INTRODUCTION In addition, the Billion Molecules Against A CLEAR FOCUS ON ACCELERATING Covid-19 Grand Challenge has been launched THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEROLOGICAL mid-Aprilby the Joint European Disruptive TESTS Initiative (JEDI), with grand prizes of up to 2 Amajor issue in the end of the lockdown or million euros for the winners. Open to the “deconfinement” is to have serological best scientific and technology teams in the tests to make it possible to know who world, it has one objective using the power is immune to the coronavirus. Purchasing of IA: to screen billions of molecules with millions of tests in France and abroad has blocking interactions relevant to SARS-CoV-2, already proved to be a headache as many and fast track the route to a therapeutic research and manufacturng si ites are ocatedl treatment. The current major health crisis has in Asia, with a quality problem reported in highlighted the need for strong anticipation, some European countries. This has led to interdisciplinarity and massive agility. This is accelerate the development and production the first-ever DARPA-type (Advanced Research of serological tests in Europe, with start-ups Projects Agency) challenge in Europe at the such as BioSpeedia, the spin-off of Institut intersection of epidemiology, high perfor- Pasteur created in 2011, NG Biotech and mance computing, molecular biology and Biosynex on the front line in France. Roche artificialintelligence. AXA Research Fund has announced the development of a new and Merck have invested 2 million euros serological test, which will be available in in the 8-week global challenge. JEDI has early May, to detect antibodies in patients identified three successive stages: during exposed to the coronavirus. The drug com- the first month, competitors are invited to pany is also working to obtain fast track generate andanalyze, as ucly as ossble,qi k p i designation from US FDA. a billion molecules. The goal is to identify the most relevant to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and In addition, Sanofi and Californian startup prevent viral infection. In a second step, the Luminostics have signed an agreement to scientists will test them to identify those that assess the possibility of jointly developing a significantly decrease (by at least 99%) the Covid-19 self-testing solution. Sanofi’s goal viralload of SARS-CoV-2. The final phase is to provide a smartphone-based solution willisolate the most promising molecules, that can be carried out at home without a those whose transition to clinical trials and healthcare professional or laboratory tests, production could be faster. A world-class lowering the risk of catching the virus forall scientific committee oversees this challenge. involved. The test, designed to detect the The ambition of André Loesekrug-Pietri, ex- Covid-19 virus from respiratory samples, ecutive director of JEDI, is to succeed after gives a result in 30 minutes or less. It is 6 to 12 months. based on a combination of Sanofi’s clinical research testing experience and Luminostics’ By Marion Baschet Vernetunique technology that uses smartphone’s optics. Controlled by an iOS/Android that “EU leaders hold emer- comes with instructions on how to take gency talks to coordi- a specimen and process it, the phone displays the test results and if necessary, nate a Europe-wide connects users with a telehealth service. Development is set to start in the coming response to the coro- weeks with the aim to have a self-testing solution available before the end of 2020, navirus epidemic.” with Sanofi’s global distribution networkensuring global availability.