HHS Shines Spotlight on Diagnostic Innovation During Lyme Disease

As we mark Lyme Disease Awareness Month this May, HHS is proud to celebrate the 10 teams participating in Phase 2 of the LymeX Diagnostics Prize. The Ultimate Goal of HHS and the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation LymeX Innovation Accelerator (LymeX) is to encourage diagnostic development toward Food and Drug Administration review.

Originally developed in 1994 for disease surveillance, not as a stand-alone diagnostic test, the current bi-level antibody test system relies on the presence of antibodies and can only be used accurately four to six weeks after testing. that the patient becomes infected.

Accelerate innovation through cash prizes and expert resources

Through September 2023, ten teams will participate in the Phase 2 virtual accelerator, offering access to virtual learning, mentoring, biorepository subject matter expertise, and networking opportunities. With previous work in areas ranging from sepsis to genetic and glycomic sequencing, the accelerator cohort is applying a wide range of knowledge to their proposed next-generation diagnostics.

Using a prize competition model, the LymeX Diagnostics Prize offers cash prizes along with a variety of non-monetary resources. The competition is designed to stimulate the market for Lyme disease diagnostics by helping entrants overcome diagnostic development barriers with prize funds and technical assistance, while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.

Improving test accessibility is important to improving patient outcomes, and teams are already beginning to consider the issue with the help of clinical studies and device design resources. Over the summer, the cohort will participate in roundtable discussions with patients and clinicians as they refine their concepts.

The LymeX Diagnostics Award is setting a new standard for innovation in disease diagnostics. If the tests are successfully validated, the cohort work could help improve the treatment of Lyme disease in general, as well as tests for other infectious diseases.

Looking ahead: the panel of expert judges will meet in October 2023

Following the accelerator, the cohort will present concept papers detailing solution refinement, clinical and patient input, and a roadmap from lab to market.

The competition’s panel of judges, comprised of experts in biology, clinical and technology translation, patient experience and advocacy, diagnostic science and technology, exponential innovation, and ethics, will judge eligible submissions according to Official evaluation criteria for Phase 2. Based on the judges’ evaluations, they will recommend up to five LymeX Diagnostics Award Phase 2 winners.

The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation has made a generous $10 million gift to the LymeX Diagnostics Award. HHS and the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation awarded $1 million in Phase 1 of the LymeX Diagnostics Award, with an additional $9 million in LymeX awards projected to be available in future phases, including Phase 2. A selection of accelerator resources will be available for the public in the competitor website to support broader innovation in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.

To receive all Phase 2 updates, sign up for the LymeX Diagnostics Prize newsletter and follow @Lyme_X on Twitter.