Supporting Community-Driven Innovation with the Incyte Ingenuity Awards

Incyte’s mission to Solve On. extends beyond driving innovation in the lab to developing and supporting programs that can make a tangible difference in patients’ lives. 

The Incyte Ingenuity Awards is one way we deliver on this commitment. Launched in 2020, this program provides annual funding to support novel initiatives that address the specific needs of underserved patient communities, including people impacted by graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a life-threatening condition that occurs when donor immune cells attack the recipient’s organs and tissues after an allogeneic stem cell transplant, and vitiligo, a chronic autoimmune condition characterized by white patches of depigmented skin. 

With two awards offered annually to the GVHD and vitiligo communities—one up to $35,000 and another up to $100,000—the hope is that innovative community-based projects of different scales will have a lasting impact.

As of October 2024, Incyte has distributed 13 awards for impactful GVHD and vitiligo projects spearheaded by patient advocacy organizations and healthcare institutions including those addressing distinct hurdles faced by these communities. Highlights include:

• In 2021, Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation (AAMDSIF) was awarded funding to launch the GVHD Interactive Provider Network to improve healthcare practices outside academic centers. The Network held six sessions with over 300 participants from multiple disciplines and 26 countries. AAMDSIF surveyed participants and found unanimous agreement that the program would help improve patient care for those with GVHD.
• In 2022, Incyte awarded funding to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to implement its project that addressed the gaps in education for children and young adults with chronic GVHD. This initiative was able to successfully identify academic performance barriers and develop targeted interventions. Currently, these interventions are being captured in video content that will eventually be accessible on social media for broader community use.
• In 2023, VStrong Vitiligo Support Community, in partnership with the Henry Ford Hospital Dermatology Department, was given support for its project, VStrong “Shine”—Vitiligo Sun Protection Strategy. The initiative featured an interactive workshop to educate the community on proper sun protection and provide resources for minimizing the negative effects of sun exposure.
• In 2024, Incyte supported UMass Chan Medical School, Department of Dermatology in implementing its project to bridge vitiligo educational gaps, particularly for children and non-native English speakers, with the development of engaging and interactive digital content. The content will launch in 2025.