended to address the limitations of conventional pharmaceutical treatments, which can cause off-target side effects and are often delivered at sub-optimal doses.

Project Goals and Timeline

The ARPA-H award will support the collaboration for up to 5.5 years. The project focuses on three primary development pillars:

• The creation of core biological tools, specifically engineered ultrasound-sensitive proteins.
• The development of next-generation ultrasound delivery systems, including wearable technology.
• The gathering of preclinical evidence required to transition sonogenetics into clinical trials for patients.

The ultimate goal is to build a platform that pairs these engineered proteins with wearable devices, allowing clinicians to deliver therapy exactly where and when it is needed.

This award is a major step toward a long-held goal—a drug-free way to deliver therapy exactly where it’s needed and only when it’s needed. We are building a platform that pairs engineered ultrasound-sensitive proteins with wearable ultrasound technology, which, unlike conventional pharmaceutical treatments, could let us treat conditions with cellular and temporal control.

Sreekanth Chalasani, PhD

Commercial Translation and Collaboration

To facilitate the transition from research to clinical use, SonoNeu has emerged from stealth as the commercial vehicle for the project. Co-founded by Sreekanth Chalasani and the company igniter General Inception, SonoNeu is a spin-out from the Salk Institute.

SonoNeu is tasked with coordinating the translation of sonogenetics research into novel therapeutic candidates. The broader project is a multi-institutional collaboration that includes the Salk Institute and six other leading United States institutions, as well as participation from St. Boniface Hospital Research.

The effort is part of the ARPA-H Health Science Futures Project, which seeks to replace traditional pharmaceuticals with more precise modalities for treating chronic conditions. The Salk Institute Office of Technology Development is also managing licensing opportunities related to the technology, including intellectual property such as US2024238619A1, which concerns non-invasive cellular stimulation with uniform ultrasound fields.