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Epilepsy Foundation SUDEP Institute Announces Winner for Second Challenge: 'EpSMon' Mobile App - Preventing Epilepsy Seizures

Epilepsy News From: Wednesday, March 02, 2016

Third of four challenges will award up to $150K for identifying biomarkers predicting high seizure risks; Precursor to $1M final challenge to prevent sudden unexpected death in epilepsy

(Landover, MD) - The Epilepsy Foundation SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy) Institute announced the winners of its second challenge, “Preventing Epilepsy Seizures.” This was the second of four challenges that will ultimately award more than $1.2 million in prizes.

The SUDEP Institute challenged participants to come up with ideas for a method of intervention to reduce the risk of seizures, especially convulsive or tonic-clonic seizures, with the purpose of preventing SUDEP. Over 300 participants registered for the challenge, and they submitted 83 solutions from 25 countries.

The Epilepsy Self Monitoring (EpSMon) mobile app was the winning solution for the second challenge, “Preventing Epilepsy Seizures.” This app was designed to monitor epilepsy activity between doctor visits, determine if they are at risk of a seizure, and give information on how to decrease their risk. 

“People living with epilepsy rely on tools like EpSMon to help monitor seizure activity,” said Philip M. Gattone, President and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation. “EpSMon also reminds users of the importance of following their treatment to help avoid potentially tragic consequences. The next phases of the Epilepsy Foundation’s SUDEP challenge aims to unlock the mystery behind sudden death from epilepsy and save lives.”  

EpSMon was created by a team of partners based at Plymouth University, SUDEP Action, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and Royal Cornwall Hospital. The app is available in the United Kingdom iTunes store. With this prize, the app will soon be available in the United States. 

“We are thrilled that our EpSMon App will be coming to America soon,” said Jane Hanna, Chief Executive of SUDEP Action. “The opportunity provided by the Epilepsy Foundation of America’s SUDEP Institute to use the prize funds to make EpsMon available is one we and all the EpsMon partners are keen to take forward. We and indeed all the bereaved families who have supported the development of EpsMon are hopeful that by combining knowledge and technology people will be able to check and enhance their safety by seeking medical review sooner rather than later if risks are increasing.” 

“Predictive Biomarkers of Epilepsy Seizures” is the third out of four research challenges. The current challenge, launched on February 25, 2016, will award up to 10 prizes, totaling $150,000. Awardees will identify a measurable substance, or human biomarker, that could predict and allow for the development of interventions for people with a high risk for SUDEP. The next level of the challenge, worth $1 million, will be to prove the biomarker can indeed predict the risk for SUDEP and be used for intervention. 

The Epilepsy Foundation drives bold solutions to reduce the risk of seizures, especially sudden death, by bringing attention and new fields of study to the problem. Our SUDEP Challenge Initiative, launched in April 2015, is an example of our commitment to being an unwavering ally for people living with epilepsy and their loved ones. 
    
“InnoCentive has a long record of helping disease-specific organizations successfully innovate around game changing methodologies,” said Craig Jones, chairman and CEO of InnoCentive. “We are proud to provide the platform, crowd, and methods to help the Foundation in their quest for advanced solutions to the discovery and use of biomarkers for advanced diagnosis and prognosis of epilepsy seizures.”

Anyone can be a part of the $1 million solution. Learn more about the challenge, including how to enter and promote at: www.epilepsy.com/sudep-challenge-initiative or donate toward the over $1 million prize.

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About Epilepsy

When a person has one or more unprovoked seizures, they are considered to have epilepsy. Epilepsy affects 3 million people in the U.S. and 65 million worldwide. This year, another 150,000 people will be diagnosed with epilepsy. Despite all available treatments, 4 out of 10 people with epilepsy continue to experience uncontrolled seizures while many more experience less than optimal seizure control.
 
About SUDEP

Each year, more than 1 out of 1,000 people with epilepsy die from SUDEP. If seizures are uncontrolled, the risk of SUDEP increases to more than 1 out of 150. Although rare in children, SUDEP is the leading cause of death in young adults with uncontrolled seizures. The causes of SUDEP are unknown, but by having as few convulsive or tonic-clonic seizures as possible, a person can reduce his or her risk of SUDEP. Learn more at epilepsy.com/sudep
 
About the Epilepsy Foundation

The Epilepsy Foundation, a national non-profit with nearly 50 affiliated organizations throughout the U.S., has led the fight against seizures since 1968. The Foundation is an unwavering ally for individuals and families impacted by epilepsy and seizures. The mission of the Epilepsy Foundation is to stop seizures and SUDEP, find a cure, and overcome the challenges created by epilepsy through efforts including education, advocacy, and research to accelerate ideas into therapies. The Foundation works to ensure that people with seizures have the opportunity to live their lives to their fullest potential. For additional information, please visit epilepsy.com.

“Like” the Epilepsy Foundation on Facebook at facebook.com/epilepsyfoundationofamerica and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/epilepsyfdn.

About the Epilepsy Foundation SUDEP Institute

The SUDEP Institute is an initiative led by the Epilepsy Foundation that carries out SUDEP education and awareness programs for people affected by epilepsy and for medical professionals; drives and supports research into the causes of and ways to prevent SUDEP; offers a support network providing counseling, community, and resources for individuals and families affected by SUDEP; and works together with many epilepsy organizations to find the answers to SUDEP. For additional information, please visit epilepsy.com/sudep-institute.

About InnoCentive, Inc.

InnoCentive crowdsources innovation solutions from the world’s smartest people, who compete to provide ideas and solutions to important business, social, policy, and scientific challenges. Our global network of millions of problem solvers, proven challenge methodology, and cloud-based innovation management platform help our clients transform their economics of innovation through rapid solution delivery and the development of sustainable open innovation programs. For over a decade, organizations such as Astra Zeneca, Booz Allen Hamilton, Cleveland Clinic, Eli Lilly & Company, NASA, Procter & Gamble, Thomson Reuters, and several government agencies in the U.S. and Europe have partnered with InnoCentive. Learn more at innocentive.com.

Contact Name

LeAnn Harley | Manager of Program Communications and Media Relations

Contact Phone

(301) 918-3721

Contact Email

lharley@efa.org

Reviewed Date

Wednesday, March 02, 2016

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