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There are over 7,000 known rare diseases, but fewer than 5% have effective treatments, let alone cures. The limited knowledge and consequent lack of treatments available for rare diseases is a major medical and pediatric emergency.
Rare diseases are collectively common:
The Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre, a partnership between the University of Oxford and Harrington Discovery Institute, is a global initiative to develop novel treatments for rare diseases, for which therapeutic options are severely lacking. Our mission is to deliver new treatments for the 400 million people worldwide who suffer from a rare disease. Our goal is aggressive; to advance 40 drugs into clinical trials in the next 10 years, targeting multiple approvals in key markets.
The Accelerator is a pioneering initiative that aims to develop 40 new therapies for rare diseases over the next decade, benefiting the 400 million people worldwide affected by these conditions. It operates under a unique non-profit/for-profit model with a commitment of up to £200 million for new projects, pairing funding with expertise in research, drug development, and commercial strategy. Supported by a co-funding agreement involving University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio, the University of Oxford, and Oxford Science Enterprises, the Accelerator ensures efficient deployment of capital to advance new therapies through academia or venture-backed spinout companies.
Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio, and The University of Oxford have teamed up to establish the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre (OHC), pooling their expertise in research and therapeutics development. The OHC aims to lead innovative breakthroughs in rare disease treatment, drawing on top research from the UK and US. The University of Oxford boasts over 250 principal investigator scientists dedicated to rare diseases, while the Harrington Discovery Institute has a strong track record of advancing medicines into clinical development since its inception in 2012.
Harrington Discovery Institute has made significant strides in translating promising discoveries into medicines, with 177 breakthroughs advanced into development, benefiting rare disease patients worldwide. Through its unique Therapeutics Development Center, Harrington collaborates closely with selected scholars to bring scientific breakthroughs to market, ultimately improving the lives of rare disease patients and their families. At the University of Oxford, renowned for its excellence in medical sciences, researchers are at the forefront of tackling rare diseases, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to accelerate drug development.
The Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Scholar Award accelerates promising discoveries from academic labs toward clinical practice by providing funding and expert therapeutics development support to researchers in the UK, US, or Canada. Administered by the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre (OHC), a collaboration between the University of Oxford and the Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio, this grant offers guaranteed funding of USD$100,000 or £100,000, along with drug and business development support from Harrington's Therapeutics Development Center. Past recipients of Harrington awards may submit new proposals, with multiple submissions encouraged from each institution.
David Cameron, the former U.K. Prime Minister, will lead the international efforts of the Accelerator under his role as Founding Chair of the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre Advisory Board.
"I know from my own experience of having a son born with an incredibly rare and incurable disease, how little we really know about rare diseases. Although individually they may only affect small numbers of patients like my son, Ivan, collectively they represent a major global health crisis that affects millions of patients and their families in life-changing ways.
As Prime Minister and since, I have been fortunate to follow the enormous scientific breakthroughs that have taken place over the last decade, such as the use of genomics, which opened my eyes to how much we could know about rare diseases. That’s why I set up Genomics England and personally championed the 100,000 Genomes Project - now expanded to sequence 5 million adults across the UK - and that is why today I am so pleased to back this unique Rare Disease Therapeutics Accelerator, designed to make a transformational, global impact on the treatment of these devastating and often neglected diseases.
I have long said that beating these diseases is within our grasp. This Accelerator will deliver new, real and tangible therapies for patients and, by doing so, offer huge benefits for patients, their families and wider society. I am delighted to play my part in making it a reality.”