Reimagining Respiratory Protection

Why this Challenge matters

Johnson & Johnson Innovation has an ongoing commitment to global pandemic preparedness efforts, as one of the few innovative healthcare companies in the world today that is actively engaged across multiple disease areas and approaches that are central to this challenge.

A 2016 United Nationsreportconcluded that, “The world remains ill-prepared to address the threat posed by epidemics,” urging action ahead of future pandemics to avoid devastating consequences. Epidemics are not only possible, but probable, with four in recent memory including the Ebola virus in West Africa. The same UN study points to mathematical modelling by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which shows that a virulent strain of an airborne influenza virus could spread to all major global capitals within 60 days and kill more than 33 million people within 250 days.

Traditional respiratory protective devices were designed for use in occupational settings and are prohibitively expensive for global adoption. Disposable versions, such as N95 respirators, are only available for adults, must be fit-tested to ensure proper functioning, and are uncomfortable to wear[1].

Just how big of a problem is this? Given an outbreak of a novel or newly emerging respiratory disease, respiratory protection may be a crucial measure to protect healthcare workers and the general public. Yet, demand for such products in influenza or other respiratory disease pandemic would far exceed worldwide supply.

Yet, decades have passed without a significant change to design.Together, we have the power to prevent needless suffering and start saving more lives by improving respiratory safety for everyone around the world.

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[1]Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene Volume 9, 2012 - Issue 1 Discomfort and Exertion Associated with Prolonged Wear of Respiratory Protection in a Health Care Setting : 14 Dec 2011 Accessed online:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15459624.2012.635133

What we’re looking for

Proposals containingor describing a path forward to meet any ofthe following criteria are preferred, but are not required.Please keep in mind that no idea is too big or too early for consideration.Applications that clearly describe a concept or path forward to achieve these goals will also be considered during evaluation. The ideal respiratory protection would have the following characteristics:

• Suitable for all populations and ages
• Effective in preventing infection
• Comfortable
• Reusable a minimum of 5 times or extremely low cost and easy to produce
• 如果mple, requires no special instructions or fit testing
• Minimally interfering with breathing or other activities

Application process

Applicants will be required to submit a design. Solutions will be evaluated by a panel of reviewers and judges on their ability to meet the following criteria:

• Novelty
• Potential Impact
• Feasibility/Practicality
• 质量团队和资源
• Plan for use of funds
• Clarity of plan: Milestones & defined go/no go decisions

About BARDA

Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, was established to aid in securing our nation from chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats, as well as from pandemic influenza (PI) and emerging infectious diseases (EID). BARDA supports the transition of medical countermeasures such as vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics from research through advanced development towards consideration for approval by the FDA and inclusion into the Strategic National Stockpile. BARDA’s support includes funding, technical assistance and core services. To date, BARDA has supported 42 FDA approvals for 38 unique products addressing CBRN, PI, and EID threats.

Our mission is accomplished through successful public-private partnerships with industry to share risk, improve efficiency and accelerate development all while sustaining a marketplace that guarantees continued access to the vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other medical products that are vital to our national health security. For more information about BARDA, please visithttps://www.phe.gov/about/bardaor follow @BARDA, @phegov.

About the Janssen Pharmaceutical, Companies of Johnson & Johnson

詹森制药公司的约翰逊& Johnson, we are working to create a world without disease. Transforming lives by finding new and better ways to prevent, intercept, treat and cure disease inspires us. We bring together the best minds and pursue the most promising science.

About Johnson & Johnson Innovation

Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC focuses on accelerating all stages of innovation worldwide and forming collaborations between entrepreneurs and Johnson & Johnson’s global healthcare businesses. Johnson & Johnson Innovation provides scientists, entrepreneurs and emerging companies with one-stop access to science and technology experts who can facilitate collaborations across the pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer companies of Johnson & Johnson. Under the Johnson & Johnson Innovation umbrella of businesses, we connect with innovators through our regional Innovation Centers; Johnson & Johnson Innovation|JLABS; Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc.; and our business development teams to create customized deals and novel collaborations that speed development of innovations to solve unmet needs in patients. JLABS provides the laboratories, expertise, education, tools and resources needed to help life science startups thrive, all with no strings attached. A Johnson & Johnson Innovation Center for Device Innovation at the Texas Medical Center (CDI @ TMC) has been established to accelerate the development of medical devices. For more information about Johnson & Johnson Innovation,
please visit:www.jnjinnovation.com.

About Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS

Johnson & Johnson Innovation|JLABS (JLABS) is a global network of open innovation ecosystems, enabling and empowering innovators across a broad healthcare spectrum including pharmaceutical, medical device, consumer and health tech sectors to create and accelerate the delivery of life-saving, life-enhancing health and wellness solutions to patients around the world. JLABS achieves this by providing the optimal environment for emerging companies to catalyze growth and optimize their research and development by opening them to vital industry connections, delivering entrepreneurial programs and providing a capital-efficient, flexible platform where they can transform the scientific discoveries of today into the breakthrough healthcare solutions of tomorrow. At JLABS, we value great ideas and are passionate about removing obstacles to success to help innovators unleash the potential of their early scientific discoveries. JLABS is a no-strings-attached model, which means entrepreneurs are free to develop their science while holding on to their intellectual property. JLABS also produces campaigns to seek out the best science called QuickFire Challenges. For more information, visitwww.www.2574design.comor follow @JLABS.

About Johnson & Johnson

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe good health is the foundation of vibrant lives, thriving communities and forward progress. That’s why for more than 130 years, we have aimed to keep people well at every age and every stage of life. Today, as the world’s largest and most broadly-based healthcare company, we are committed to using our reach and size for good. We strive to improve access and affordability, create healthier communities, and put a healthy mind, body and environment within reach of everyone, everywhere. We are blending our heart, science and ingenuity to profoundly change the trajectory of health for humanity.