A non-profit organization named End Allergies Together has committed $1,000,000 in funding to finance research into preventing anaphylaxis related to food allergies.

The $1 Million Grand Challenge to End Anaphylaxis is the first in a series of challenges to address key areas in food allergy research and requires scientific collaboration across health conditions and within the investment community, according to the organization.

The Challenge will accelerate ways to detect, prevent or better treat anaphylaxis — a serious allergic reaction to stimuli such as food, medication, or venom and may be fatal if not treated quickly with epinephrine and evaluated by medical professionals.

Incidence and prevalence of anaphylaxis is increasing: According to FAIR Health’s most recent study of private insurance claims, anaphylactic food reaction diagnoses grew 377% from 2007 to 2016.

In Phase I of the Challenge, applicant teams with the most developed and innovative plans for detecting, preventing or treating anaphylaxis will receive up to a $1 million investment to seed their plans. In Phase II, teams who successfully reach their benchmarks then receive follow-on funding to further advance their ideas. Phase I winners will be announced in early 2020. Details and deadlines can be found atEndAllergiesTogether.com/Challenge.

“It’s the constant threat of anaphylaxis from food that has control over us and instills way too much fear in our daily lives,” emphasizes Ben Carter, who is an EAT Challenge Panelist and a parent of children with food allergies. “EAT’s video ‘One Word’ gets to the core of how those of us feel who are affected by or have loved ones with food allergies.”

Dr. Joon Yun, MD, an EAT Challenge Panelist, added: “Grand Challenges can help nurture innovations in areas of unmet needs. The excitement associated with Grand Challenge competitions can help attract more attention, people, ideas, and funding to the issues of anaphylaxis and food allergies.”