Our aim: A £25m prize to trial Phase I therapeutics in UK patients for conditions in Genomics England’s 20 priority therapeutic areas
Modern science has decoded the human genome, giving us unprecedented understanding of the links between our genes and poor health.
This has opened up new opportunities – for instance in developing treatments for rare genetic disorders, or tailoring drugs to our individual genetic makeup. But this work remains cutting-edge, expensive, with unproven business models. And there is a risk that, if research and trials go abroad, NHS patients will not be first in line for these promising new treatments.
The Rare Disease Treatment Prize would leverage a cash incentive, to attract promising biotech startups to work in this field, alongside support with clinical trials (to make the UK a more attractive place to carry out R&D) and access to datasets (to better tailor their treatments).
The first to successfully trial a treatment to one of the 20 conditions in Genomics England’s priority list would win the prize.
Get in touch if you are interested in collaborating on this future prize.
This prize idea is designed to be a conversation starter, so tell us what you think!
The best prize ideas are developed through extensive research and engagement with experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience of the problems they are focused on. We start with a first draft like the one above – then work to improve, refine and validate our thinking.
We’re particularly keen to have conversations about this idea with potential funders and organisations working in the field. Get in touch if you’re interested – or if you think you have a better idea – and we’ll schedule a call.
Challenge Works has put together a report shedding light on the role of challenge prizes in revitalising the UK Innovation Strategy.
Challenge prizes can complement grants, reduce risk in portfolios of government innovation investments, and can be particularly effective at stimulating near-market innovation targeting specific outcomes and private R&D investment.
