What it is
The Open IP-Gating Pilot is a crowdsourced validation platform for PHGDH as an Alzheimer’s drug target. It is part of the Open Source Drug Discovery 2.0 initiative at UAB SPARC and was announced in October 2025. Researchers can register at smartdrugdiscovery.org/open-ip-gating and select open tasks such as binding affinity, blood-brain barrier permeability, ADME/Tox assays, or computational modeling.
Why it matters
Traditionally, early work on new Alzheimer’s drug targets has been conducted behind closed doors in a single lab, limiting transparency and collaboration. By opening the validation process, the pilot allows any researcher to contribute, submit intent letters, share raw data and methods, and receive credit through a tamper-evident ledger with co-authorship opportunities. This openness accelerates discovery, diversifies expertise, and builds a shared evidence base on PHGDH as a target.
What's next
The pilot is now open for registration, and researchers in computational biology, medicinal chemistry, neuroscience, and pharmacology are invited to join the effort. Participants can select tasks, submit their work, and help advance an open Alzheimer’s drug candidate while gaining recognition and potential co-authorship.