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SU2C Catalyst – Research Grants Genentech-Supported Projects

Grant Amount $3,000,000 USD
Grant Term3 Years
Start of Grant TermApril 1, 2019
Application DeadlineOctober 22, 2018 12:00 PM (AST)
Decision Date1/1/2019 12:00:00 AM
Description

The SU2C Catalyst is a collaborative initiative intended to leverage all stages of the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, diagnostic, and devices industries (collectively referred to herein as "industry") to bring new treatments to patients as rapidly as possible. SU2C is at the intersection of a large and highly skilled scientific community consisting of its Scientific Advisory Committees, Research Teams, and Innovative Research Grant recipients, academic institutions, and industry. The SU2C Catalyst establishes a mechanism through which industry and academic scientists in the cancer community will conduct SU2C collaborative research projects that will deliver significant benefits for patients and society, accelerating the development of new treatments and, where appropriate, combination therapies. As the Scientific Partner in the SU2C Catalyst, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) provides scientific oversight and conducts expert peer review and grants administration for SU2C.

The principles guiding SU2C collaborations with industry are designed to accelerate the pace of groundbreaking translational research that provides new therapies to patients rapidly:

Integrity: Industry, academia, and SU2C will act with integrity at all times, putting patients at the center of everything we do.
Independence: SU2C and affiliated researchers will maintain independent strategies, activities or information with unbiased scientific overview by its Executive Committee and associated Industry Steering Subcommittees.
Transparency: SU2C will be transparent, consistent, and fair when collaborating with industry.
Accountability: SU2C is accountable to many stakeholders and thus will not promote, endorse, or favor any particular product.

Research Project Criteria

The SU2C Catalyst takes a structured and prioritized approach to early-phase clinical studies and translational research in order to accelerate the time to get new treatments to patients and bring together all the key players in a collaborative and strategic manner. The SU2C Catalyst Research Grant: Genentech-Supported project should focus on clinical trials within the following thematic areas of research:
Solid tumors
Alectinib or entrectinib combinations with other targeted therapies to address unmet medical needs in ALK+, RET+, ROS1+ and NTRK+ indications.
Combinations with ipatasertib to explore mechanistic synergies with cancer immunotherapy, either by reversing potentially immunosuppressive effects in tumors exhibiting PTEN loss or PI3K pathway activation, or by promoting memory T cell responses by modulating Akt/mTor signaling.
Also of interest will be similar mechanism-based studies of other targeted agents (Genentech or external) in combination with atezolizumab either to extend efficacy or to address resistance.
Hematologic malignancies
Novel treatment combination strategies with polatuzumab (including basket/umbrella concepts) in CD79b expressing B-Cell malignancies with high unmet need.
Applicability of BCL-2 inhibition (venetoclax) in combination with novel/targeted therapies in high unmet need populations of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or multiple myeloma (MM), including biological subgroups.
Evaluation of minimum residual disease (MRD) as endpoint across histologies (including MRD guided treatment strategies).
Refined exploration of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) biology based on genomic alterations, gene expression, and protein profiles, in the context of molecular subtypes (e.g. including elucidation of mechanisms of response and acquired resistance to existing agents including anti-CD20 antibodies, venetoclax, polatuzumab, R-CHOP, etc.).

Clinical trials can utilize molecules listed alone or in combination with other compounds, biologics, diagnostics, or devices intended as therapeutic interventions, and/or methods for biomarker identification.
Clinical trials with correlative research will be prioritized. If a product is proposed for use that is marketed or is under development by another company, SU2C will facilitate any necessary meetings to help secure the necessary agreements between the parties. Multi-investigator, multi-institutional projects are required. The project must be designed to accelerate the application of therapeutic agents or methods to the clinic (i.e., lead to patient involvement within the timeframe of the grant) and deliver near-term patient benefit through investigation by a collaborative SU2C Catalyst Genentech Team of expert investigators. The ideas should be based on perceived opportunities for success as well as high-priority areas with a critical need for rapid progress beyond current medical care. An emphasis on early phase, signal-finding clinical trials is encouraged. Clinical trials must be planned so that the final patient is enrolled by the end of the grant term.

Eligibility Criteria

The Principal Investigator, Clinical Lead, Investigators, Project Manager, and Advocates are collectively referred to as Catalyst Key Personnel. The Principal Investigator, Clinical Lead and Investigators must have acquired a doctoral or medical degree, and must be independent investigators affiliated with an academic, medical, or research institution.

Applications are encouraged from the scientific community, including current and former SU2C grantees and non-SU2C affiliated scientists. Individuals on the FDA Debarment List may not apply.
Research must be carried out within the United States. There are no citizenship or residency status restrictions.
Employees or subcontractors of for-profit industry are only eligible to apply as unfunded Collaborators.
Scientists from governmental agencies are eligible to apply, but no SU2C funds may be used, including salaries and supplies.
Members of the SU2C Catalyst Executive Committee are not eligible for funding as part of the SU2C Catalyst. Members of the SU2C Catalyst Genentech Steering Subcommittee are not eligible for an SU2C Catalyst Research Grant: Genentech-Supported Projects but may apply for other SU2C Catalyst funding opportunities.
Candidates with questions about the eligibility requirements are encouraged to contact the AACR's SRGA Office at [email protected] prior to submitting the proposal.

Citizenship Requirements

Research must be carried out within the United States. There are no citizenship or residency status restrictions.

AACR Membership Requirements

No Requirement

Application Instructions

The AACR requires applicants to submit an online application. Completed online applications should be submitted by 12:00pm (noon) United States Eastern Time on Monday, October 22, 2018 using the proposalCENTRAL website at https://proposalcentral.altum.com. An e-mail will be sent to confirm your online submission.

In early December, selected finalists (Principal Investigator and Clinical Lead/Co-leader) will be invited to defend their proposal for an in-person Selection Meeting on January 26, 2019, in Santa Monica, California. More details will be provided to the finalists, but in-person attendance at the Selection Meeting is a prerequisite to become a recipient of this funding program.

The Program Guidelines and Application Instructions are available in PDF format.

Candidates with a question about the application process are encouraged to contact the AACR at [email protected] or 215-446-7288 prior to submitting the proposal.