Innovators, In all places! LymeX Diagnostics Prize Attracts Over 50
The U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers and the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Basis (Cohen Basis) introduced that the LymeX Diagnostics Prize acquired 52 Section 1 submissions. From Could to August 2022, the primary section of this Lyme Innovation Accelerator competitors referred to as on specialists to submit modern detection strategies that can advance Lyme illness diagnostics. Hailing from a variety of organizations—together with academia, innovation facilities, main diagnostics firms, and startup labs—entrants submitted a breadth of proposed options for detecting energetic Lyme illness infections in individuals. The last word objective of the multiphase competitors is to nurture the event of diagnostics towards Meals and Drug Administration evaluate.
Though an estimated 476,000 Americans are recognized and handled for Lyme every year, there isn’t any FDA-cleared take a look at that may detect energetic an infection. Early analysis of Lyme illness is crucial: if left untreated, the debilitating illness can turn out to be more durable to eradicate and may unfold all through the physique. Through the use of an open innovation construction, the LymeX Diagnostics Prize is ready to supply funding alongside entry to technical help whereas fostering collaboration alternatives—which gives incentives to a various group of specialists to come back collectively and deal with an unmet affected person want. From adapting methods comparable to radiology imaging, genomics sequencing, and microfluidics to translating approaches utilized in diagnosing different infectious ailments, together with COVID-19, the idea papers that have been submitted proposed a variety of high-potential concepts.
It’s a precedence for this administration to guard and increase People’ entry to high quality, inexpensive well being care. The success of Section 1 of the LymeX Diagnostics Prize competitors has the potential to deal with People’ crucial want for an correct Lyme illness diagnostic take a look at. Section 1 demonstrated that the competitors’s open innovation mannequin can speed up scientific breakthroughs whereas fostering collaboration and partnerships.
A multidisciplinary group of technical reviewers and judges are evaluating submissions in accordance with official Section 1 evaluation criteria. Based mostly on this analysis, the judging panel will suggest as much as 10 winners, who will every obtain an equal share of the $1 million Section 1 prize pool and an invite to take part in a proposed Section 2.
“We’re thrilled by the big selection of options and sit up for working with the LymeX Diagnostics Prize’s group of collaborators to advance the following technology of Lyme illness diagnostics,” mentioned Steven & Alexandra Cohen Basis President Alexandra Cohen. “Via our $10 million pledge to the prize competitors, we’re dedicated to strengthening our public-private LymeX partnership with HHS.”
On the discretion of HHS and the Cohen Basis, and topic to availability of future funding, at the very least one extra section might comply with Section 2. Future phases are anticipated to deal with scientific and nonclinical validation of diagnostic exams that detect energetic an infection by Lyme-disease-causing micro organism, in addition to readiness for regulatory submission and market entry. Due to a $10 million pledge to the LymeX Diagnostics Prize from the Cohen Basis, $9 million in extra LymeX prizes are projected to be out there in proposed future phases.
To be taught extra, go to LymeXDiagnosticsPrize.com and subscribe to the competition newsletter.
About LymeX
The LymeX Diagnostics Prize is sponsored by the Lyme Innovation Accelerator, a partnership between the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers and the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Basis. LymeX is the world’s largest public-private partnership for Lyme illness, fostering collaborative innovation amongst sufferers and advocates, academia, nonprofits, business, and authorities. As a element of a bigger moonshot, LymeX is figuring out, creating, and implementing developments in Lyme illness care. Along with accelerating next-generation diagnostics, LymeX is spearheading improvement of human-centered options and fostering breakthroughs in training and consciousness. For extra info, go to lyme-x.org.
In regards to the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers
HHS enhances and protects the well being and well-being of all People. HHS fulfills that mission by offering for efficient well being and human companies and by fostering sound, sustained advances within the sciences underlying drugs, public well being, and social companies. For extra info, go to hhs.gov.
In regards to the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Basis
The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Basis is dedicated to inspiring philanthropy and group service by creating consciousness, providing steering, and main by instance to point out the world what giving can do. The Basis’s grants help nonprofit organizations based mostly in america that both assist individuals in want or remedy complicated issues. The Basis is the most important personal funder of Lyme and tick-borne illness analysis in america with over $75 million disbursed for groundbreaking research in prevention, diagnostics, and therapy in addition to constructing important analysis infrastructure to catalyze innovation. The Basis additionally spearheads grassroots campaigns to encourage others to offer. For extra info, go to steveandalex.org.
