MDC x We Share for medicines discovery in areas of unmet patient need

09/02/2022

2 min 🕐

For too long, accessing catalytic funding has been a challenge for medicines discovery start-ups focused in areas of clinical unmet need. To combat this, Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) and We Share Forward (We Share) have launched an innovative new funding programme. The programme will provide grants of up to €300,000 to at least two early-stage medicines discovery startups focused on the development of new treatments in diseases of high unmet need. Underpinned by We Share’s share-it-forward principle, successful start-ups will share their success with future innovators through a revolving funding mechanism.

Creating real impact is at the core of both MDC and We Share. This is why We Share is bringing its innovative impact-driven revolving funding model together with MDC’s Syndicate programme to give promising start-ups in the medicine discovery space, access to long-term capital in the early phases of their growth. Through its Syndicate programme, MDC has created and supported world-class medicines discovery consortia in areas of patient need; bringing together leading experts and accelerating research efforts. Through Syndicates, MDC can support emerging innovators with access to knowledge, expertise and capabilities in psychiatry, hearing and infections associated with cystic fibrosis.

The patient centric design of the MDC X We Share Funding Programme is incredibly important. Patients will play a key role in the due diligence process, assisting in selecting the start-ups to fund. This is integral to ensure that the programme is addressing well-defined patient needs and funding companies selected by patients, for patients. For We Share, this collaboration is an opportunity to help more innovators survive the valley of death, support more solutions to address patient needs and make philanthropic giving more dynamic by revolving the funding.

The competitive call for applications has just closed. Throughout January and February 2022, MDC will exploit its expert and patient networks to undertake a scientific and patient-centred review process, and We Share will select at least 2 start-ups to support based on their commercial potential. The selected start-ups will demonstrate the most scientifically robust and patient centred projects, underpinned by a winning team and business model.

Are you a philanthropist, foundation, family office or corporate foundation that wants to create change in the health sector and impact patients’ lives? Take action with us!

Do you want to support these change makers to create impact for patients, and bring more life to philanthropic giving? For more information or to get involved contact us at team@weshareforward.org and check out our website.

You can find an earlier version of this post on Get In The Ring’s website.