We are excited to introduce the European Platform for Neurodegenerative Diseases (EPND) to the ADDI Community. The EPND project is a public-private partnership funded by the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI), which receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, and members of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). Launched in November 2021, EPND involves 29 organizations across Europe, Israel, and the United States that have a common objective: to change the way neurodegenerative disease research is utilized and accessed to accelerate impact.
Like ADDI, EPND addresses two of the biggest hurdles to innovation in neurodegenerative disease research including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. First, there are not enough secure, accessible ways to share data and surface information about biological samples at scale. Second, infrastructure and research are often siloed, making it difficult to discover and share these valuable resources in secure and ethical ways. The goal is to break down barriers by creating a common point of access to discover and request interoperable data and samples from neurodegenerative disease research cohorts in Europe.
To achieve its goal, EPND is building connections to existing cohorts, platforms, and data sharing toolkits. One of these connections is with ADDI’s AD Workbench – which will be a key part of EPND’s infrastructure. It will offer researchers seamless access to a global network of interoperable datasets and enable collaboration with a broader user community who may contribute relevant or ancillary data to the platform. Additionally, connecting to the AD Workbench will allow researchers to access secure, cloud-based workspaces, use analytical tools, and work with others to curate, harmonize, and analyze data.
These same researchers will also have access to AD Connect, ADDI’s online community. AD Connect will allow members to promote and facilitate discussions, share knowledge, and inspire new ideas among EPND users and the broader ADDI community.
Bringing together researchers with a platform that enables permissioned data sharing and sample discovery creates profound possibilities for Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative disease research. There is the potential to make data and samples accessible from more than 120,000 research participants from over 60 European cohorts across 19 countries.
The neurodegenerative disease research community can use this platform to foster multidisciplinary partnerships and integrate research initiatives, which can lead to transformative patient outcomes. The platform will be road-tested and refined thanks to a series of EPND biomarker case studies, supported by optimized procedures and protocols for collecting, processing, and storing data and samples. Case study datasets will be made available via the EPND platform, adding further value for the neurodegenerative disease research community.
ADDI is committed to supporting EPND as the platform grows in new and exciting ways. We are honored to be a part of this transformative moment in European neurodegenerative disease research and the global data sharing community.
For more updates, including the launch of EPND’s platform, sign up for AD Connect or the EPND newsletter.
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