The European Platform for Neurodegenerative Diseases (EPND)

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundBiomarker discovery, development, and validation are reliant on large‐scale analyses of high‐quality samples and data. However, discovery, access, and sharing of data and samples are hindered both by silos that limit collaboration, and by complex requirements for secure, legal, and ethical sharing. The European Platform for Neurodegenerative Diseases (EPND) project aims to address these challenges and accelerate biomarker discovery, development and validation, by building a scalable, sustainable platform for collaboration, data and sample sharing. In this presentation we will give an overview of the design of EPND and the achievements in the first year of this 5‐year project.MethodEPND is a multidisciplinary consortium of 29 public and private partners with expertise on data discovery, ethical, legal and regulatory aspects of data sharing, biomarker studies, stakeholder engagement and sustainability. EPND will leverage existing data and research infrastructures, including the Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative (ADDI) AD Workbench, which will allow the platform to connect to a global research network. EPND was launched in November 2021 and is funded by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI, grant agreement number 101034344, epnd.org).ResultIn this first year of the project, the design of the data platform has been finalised. EPND has launched its Cohort Catalogue, which features information on participants, samples and data from 60+ neurodegeneration cohorts, spanning 17 countries and 13 disease areas, and involving over 155,000 patients. In addition to standardised operational procedures on sample selection, biobanking, and data harmonisation, we have also developed a white paper on legal, ethical and regulatory aspects of data and sample sharing. Finally, we have performed case studies on ATN biomarkers in plasma and blood in 350 patients with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia.ConclusionWe initiated a multidisciplinary consortium with the goal to accelerate collaborative research into the discovery and validation of biomarkers, to support development of diagnostics and disease‐modifying therapies for AD and other neurodegenerative diseases.