by von Delft F, Calmiano M, Chodera J, Griffen E, Lee A, London N, Matviuk M, Perry B, Robinson M, von Delft A. Nature 2021; 594:330-332. doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-01571-1
Summary: This comment describes the experience of the COVID Moonshot, a spontaneous, open, global, collaboration that came together in 2020 to design an antiviral treatment for COVID-19. More than 150 active participants were involved, spanning a huge range of expertise and technology, all working without claiming intellectual property. Various factors contributed to its success, including the clear mission and ethos, the conviction of the scientists involved, the urgency of the moment, and the fact that tools for online collaboration had reached a critical mass. The necessary infrastructure rapidly self-assembled as scientists requested help from colleagues, distant connections or vendors. With so clear a goal, so obvious a need and the complete absence of contracts, people across the world stepped up.
