Launch of the £7.5 Million Longitude Prize Aims to Battle ALS with AI
The Longitude Prize on ALS, a substantial global challenge grant of £7.5 million, has been officially launched to promote breakthrough approaches utilizing artificial intelligence (AI). This initiative is specifically designed to enhance drug discovery methods for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), the most prevalent form of Motor Neuron Disease (MND). The complex nature of ALS presents significant hurdles in understanding and treating the condition, but the accelerating potential of AI is now enabling researchers to tackle these challenges head-on.
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that harms motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, leading to pronounced muscle deterioration. Individuals have a 1 in 300 chance of developing MND, with approximately 90% of these cases being ALS. Currently available treatments are limited and only mildly slow the disease's progression over short periods. This stark reality underscores the urgent need for innovative treatment methodologies.
Tris Dyson, the Managing Director of Challenge Works and a person diagnosed with ALS in 2023, emphasized, "ALS is remarkably intricate, making it challenging to devise effective treatments against this dreadful disease. Thanks to the relentless fundraising efforts over the last decade, we have collected vast amounts of data on ALS that were previously unavailable. We find ourselves at a pivotal moment."
He noted that advancements in AI have opened new avenues in the fight against ALS. Recent promising developments, such as Tofersen, a groundbreaking treatment for a rare hereditary form of MND impacting a small fraction of patients, have illuminated the path forward. "We no longer view the disease as an unbreakable black box," Dyson pointed out, highlighting that AI could facilitate significant breakthroughs in the understanding and treatment of ALS.
The Longitude Prize will assemble the largest dataset ever dedicated to ALS patients and will reward researchers using AI to identify promising drug targets. The prize is mainly financed by the Motor Neuron Disease Association and is being developed in collaboration with Challenge Works and support from Nesta.
In its initial phase, the prize will select 20 promising candidates, each receiving £100,000 at the beginning of 2026. Teams will be assessed based on how effectively their strategies identify and authenticate drug targets, which is vital for advancing drug discovery efforts. Applications must be submitted by December 3, 2025, with results announced in the first half of 2026.
Lucy Hawking, journalist and daughter of the late MND Association leader Stephen Hawking, expressed optimism for the prize's impact, stating, "The Longitude Prize on ALS represents a significant step towards improving our understanding of motor neuron disease, particularly ALS. I hope it inspires researchers to leverage AI in expanding knowledge of this devastating illness and aids in the search for effective treatments and cures. For individuals afflicted with MND, their families, and caregivers worldwide, this initiative sparkles hope. My father valiantly battled MND for over 50 years, and he longed for a solution. I am proud to support the Longitude Prize and wish all participants success."
Tanya Curry, the CEO of the Motor Neuron Disease Association, noted that, by fostering collaboration among the brightest minds in science and technology, the Longitude Prize on ALS could drive transformative change for those living with MND. The Association's investment in this collaboration and the unprecedented level of data sets the stage for a crucial shift in how the disease is understood and, ultimately, combatted.
The selected candidates will access a vast array of patient data through collaborations with organizations such as DNANexus, hosted on Amazon Web Services, and partnerships with the MinE Project, Answer ALS, and the New York Genome Center. Following the initial round, ten teams will advance to receive £200,000 in 2027 to establish evidence bases for their therapeutic targets. By 2028, five finalist teams will get £500,000 to validate the most promising drug targets identified. Finally, a grand prize of £1 million will be awarded in 2031 to the leading team.
To learn more about this groundbreaking initiative, visit als.longitudeprize.org.
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that harms motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, leading to pronounced muscle deterioration. Individuals have a 1 in 300 chance of developing MND, with approximately 90% of these cases being ALS. Currently available treatments are limited and only mildly slow the disease's progression over short periods. This stark reality underscores the urgent need for innovative treatment methodologies.
Tris Dyson, the Managing Director of Challenge Works and a person diagnosed with ALS in 2023, emphasized, "ALS is remarkably intricate, making it challenging to devise effective treatments against this dreadful disease. Thanks to the relentless fundraising efforts over the last decade, we have collected vast amounts of data on ALS that were previously unavailable. We find ourselves at a pivotal moment."
He noted that advancements in AI have opened new avenues in the fight against ALS. Recent promising developments, such as Tofersen, a groundbreaking treatment for a rare hereditary form of MND impacting a small fraction of patients, have illuminated the path forward. "We no longer view the disease as an unbreakable black box," Dyson pointed out, highlighting that AI could facilitate significant breakthroughs in the understanding and treatment of ALS.
The Longitude Prize will assemble the largest dataset ever dedicated to ALS patients and will reward researchers using AI to identify promising drug targets. The prize is mainly financed by the Motor Neuron Disease Association and is being developed in collaboration with Challenge Works and support from Nesta.
In its initial phase, the prize will select 20 promising candidates, each receiving £100,000 at the beginning of 2026. Teams will be assessed based on how effectively their strategies identify and authenticate drug targets, which is vital for advancing drug discovery efforts. Applications must be submitted by December 3, 2025, with results announced in the first half of 2026.
Lucy Hawking, journalist and daughter of the late MND Association leader Stephen Hawking, expressed optimism for the prize's impact, stating, "The Longitude Prize on ALS represents a significant step towards improving our understanding of motor neuron disease, particularly ALS. I hope it inspires researchers to leverage AI in expanding knowledge of this devastating illness and aids in the search for effective treatments and cures. For individuals afflicted with MND, their families, and caregivers worldwide, this initiative sparkles hope. My father valiantly battled MND for over 50 years, and he longed for a solution. I am proud to support the Longitude Prize and wish all participants success."
Tanya Curry, the CEO of the Motor Neuron Disease Association, noted that, by fostering collaboration among the brightest minds in science and technology, the Longitude Prize on ALS could drive transformative change for those living with MND. The Association's investment in this collaboration and the unprecedented level of data sets the stage for a crucial shift in how the disease is understood and, ultimately, combatted.
The selected candidates will access a vast array of patient data through collaborations with organizations such as DNANexus, hosted on Amazon Web Services, and partnerships with the MinE Project, Answer ALS, and the New York Genome Center. Following the initial round, ten teams will advance to receive £200,000 in 2027 to establish evidence bases for their therapeutic targets. By 2028, five finalist teams will get £500,000 to validate the most promising drug targets identified. Finally, a grand prize of £1 million will be awarded in 2031 to the leading team.
To learn more about this groundbreaking initiative, visit als.longitudeprize.org.
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