PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 9, 2024 -- Every Cure, an AI-powered nonprofit biotech organization, has received a five-year $60 million commitment through TED's Audacious Project to advance promising repurposed treatments to patients around the world. This support will enable Every Cure to evaluate the most promising treatments identified by its ARPA-H-funded AI platform in laboratory and clinical studies, with the goal of democratizing access to safe and effective therapies for patients worldwide. Over the next five years, Every Cure will collaborate with patient organizations and stakeholders linked to the most promising drug repurposing opportunities, to ensure that these treatments reach the patients that need them the most. Ultimately, Every Cure aims to transform the global treatment landscape, improve health outcomes, and enhance the quality of life for countless individuals.
Every Cure was founded in 2022 by Dr. David Fajgenbaum, Dr. Grant Mitchell, and Tracey Sikora to amplify the impact they had been making at the University of Pennsylvania in repurposing drugs for rare diseases, including the successful repurposing of a drug for Castleman disease that ultimately saved Dr. Fajgenbaum's life. "This is such a major step in our journey to unlock the life-saving potential of existing drugs," said Dr. David Fajgenbaum, President of Every Cure. "I'm alive because of a repurposed drug and we've been able to save the lives of other patients with repurposed drugs over the last 10 years. This funding will help us to save many more lives all around the world."
In parallel to the repurposing efforts led by Dr. Fajgenbaum at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Mitchell and his colleagues on Every Cure's technology team were pioneering the use of machine learning for drug discovery in partnership with biopharmaceutical companies, and they are now poised to scale these innovative approaches. "We believe that repurposing existing treatments is the fastest and most efficient approach to addressing critical health challenges and maximizing the return on investment for saving lives," said Dr. Grant Mitchell, CEO of Every Cure.
Of the world's approximately ~18,500 recognized diseases, only ~4,000 have FDA approved treatments, leaving hundreds of millions of people worldwide without effective therapies for their conditions. Strikingly, over 80% of currently FDA-approved treatments are generic or off-patent and could hold the key to new treatments. Tragically, systemic barriers and a lack of financial incentives hinder further research on these medications, resulting in these life-saving drugs remaining underutilized on pharmacy shelves while patients continue to suffer from limited or no treatment options.
To address these challenges, Every Cure systematically identifies and advances promising repurposing opportunities by leveraging its comprehensive AI data engine, which generates predictive efficacy scores for FDA-approved drugs across all diseases. The funding catalyzed through The Audacious Project will strengthen this capability by supporting essential research and clinical initiatives, ensuring rapid access to identified therapies for patients in need, and accelerating the path from discovery to treatment.
The Audacious Project is a collaborative funding initiative housed within TED that empowers changemakers to transform their innovative ideas for solving the world's greatest challenges into viable multi-year initiatives. Each year, they partner with visionary philanthropists to launch these initiatives into the world. In addition to financial backing, support through TED's Audacious Project will significantly raise awareness of Every Cure's innovative drug repurposing approach, fostering collaboration and advancing their groundbreaking efforts. This invaluable support is essential as Every Cure seeks to engage a wider audience committed to improving access to effective treatments for patients around the globe.
"We are thrilled to support Every Cure's visionary mission to save lives by finding new uses for generic and off-patent drugs," said Anna Verghese, Executive Director of The Audacious Project. "With the funding catalyzed through The Audacious Project, Every Cure has the potential to change the lives of the 300 million people lacking access to safe and effective treatments."
Ultimately, Every Cure aims to raise over $220 million to support this historic, first-of-its-kind initiative dedicated to systematically identifying and unlocking hidden cures. The Audacious Project's investment in Every Cure builds on an additional $48 million, three-year contract with ARPA-H, a U.S. federal agency that supports impactful biomedical and health initiatives. This landmark funding through The Audacious Project will further empower Every Cure to leverage the outcomes of the ARPA-H contract, enhancing its organizational efforts for global impact. The investments from ARPA-H and the Audacious donors, such as Acton Family Giving; Laura and John Arnold; Chris Anderson and Jacqueline Novogratz; Reed Hastings; High Tide Foundation; Lyda Hill Philanthropies; Jeff and Marieke Rothschild; Sea Grape Foundation; and Valhalla Foundation, bring Every Cure's current fundraising total to approximately $110 million.
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