Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Why ALS?
Why have we chosen to focus the next Longitude Prize on ALS?
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1. Significant advances in understanding of the biology
ALS remains a fatal neurodegenerative disease with an extremely short life expectancy post-diagnosis. The disease is complex and much of its biology has been a mystery until relatively recently, where thanks to the efforts of a global community of scientists, often funded by charities that have raised funds with the help of the patient community, the disease is becoming far better understood.
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2. AI now offers the promise of enhancing drug discovery
We are at the beginning of a new age of AI powered drug discovery. More data from ALS patients exist than ever before, waiting to be tapped into by these cutting-edge methods. The Longitude Prize on ALS aims to harness the power of AI-enabled drug discovery together with the expertise of ALS researchers to discover more about ALS than ever before.
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3. The disease is complex and multifactorial, meaning AI-based drug discovery has huge potential
ALS is an attractive market because there are no competitive treatments for the majority of those living with the disease.
AI has the potential to materially alter the economics of innovation for ALS, by finding and validating high potential drug targets that will then de-risk and attract investment from pharmaceutical companies.
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4. Findings in ALS offers promise for other neurodegenerative diseases
ALS does not exist in a vacuum. What we are aiming to do here may also have far reaching implications on other neurodegenerative diseases and approaches to data-led drug discovery.
Why a Challenge Prize?
Challenge prizes are a unique approach to funding innovation, offering a series of incentives, with a final prize given to whoever can first or most effectively meet a defined goal. They are high profile, open competitions that capture the imagination and lower barriers to entry to attract new participants.
Challenge prizes support open innovation with a level playing field for innovators regardless of experience or current expertise/ research focus, enabling the most promising ideas to progress with funding and expert support. The challenge prize will reward the boldest ideas that solve the problem, not industry status.
Challenge prizes accelerate a huge amount of activity and energy, incentivising and supporting multiple teams to progress through the stages of the competition. This results in multiple, successful solutions from a diverse range of participants, solving a previously underserved problem.
By shining a spotlight on an issue, challenge prizes also produce a surge in public awareness; participants in previous Challenge Works prizes say the prestige that this generates has helped them secure further funding to grow.
Key information to enter
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When will the Prize Launch?
The Longitude Prize on ALS will launch in 2025.
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How can I enter?
More information on how to enter the Prize will be available from the Prize launch in 2025.
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What support will participants receive?
Details on the financial and in kind support for each of the three phases of the Prize will be announced at launch.
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What data will participants have access to?
The design of the data offer to participants is ongoing. Current data partners can be found on our Partners page.
Prize participants will be given access to a secure online data platform housing datasets from data partners to both identify and validate their findings. The platform will provide easy, rapid and customisable workflow development. Compute power, training, and data support will be provided.
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Are you still looking for partners?
Yes! We are actively looking for collaborations and partnerships in the following areas:
- Data partners – do you have ALS or neurodegenerative disease data you’d be willing to share to benefit the Prize
- Participant support partners – do you have technical capabilities or resources to support participating teams
- Communications and advocacy partners – do you have key networks or resources to help us reach key audiences for the Prize?