The AXA Research Fund supports the Billion Molecules Against COVID19 Challenge

The AXA Research Fund has committed to support the Billion Molecules against COVID-19 Grand Challenge, launched by the Joint European Disruptive Initiative (JEDI), the major European Initiative for disruptive innovation.

This challenge, launched on May 4th, open to the best scientific & technology teams in the world, has one objective : to screen billions of molecules with blocking interactions relevant to SARS-CoV-2, and fast-track the route to a therapeutic treatment. This is the first-ever DARPA-type (Advanced Research Projects Agency) challenge in Europe at the intersection of epidemiology, high performance computing, molecular biology and artificial intelligence.

“The support for JEDI was unanimous within our Advisory Board and we are very excited to be supporting the Billion Molecules against Covid-19 Grand Challenge. At the AXA Research Fund, we believe in open science and collaboration to confront the issues our societies face today. The Billion Molecules Grand Challenge brings together the health and technologies research fields and private sector assets to help accelerate treatment responses to COVID-19, our single most pressing issue today.” Marie Bogataj, head of the AXA Research Fund and AXA Group Foresight.

Funders and researchers, join us in this challenge:

• You can apply to stage 1 (May 4th – June 6th)  here
• Read the project launch press release
• Help promote the initiative, following #JEDICovid19challenge or on JEDI Linked In & Twitter accounts

April 2020 – updated May 5