My Name’5 Doddie Foundation is co-funding the Longitude Prize on ALS to be launched in 2025

06 December 2024

The Longitude Prize series is an innovative approach to funding innovation set up by prize experts Challenge Works who will launch a Longitude Prize on ALS in spring 2025.

The prize will incentivise the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning approaches to transform drug discovery for the treatment of ALS/MND. The prize will be principally funded by the MND Association, and others including My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, Alan Davidson Foundation, Nesta and LifeArc.

This installment of the prize which is focusing on ALS/MND follows the success of the Longitude Prize on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) whose winner was announced this year and the Longitude Prize on Dementia which is due to announce the winner in 2026.

Incentivising the use of AI and machine-learning approaches in MND will transform the way drugs can be identified as potential treatments and open the door for new treatments across other neurodegenerative diseases.

During the International Symposium on ALS/MND taking place in Montreal this week (6-8 December), the Longitude Prize on ALS team will be exhibiting ahead of the launch.

Tris Dyson, Managing Director at Challenge Works who was diagnosed with MND last year said: “ALS is a highly complex disease for which there are no effective treatments. The great promise is that AI can now handle this complexity. That’s why we predict that ALS shall be the first disease to become treatable due to AI. This prize is a rallying call for AI and ALS experts everywhere. We’re excited to be announcing this third modern Longitude Prize and look forward to sharing more details on the prize in the new year.”

Tanya Curry, Chief Executive at MND Association, said: “The Longitude Prize is an innovative approach which has the potential to be transformative for motor neuron disease research. We are investing as the principal funder, confident that the Prize will bring exciting new technologies and create unique collaborations, to accelerate the search for effective treatments for this brutal disease.”

Dr Madina Kara, our Director of Research, said: “Our Research Strategy, Catalysing a Cure, outlines our mission to fund, guide and enable the smartest, most efficient research to expedite the development of new treatments, and ultimately, a cure. The Longitude Prize’s innovative approach to incentivising diverse teams with expertise in ALS/ MND and AI and machine-learning approaches to work together aligns with that mission. We are, therefore, pleased to collaborate with Challenge Works and the other funding partners to support the Longitude Prize on ALS.”