Sen. Collins addresses funding of LymeX initiative

Sen. Susan Collins (D-ME) recently addressed the new $25 million LymeX initiative, which was announced this week in partnership between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Stephen and Alexandra Cohen Foundation.

LymeX is the largest public-private partnership to combat Lyme disease in history, providing awards to enhance tick-borne disease data, raise awareness, and expedite the discovery of diagnostic tools, testing, and implementation.

“This partnership is an exciting and promising development in our fight against tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease that affect hundreds of thousands of Americans every year,” Collins, a member of the Health Committee, said. “As the largest public-private partnership to combat Lyme disease in history, this initiative builds on the bipartisan TICK Act I authored and demonstrates that the federal government is focused on eradicating this public health threat.”

Collins said she remains committed to slowing the spread of devastating diseases.

LymeX would incentivize next-generation diagnostics development via a series of multi-million-dollar grand prize challenges, noting the initial LymeX diagnostics prize would launch next year.

The prizes will be open to U.S. universities, non-profit organizations, private-sector companies, and domestic organizations to improve diagnostics at all Lyme disease stages.

Authorities estimate nearly 500,000 Americans have Lyme disease. In Maine, there was a record of 2,167 newly reported Lyme disease cases last year – nearly triple the number of cases in 2010. Other tick-borne diseases are also on the rise in Maine, with Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis increasing in the same period.