Longitude Prize open for entries

The Longitude Prize to tackle resistance to antibiotics has opened today, 18 November. Entries for the £10m Prize should develop a transformative point-of-care test to identify when antibiotics are needed and, if they are, which ones to use. The test must: be accurate to inform treatment decisions; be affordable to everyone who needs it; provide a result within 30 minutes; and be easy to use in any location, anywhere in the world A solution that meets the prize criteria will not only help conserve antibiotics for future generations but also revolutionise the delivery of global healthcare. “I’m delighted that the British public have decided that the Longitude Prize should focus on tackling antibiotic resistance, and I look forward to hearing more about how we can work to solve this challenge,” said Prime Minister David Cameron. “The public have quickly gained a very sophisticated understanding of antibiotic resistance as a prime example of how the very things which deliver progress also bring new problems in their wake,” said Geoff Mulgan, chief executive of Nesta and Longitude Prize committee member. “Threats from viruses like Ebola remind us just how vulnerable our health systems can become. Our hope is that the combination of the prize and greater awareness of the problem will fuel a dramatic acceleration in the search for solutions, many of which will be surprising and from unexpected sources.” Competitors have up to five years to find a solution with regular submission deadlines. After these deadlines entries will be reviewed and potential winning solutions will be put forward to the Longitude Committee based on the recommendations from the Longitude Prize Advisory Panel. The winner could be selected at any stage throughout the five year period. The Prize will also be running an award for early-stage, promising developments called the Longitude Discovery Award. A portrait of Alexander Fleming - known for his discovery of penicillin – has been commissioned to mark the opening of Longitude Prize. The artwork has been created by celebrity portrait artist Nathan Wyburn using 25,800 capsules, each representing one antibiotic item dispensed – approximately the amount dispensed every five hours in the UK. More information about the prize at: www.longitudeprize.org.