a letter from amy yamner jenkins,€¦ · covery of a novel skin-based biomarker, and dr. seward...

PRIZE4LIFE PRIZE4LIFEANNUAL REPORT 2009 1 ANNUAL REPORT 2009 2

Dear Friends,

It has been an incredible year here at Prize4Life. We have had so much happening - so much research progress on ALS in general and so much activity at the organization.

The biggest news, as you can read about in the Program Updates section of this annual report, was that Prize4Life awarded $100,000 in progress prizes in April of 2009. Prize4Life’s Scientific Advisory Board, a group comprised of some of the leading minds in the ALS basic and applied research communities, reviewed 12 entries submit-ted by teams hailing from7 different countries, and awarded two teams with $50,000 prizes in recognition of their significant progress towards the identification of a biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Because there is currently no way to precisely track disease pro-gression and treatment efficacy in the short-term, clinical trials are lengthy and costly. The discovery of a biomarker will shorten the duration of trials, reduce the number of patients required to participate, and bring down costs. It is an essential first step in accelerating the discovery of treatments and ultimately a cure for ALS.

While our Scientific Advisory Board did not decide that the criteria for the $1 million biomarker prize had been met by the two recipients, the awarding of these two prizes represents concrete progress towards that goal and the belief that a breakthrough could be just beyond the horizon.

We are tremendously excited and encouraged. As Prize4Life ap-proaches its fourth birthday, I feel that a treatment for ALS is closer than ever. I want to thank all of those who have contributed to the innovative work being undertaken at Prize4Life, as well as all of those who are working to unlock the mysteries of this disease and bring us closer to a cure...

I am enormously grateful for your support.

Sincerely,

Avichai KremerCEO and Co-Founder Prize4Life

Greetings,

Our mission at Prize4Life is to accelerate the discovery of treatments and a cure for ALS by using powerful incentives to attract new people and drive innovation.

By the very nature of that mission, we cannot achieve it alone. At our of-fice in Cambridge, Massachusetts, we have six talented and dedicated employees. But this team is merely the tip of the iceberg. We have over 30 highly-skilled teams competing for the ALS Treatment Prize, and over 900 interested in the ALS Biomarker Challenge.

Our prizes have drawn new minds to the field, encouraged the de-velopment of fresh ideas, and leveraged outside investment into ALS research. But we also know that prizes alone are not enough. To support the efforts of the researchers and scientists competing for our prizes from across the globe, we have launched a host of programs to equip them with the tools and knowledge necessary to work towards the breakthroughs the field so desperately needs.

We launched the ALS Forum to provide the latest ALS news and re-search to both established members of the ALS community, and those who are bringing their expertise from a different discipline. Because the high cost of mouse models is an obstacle to many potential researchers, we partnered with the Jackson Laboratory (JAX) to provide free mice to teams competing for our prizes. And we have worked with research-ers at both JAX and the ALS Therapy Development Institute to create a manual on how best to handle and study those mouse models.

We are grateful for your interest in Prize4Life, and we encourage you to read more about our prizes and programs in this annual report and on our website at www.prize4life.org. There are many ways to join our effort to find a cure, ranging from attending one of our many events to making a financial contribution to volunteering in our office to competing for our prizes. Please contact us with any questions you might have, and again, thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Amy Yamner JenkinsChair of the Board of DirectorsPrize4Life

A Letter from Amy Yamner Jenkins, Chair of the Board of Directors of Prize4Life

A Letter from Avichai Kremer, CEO and Co-Founder of Prize4Life


Prizes Awarded for the ALS Biomarker Prize

Prizes are the core of our results-oriented model. In April 2009, Prize4Life reviewed its first round of submitted solutions and awarded Progress Prizes to teams that made significant progress toward meeting prize criteria. Dr. Harvey Arbesman received a prize for his dis-covery of a novel skin-based biomarker, and Dr. Seward Rutkove a prize for his progress in further characterizing a muscle-based biomarker

Harvey Arbesman, MD MS, is a board-certified dermatologist and one of the winners of a 2007 Prize4Life Thought Prize, which was designed to award the best theoretical solutions to finding an ALS biomarker. Dr. Arbesman, who had never conducted ALS-related research prior to this challenge, has received a Discovery Prize for his team’s identification of a potential skin-based biomarker that could function as a biologic correlate of ALS. Dr. Arbesman’s team, comprised of researchers from Columbia’s Neurology and Derma-tology departments, adapted a technology used in the cosmetic industry, the Cutometer, to non-invasively measure skin elasticity to see whether changes in this property of skin correlate with disease progression in ALS patients.

Seward Rutkove, MD, an ALS researcher and clinician who has worked in the ALS field for more than 10 years, received a Progress Prize for his proposed biomarker based on the observation that electrical current flows differently through healthy vs. diseased muscle tissue, and these changes in current flow can be sensitively measured. His team is developing handheld technologies capable of taking such measurements quickly, easily, and with high accuracy to determine how changes in muscle current flow correlate with disease progression in ALS patients.

The $1,000,000 biomarker prize was relaunched in 2009 and is currently open.

2009 Program Updates

While prizes are perhaps the most visible part of our work, Prize4Life is also conscious of the need to create a vibrant and supportive arena in which our participating teams can effectively compete.

Here are some of the ways we have provided that support.

ALS Forum Launched

In June 2009, Prize4Life and the Alzheimer Research Forum an-nounced the launch of a new ALS-focused internet portal known as the ALS Forum (http://www.researchALS.org). The site offers ALS re-searchers and other interested parties around the world a one-stop access point for cutting edge research news and unique web-based resources. The response to the portal has been overwhelmingly positive so far.

Prize4Life - Jackson Laboratory Mouse Colony Collaboration

After the launch of the ALS Treatment Prize, would-be competitors expressed concern over the cost and availability of SOD1 mice (the most widely studied mouse model of ALS) to use in their preclinical studies. In order to facilitate further research, Prize4Life partnered with the Jackson Laboratory, the world’s leading provider of mouse models for research, to establish SOD1 mouse colonies to provide quality controlled mice free to competing labs.

The Mouse Manual

To ensure that the outcomes from studies using these free mouse models are of greatest value to the research community, Prize4Life worked with the Jackson Laboratory to produce “Working with ALS Mice: Guidelines for Preclinical Testing & Colony Management,” a manual intended to describe best practice recommendations on how to conduct ALS studies and properly maintain mouse colonies. Resources and input from the ALS Therapy Development Institute were integral in the creation of the ‘mouse manual.’


Prize4Life’s mission is to accelerate the discovery of treatments and a cure for ALS by using powerful incentives to attract new people and drive innovation.

We gratefully acknowledge each and every one of our donors, without whom our work would not be possible...

Prize4Life 2009 Giving Report

Prize4Life Champions

Harriet AbramsonAnonymous Darel M. and Carlos BenaimBiogen Idec Double H Foundation Genzyme Corporation Raymond V. and Gladys Gilmartin

Google Janice Hammond, Ph.D.John and Rose Herman Support Foundation

Robert Kaplan

Ira and Jeffrey KleinNew England Patriots Foundation

Pat and Richard Jay LightMcKinsey & Company Microsoft Corporation Pacific Assets Management,LLC

Jane & Neil PappalardoRoger and Barbara RichterSylvia RiskinSamantha, Becky, Mark Foundation

Vicki Sato, Ph.D.Jim Sharpe and Debby SteinSharpe

Shire, PLC Harvard Business School Healthcare Club

Heather TakleThe Teagle Foundation Tiger Global, L.P. Amy Yamner Jenkins

Prize4Life Visionaries

Roberto ArdagnaJoseph BadaraccoAnita BalajiLaura BalkanJulie BattilanaAmina BelghitiAmy BelkinJoan and Steve BelkinMichael BernsteinElizabeth BlackLionel BonyDavid BordeauPeter BowenGerard BuckleyRobert CareyJackson CarmichaelJames ChisholmElvis Ciprian Vatasescu

Shanlenn and Justin ColbyBarbara & Gregory E. CopelandDavid CottermanFabiola CurrarinoRebecca DaltonJustin DaweDC Beane & Associates Construction Company

Carolyn DedrickWalter DelphElaine DorseyCarol DouglasThom DoyleMaria DuqueShalyn EasoneBay Morgan EbelingJonathan Edgar

Christine EllisShira EpstienChris ErtelPatrick FieldIan FirthRobert FoleyPaul FrappolloDr. & Mrs. Edward C. FriedlandJohn & Joan FriesGeraldine FuruzawaTomer GallerMary GantRosann GarberBessie B. GarberJessica GarrettDavid GasperikRobert GeroLeonard Gilbert

Albert Gimbel, Jr.Gino’s Collision Center, Inc. Astrid and Jason GlassJessica and Josh GoldinGordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Blake GottesmanJoan GottliebJoseph GreenbaumScott GreenbergCarol Greve-PhilipsAllen GrossmanDaniel HamielDavid HarrisJason HarrowHarvard Business School Jewish Students Association

Mariam HemriMichael HornForsan HusseinRichard JacobsShiri JaffeMark JaffeRobert JangSantiago JaritonJohn JenkinsWilliam JenkinsDuggan JensenMarion JoffeRichard JoffeEllen KaplanPatricia KelleyRenuka KherRakesh KhuranaNetta KivilisErica KleinCynthia KleinbaumAllison KotzinAvichai KremerBrooke LarimerGary LazarusChristina Lee

Dr. Jack LeitnerMelanie Leitner, Ph.D.Igor LiskovetsGavin MalenfantAndrea MaranoGlenn MarshallSkyler MattsonRobert MauricioCynthia & George MazareasAndrew McElaneyAvaleigh MilneAlex MishurovFreida MockSusan MohrmanSean MurrayChiinga MusondaMaria NaisbittKenneth NakabaBrian NickersonJim NortonE. Dunigan O’KeeffeHidenori OkadaBrian OsiasSusan OttoDaniel PechmanJoseph PerpichBianca PeskinRoger and LaRue PorterClifford QuanMargaret R SpaldingKristofer and Victoria ReiersonElinor and Larry RittenbergStacey RittenbergRosalie Katz Family Foundation, Inc.

Stefan RosenBrett RubinYair SchindelJulia SchmidtEva SchwarzMaximilian SeelLeonard and Iris Seiden

Gayle SellsJohn SerafiniShvat ShakedGuy ShapiraRoy ShapiroClark ShieldsAnna ShilovaShahar ShpigelmanLinda and Marc SilverJustin SilverLeaine SimmerBrittany SmithJonathan SolomonEdward SullivanNicole Szlezak, M.D., Ph.D.Robert TakataTC Group, Inc California TranElizabeth TrussellSeth UngerKristin ValdmanisRajiv and Amita VohraToni VolpePaul WangAndy WattulaElizabeth WealeEdward Wexler-BeronAlice WuZachary YaklinGail YamnerMorris YamnerMichelle YantziDeborah Zwicke


Friends of Prize4Life

Peter AbairSandeep AcharyaNitzan AchsafJames ActonBen AdamsSaurabh AgarwalSanjay AggarwalTreeny AhmedMichele AhouseWilliam AikenMarianne AlfTanweer AliSofie AltermanRon AmitJessica AndersonSusan AndersonAnonymous Samuel ArbesmanRomana AutreyDiane AverytEmily BagbyJonathan BannetKate BantingAndrzej BaraniakJoan BarnesGulshan BatoolShellie BatuskiCatherine BauerBrent BauerAnsu BaysahJamie BedrinTressa BedwellJessica BellMelissa BellaireRoman BelotserkovskiyKent BennettHadar BerkovichKarla BermanEleanor BernsteinRwitwika Bhattacharya

Ambar BhattacharyyaStephen BirmanSeth BlackleyOliver BladekBarbara Blake-TaylorCharlotte BlankMichael BlausteinAlexander BleylebenEfrat BlumenfeldNate BoazMelinda BootheStacey BordenHoward BornsteinJoan BouknightDiana BowenPamela BowlesBryan BowlesSavina BoyadjievaAlan BralyShalyn Brand EasonDaniel BravoSummer BrennerRyan and Natalie BuckLeo BuehlerAdrian BurciuLauren CabralLeah CamilleriMarta CamposKatherine CapellutoSherry Carlock StephensPatrisha CarlsonSorina Casian BotezE. Wilkie CatronChelsea ChangStephen ChenLucy ChenAmanda ChengPatty ChiangDavid ChoMatt Chun

Zachary ClaytonPedro Luis CobiellaAaron CohenCurtis ColeSusan CoonsPreston CurtisDiliana DamianovaJay DavisAlana DavisJessica DavisDears Foundation, Inc. Elizabeth Del PortoRebecca and Andy Del PreteWiebke DeneckeOzge DoganEileen DorseyChristine DorseyAmit DoshiDianne DouglasLuke DouglasAlexander DuchnowskiJesse EhrenfeldAnna EidsvikEmily EisenbergGilad EvronyMarc FarrellSusan FerrerRachel FleisherAmy FlikerskiDean FrankleMegan FredericksRebecca GaetzKyle GallaryGraham GardnerMegan GardnerAdam GastonGE Foundation Aron GelbardThomas GentileCaroline Gibbings

James GiesslerBen GlazerCheryl GoldslegerJim and Donna GwozdzMaia HansenKaren HarringtonBryant HarrisonNorman HartJohn HebertJean HermannAlex HerzlingerHampus HillerstromWisam HirzallaJoyce HorowitzLaura HuddlestonDaniel IsenbergRan ItzikEvelyn JacobsRonda JacobsonRalph JamesBonny JohnsonJoy JordanJonathan KaplowitzArnaud KarsentiSharon KatzJamie KaufmanKristen KeatingAnat KeinanAnnemarie KerstenJoseph KesselJeremy KingAudrey KleinRamona KrogmanChristopher KruczynskiKaren KwokAlexander LancasterRobert LarimerHoward and Alison LarimerElisabeth Larrivee

Jeanne LawlorJennifer LeeCourtney LeimkuhlerDan LevyZach LewisLily LiangJanice LinJames LoughreyMichael LoveLindsay LudwigMichael LukelaJames MahoneySadiq MalikMark MandellPhilip MarxenShunsuke MatsuokaAmy McGarrMegan McGoldrickMary Ellen McNamaraTom and Mary Jane McNamaraMaryanne and Dan McNamaraAllison McNamaraBrian McNamaraMike and Mary McNamaraVijay MehtaKatherine MenardGoncalo Calle Lucas MendesUmaimah MendhroKatherine MengesMichael MeredithDavid MeskhiAlexander MichaelPhilip MichaelJacqueline MichelaAnna MilanezEmily MinkowMarina MitevaAlidad MoghaddamDaniel Moon

Oren MorCaitlin MoranHumberto MoreiraJill MoritzJacqueline MorrisWendy MosesLimor MoshkovichEmily MoskowitzYonatan MossShalinee MotayedMona MotwaniSeth MoultonBrian MulliganAntoine MunfaMarisa MuscariMary MusichClinton MusilDouglas MyersPatrick MyersVinod NambudiriUday NandaEva NazarewiczJennifer NeffTodd NeustatDebbie NewmanMarlene NickolsonMarina NicolaidisJennifer NoccoNokia Oliver NordlingerMichael NortonWendy NovickDon O’SullivanConstance OrlinsDaniel OsnossTeresa OverskeiCharles PapazianMegan PeitzkeJasmin Peleg


Laura PerezCharlene PetersonCarmine PetroneJose Pimenta da GamaJustin PinesThomas R. and Ruth W. Piper

Ray PittmanVanessa PlantCraig PodolskyBrian PolsinelloAndrew PopperDavid PuckettRafi RaskinMauricio RebeloRichard RidenourEdward RiedlMarcela RodriguesCarter RomanskyNicole RosenRobert RossAdina RothkopfDavid RubaltelliDavid RumpfAlicia RussellSimona Ruxandra BicaErin RyanDaniel SaacksPouyan SalehiLeshika Samarasinghe

Josue SanchezAlok SathayeTereh SaylesNeil SchaeferJoe ScherbanDennis SchleifBenjamin SchneiderAnne ScholderEthan SchulmanWilliam SeibelsSondra SenAaliyah ShafiqPooja ShahLowell ShermanYoni ShteinJanet SimpsonAlan SonnenfeldCarol Sorenti LaneJames SteenDarbee StehlingSerge StepanovJeffrey SternJosephine StewartBarbara SwecJeff TakleRidhi TariyalDavid TepperWill ThomasWilliam Thoms, Jr.Lesley Tod

Graves TompkinsLeah TrabichJimmy TranBenjamin UsherJennifer VandrovecIlka VazquezWendy VividorMargaret WalkerHenluen WangGeorge WatkinsAbigail WattleyChris WebberAnne WegnerErica WellingtonJohn WellsHui Wen ChanHenry WillenerErica WolfGordon WolfgangRicci WolmanPhilip WongMark WoodsJohn WrightWykagyl Rittenberg Realty, Inc. Laura YamnerMiriam YasgurEric YoungHirschy ZarchiHirschy and Elkie Zarchi

Prize4Life 2009 Giving Report - Continued

Friends of Prize4Life - Continued

Every effort has been made to include the names of all our donors. If we have inadvertently omitted your name or made an error, we apologize for the oversight. Please contact our Development Office at 617.500.7527.

Prize4Life CEO and co-founder Avi Kremer and his section-mates from Harvard Business School.

www.prize4life.orgPhone: 617.500.7527

E-mail: [email protected]

Mailing AddressPrize4Life, Inc.P.O. Box 425783Cambridge, MA 02142

Designed by Orit Neeman

a letter from amy yamner jenkins,€¦ · covery of a novel skin-based biomarker, and dr. seward...

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