The U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers and the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Basis (Cohen Basis) introduced that the LymeX Diagnostics Prize obtained 52 Section 1 submissions. From Could to August 2022, the primary part of this Lyme Innovation Accelerator competitors known as on consultants to submit revolutionary detection strategies that may advance Lyme illness diagnostics. Hailing from a variety of organizations—together with academia, innovation facilities, main diagnostics companies, and startup labs—entrants submitted a breadth of proposed options for detecting lively Lyme illness infections in individuals. The final word objective of the multiphase competitors is to nurture the event of diagnostics towards Meals and Drug Administration overview.
Though an estimated 476,000 Individuals are identified and handled for Lyme every year, there isn’t any FDA-cleared take a look at that may detect lively an infection. Early analysis of Lyme illness is vital: if left untreated, the debilitating illness can turn into tougher to eradicate and might 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 supplies incentives to a various group of consultants to return collectively and handle an unmet affected person want. From adapting methods akin to radiology imaging, genomics sequencing, and microfluidics to translating approaches utilized in diagnosing different infectious illnesses, 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 broaden Individuals’ entry to high quality, reasonably priced well being care. The success of Section 1 of the LymeX Diagnostics Prize competitors has the potential to handle Individuals’ vital 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 based on official Section 1 analysis standards. Primarily based on this analysis, the judging panel will advocate 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 wide selection of options and stay up for working with the LymeX Diagnostics Prize’s neighborhood of collaborators to advance the subsequent technology of Lyme illness diagnostics,” stated Steven & Alexandra Cohen Basis President Alexandra Cohen. “By means of 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 least one further part might comply with Section 2. Future phases are anticipated to give attention to medical and nonclinical validation of diagnostic checks that detect lively an infection by Lyme-disease-causing micro organism, in addition to readiness for regulatory submission and market entry. Because of a $10 million pledge to the LymeX Diagnostics Prize from the Cohen Basis, $9 million in further LymeX prizes are projected to be out there in proposed future phases.
To be taught extra, go to LymeXDiagnosticsPrize.com and subscribe to the competitors e-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, trade, 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 growth of human-centered options and fostering breakthroughs in schooling and consciousness. For extra info, go to lyme-x.org.
Concerning the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers
HHS enhances and protects the well being and well-being of all Individuals. HHS fulfills that mission by offering for efficient well being and human providers and by fostering sound, sustained advances within the sciences underlying drugs, public well being, and social providers. For extra info, go to hhs.gov.
Concerning the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Basis
The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Basis is dedicated to inspiring philanthropy and neighborhood service by creating consciousness, providing steering, and main by instance to point out the world what giving can do. The Basis’s grants assist nonprofit organizations primarily based in the USA that both assist individuals in want or clear up advanced issues. The Basis is the most important non-public funder of Lyme and tick-borne illness analysis in the USA with over $75 million disbursed for groundbreaking research in prevention, diagnostics, and remedy in addition to constructing important analysis infrastructure to catalyze innovation. The Basis additionally spearheads grassroots campaigns to encourage others to present. For extra info, go to steveandalex.org.
