Translational Therapeutics Accelerator

Overview

The Solution

Video: How Can a TRxA Grant Help Academic Researchers?

TRxA leverages C-Path’s proficiency in translational and regulatory science to bridge the drug development “valley of death” by providing academic researchers with funding and guidance for the advancement of novel therapeutics from the lab to clinical trials and, ultimately, commercialization and patient care.

The Impact

TRxA operates as a not-for-profit drug accelerator providing the following for academic researchers who have applied for and received a grant award:

• Resources and hands-on guidance, working closely with academic researchers to develop comprehensive data packages for potential drug candidates, a key to garnering interest from biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to invest in clinical trials.
• Tactical and strategic drug discovery and development leadership, including regulatory science considerations, bringing diverse expertise to pivotal early-stage academic study designs and implementation.
• Engagement of contract research organizations (CRO) to perform critical discovery phase experiments (e.g., key toxicology and other specialized studies) and/or validate academic studies to develop the type of comprehensive data package pharmaceutical companies require when licensing drug products.

To learn more about TRxA, be informed when the award application period opens, and how to apply for an award, contact us at TRxA@c-path.org or subscribe to our updates here.

Funding Opportunities

About TRxA BioBRIDGe

2024 BioBRIDGe Request for Proposals 

Critical Path Institute’s (C-Path) Translational Therapeutics Accelerator (TRxA) is proud to announce the 2024 global Request for Proposals for its Biologics-focused Bridging Research and Innovation in Drug Development Grants (BioBRIDGe). These BioBRIDGe awards are designed to support academic researchers in traversing the drug development valley of death by funding and defining optimal strategies for advancing new, cutting-edge protein-based therapeutics (PBTs) from the lab to patients. This is a special funding opportunity, separate from the annual TRxA BRIDGe award RFP for small molecules, the deadline for which has passed.  

Eligibility Criteria 

To apply for BioBRIDGe awards, applicants must be faculty members at a university or non-profit research institution, anywhere in the world.  

Types of Projects Eligible for BioBRIDGe Awards 

Projects eligible for TRxA BioBRIDGe awards include PBTs for the following indications:  

• Rare and orphan diseases 
• Neurodegenerative disease 
• Pediatrics 

The types of PBTs eligible for funding include:  

• Peptides or proteins 
• Regular, bivalent or trivalent antibodies 
• Antibody-drug conjugates 

Cell and gene therapy applications, oligonucleotides, and medical devices are not eligible at this time. Drug repurposing approaches also are not eligible during this special RFP. 

BioBRIDGe Award Entry Criteria 

Projects that would be good candidates for a BioBRIDGe award will meet the following criteria:  

• The mechanism of action of the protein-based therapeutic (PBT) is known. 
• One or more PBTs have been sufficiently profiled so that the parameters still to be optimized can be quantitatively specified.  
• A well-defined compound progression pathway with established success criteria is in place.  
• In vitro pharmacology assays (biochemical and cell-based potency and selectivity) are available in either the applicant’s or collaborator’s laboratories and have been demonstrated to be suitable to drive the characterization and optimization of the PBT. 
• There is a strategy for in vivo pharmacodynamic characterization to assess target engagement and efficacy of the PBT, utilizing clinically relevant outcome measures such as biochemical, anatomical and/or functional metrics.  
• A defined target product profile (TPP) is in place.  
• Small scale manufacturing of PBTs has been demonstrated in either the applicant’s or collaborator’s laboratories and effective purification techniques to reduce contaminants are in place. cGMP manufacturing is feasible and potential manufacturing and scale-up hurdles are addressed in the application.  
• A strategy is available to reduce off-target toxicity and the immunogenic potential while maintaining the bioactivity of the PBT molecule.  
• The project team is multidisciplinary, and includes members with expertise around the target biology, the platform on which the PBT is based, as well as clinical practice.  
• The PBT is patent eligible and unlikely to be blocked by any intellectual property constraints. 

Award Amounts 

Awards are provided as milestone-driven payments. For this RFP, up to $250,000 can be requested for projects up to 12-months in duration.  

How to Apply 

Applicants should review the BioBRIDGe Guidance Document prior to initiating a pre-proposal. To start building your pre-proposal, click here for access to  TRxA’s grant portal. You will be asked to set up a username and password before starting the pre-proposal application. If you encounter any technical issues with the portal, please reference the Portal User’s Guide or email us at TRxA@c-path.org. 

Deadlines 

Pre-proposal application: June 27, 2024 by midnight in the time zone you are located. 

Full proposal: September 26, 2024 by midnight in the time zone you are located.  

The grant portal will automatically reject any applications submitted after the deadline. It is recommended to start early, to have time to deal with potential technical difficulties during the submission process. 

Questions? 

The TRxA team is available throughout the application process to answer questions via email, TRxA@c-path.org. 

How to Apply for BRIDGe Funding and Support

To be eligible for BRIDGe funding and support, investigators need to hold a faculty appointment at a university or non-profit research institution, and intellectual property (IP) associated directly to the project cannot yet have been exclusively optioned or out-licensed.

TRxA accepts BRIDGe award applications during its annual Request for Proposals, which will be announced in January of each year on this website and via email to those who have subscribed to TRxA news and updates. Off-cycle, limited-scope RFPs may be announced periodically, such as the BioBRIDGe RFP for protein-based therapeutics.

It is recommended that principal investigators (PIs) coordinate with their university’s tech transfer and/or grants and contracts office in advance of applying to 1) make them aware of plans to submit an application and 2) provide an opportunity for review of the TRxA award agreement template to ensure the terms of a TRxA award are, in principle, acceptable.

Project Criteria

Entry and success criteria for TRxA-funded projects will be defined in its annual Guidance Document for Applicants published in January of each year.

About TRxA BRIDGe Awards

TRxA’s focus is translating early-stage novel therapeutics into Investigational New Drug (IND) supporting data packages that garner interest for licensing opportunities; we are helping “BRIDGe” (Breakthrough Research and Innovation in Drug Development Grants) the drug development valley of death. Projects eligible for TRxA BRIDGe funding and support include early lead optimization through IND-enabling studies; diagnostic and medical devices are not eligible at this time; nor are drug repurposing initiatives.

TRxA funding and support is reserved for faculty at universities and non-profit institutions, anywhere around the world. Awards are not limited to specific therapeutic indications. Through its ‘typical’ BRIDGe award program, TRxA offers funding and support for three (3) types of translational projects, ranging from early lead optimization to IND-enabling studies.

_{*Stage 3 proposals require pre-consultation with TRxA prior to submission}

Funds awarded through BRIDGe are provided for the purpose of carrying out research studies directly related to the project as documented in the approved research plan (either at the institution or through a contract research organization). Principle investigators are required to concisely outline and justify direct project costs during the application process. Indirect costs are capped at 10%..

Need Additional Information?

To learn more about TRxA, be informed of when the award application period opens, and how to apply for an award, contact us at TRxA@c-path.org or subscribe to our updates. PIs are also encouraged to review the FAQ section of this website for additional details about the program.

TRxA is made possible by a grant from Research Corporation Technologies, Inc’s Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation.

Awarded Projects

Establishing a pleiotropic brain-penetrant small-molecule to impede glioblastoma

Principal Investigators:

Christopher Hulme, PhD
University of Arizona

Bill Montfort, PhD
University of Arizona

Project Summary & Principle Investigators

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly invasive brain neoplasia with a median patient survival of 12-15 months from initial diagnosis. The highly refractory and heterogenous nature of GBM is primarily attributed to the large population of glioma stem cells (GSC) which exhibit remarkable plasticity and drug-resistance. Hence, till date, all repurposed kinase inhibitors exhibiting blood-brain-barrier penetrance failed glioma clinical trials. Loss of key tumor suppressors like PTEN and NF1 coupled to oncogenic activation of receptor tyrosine kinase PDGFRA and lipid kinase PI3KCA drive proliferation and invasiveness in GBM. Furthermore,the WNT-β-catenin signaling pathway maintains glioma stem plasticity through transcriptional upregulation of MYC, SNAIL, SOX2, NANOG. Hence, a successful therapeutic strategy will require pleiotropic targeting of diverse signaling pathways in glioma which promote proliferation and plasticity. As such, over the last 2 years, our international team has embarked on a medicinal chemistry project, screened over 250 molecules, and discovered ablood-brain-barrier penetrant, first-in-class PI3KCA/PDGFRA/WNT pathway inhibitor with a goal to start clinical development by 2026-27 for glioma therapeutics. DYR726 has been benchmarked against multiple kinase inhibitors currently in glioma clinical trials and exhibits asuperior in vitro biological profile in targeting a panel of primary patient-derived adult and pediatric glioma cells and 3D GSCs. Importantly, DYR726 exhibits a therapeutic index of 10-fold between GSCs and normal neurons suggesting potential glioma specificity. Although kinase inhibitors have not been successful in targeting glioma in the clinic, the pleiotropic nature of DYR726 may provide an effective therapy for patients diagnosed with glioma.

Epigenetic therapy for Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) by novel oral bioavailable small molecule G9a(EHMT2) inhibitors

Principle Investigators

Yong-hui Jiang, MD, PhD
Yale School of Medicine

Jian Jin, PhD
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Project Summary

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is caused by paternal deficiency of genes in chromosome15q11-q13 region. Specifically, a cluster of SNORD116s between SNRPN and UBE3A are responsible for the key features of PWS. The allele specific epigenetic modifications at the PWS imprinting center (PWS-IC) are postulated to regulate the silent expression of PWS genes in the maternal allele. The involvement of epigenetic regulators renders PWS one of the best opportunities to explore epigenetic therapy by reactivating the expression of paternally expressed PWS genes from the silenced maternal chromosome. In our published study of a high content small molecule drug screen, we identified and validated two compounds (UNC0642 and UNC0638) that reactivated/unsilenced the expression of SNRPN and SNORD116 in both human PWS cells and a PWS mouse model. These compounds are selective inhibitors of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methyltransferases G9/EHMT2 and GLP/EHMT1. Treatment by UNC0642 via intraperitoneal injection rescued perinatal lethality and improved the growth in a PWS mouse model without any observed toxicity. Structural optimization of UNC0642 has provided orally bioavailable G9a inhibitors with improved penetration to the CNS. Treatment of lead inhibitors in PWS cells and in a mouse model reactivated the expression of SNRPN-EGFP from the maternal chromosome. The proposed study will extend this proof-of-concept study and aims to produce data to support FDA IND enabling studies for the lead candidate.

FAQs

Who We Fund

Who is eligible for TRxA BRIDGe Awards?

Faculty at universities and nonprofit institutions, anywhere in the world.

Are there any institutional requirements?

Funding is available for projects at academic or non-profit organizations anywhere around the globe.

Are there any institutional commitments required, if funded?

The institution will be expected to engage with TRxA and negotiate a reasonable project agreement commensurate with the funding provided. A template of this agreement is available here. TRxA welcomes and encourages engagement of technology transfer offices (TTOs) throughout the project. In fact, if invited to submit a full proposal, a letter of support from the TTO is required.  

What We Fund

What therapeutic areas are eligible for TRxA BRIDGe awards?

At this time, projects focused on protein-based therapeutics must be for the following indications:  

• Rare and orphan disease 
• Neurodegenerative disease 
• Pediatrics 

Do you have criteria for what constitutes a protein-based therapeutic (PBT)?

At this time, to be eligible for a TRxA BioBRIDGe award, projects must be focused on one of the following:

• Peptides or proteins
• Regular, bivalent, or trivalent antibodies
• Antibody-drug conjugates

Cell and gene therapy applications, oligonucleotides, and medical devices are not eligible at this time. Drug repurposing approaches also are not eligible.

Do you fund only therapeutic projects or diagnostics projects as well?

The funding is open to therapeutics. Diagnostics are outside of TRxA’s scope.

I have a small molecule drug. I know the target but do not know the binding site. I have a phenotypic in vitro and mouse model. And I don't have a group of compounds with similar structures. Is this project appropriate for TRxA?

This would be considered a very early Stage 1 application and will likely be less competitive than projects with demonstrated Structure-Activity-Relationship (SAR) around their compound. We recommend building the SAR and apply when you have more data.

If we have a druggable target but not the actual drug, would that study qualify?

Correct, we have targeted projects to support with identified chemical matter with some information around Structure-Activity-Relationship (SAR).

Does TRxA fund work on repurposed drugs?

Projects around drug repurposing are currently out of scope.

How TRxA Funding Works

What levels of funding are available for TRxA BRIDGe awards?

There are three funding levels for TRxA BRIDGe awards. IDC is limited to 10%.

Stage 1: Early lead compound to late lead series (up to $250,000 for one year, total costs)

Stage 2: Late lead series to selection of clinical candidate (up to $500,000 for one year, costs)

Stage 3: Candidate selection through IND-enabling studies (up to $1,000,000 for one year, total costs)

What level of funding is available for TRxA’s BioBRIDGe awards?

At this time, BioBRIDGe awards are funded up to $250,000. IDC is limited to 10%.

If we apply for Stage 1, is the project still eligible to apply for Stage 2 or 3 in subsequent RFPs?

Once an applicant has received a BRIDGe or BioBRIDGe award and successfully achieved defined deliverables, opportunities for additional funding, although not guaranteed, can be discussed with the TRxA team without having to wait for the next RFP cycle.

Does TRxA funding come to my lab?

Funds awarded through BRIDGe are provided for the purpose of carrying out research studies directly related to the project as documented in the approved research plan (either at the institution or through a contract research organization). Principle Investigators are required to concisely outline and justify direct project costs during the application process.

Funds are awarded to the project, not necessarily the PI’s laboratory – this may mean that part of the funds, or perhaps even all of them, go to CROs to help execute the project. This, combined with the support TRxA provides to define the Target Product Profile (TPP) and associated regulatory strategies, will make your project more valuable for potential future licensing deals, and move towards the clinic.

What are allowable costs?

Those associated with executing defined project tasks, such as procuring assay specific lab supplies, animals, or core services. Salary support is only allowed if associated with a specific task in the project’s plan, subject to the current NIH salary cap.

What’s not allowed? – General laboratory expenses, travel, equipment, tuition, or IP costs. IDCs are capped at 10%. Pass through costs to consultants or CROs are not subject to IDCs.

Do I need to worry about overlap with other funding sources for my project?

No, provided that different aspects of the work are funded by other sources. In fact, it may be beneficial as the project will likely need more than just TRxA funds to get to the clinic, and availability of other funds will be a positive attribute.

If an SME would like to fund one aspect of an academic project, will TRxA be open to funding another aspect of the development?

Yes, we understand that TRxA funding will not provide all of the funding for the work required to file IND and we would welcome other funders contributing to compile the package of data necessary.

Application and Review Process

How many calls for proposals does TRxA conduct each year?

Generally, TRxA accepts applications once per year (with the Requests for Proposals being announced in January). Off-cycle, limited-scope RFPs may be announced periodically.

How many projects do you fund?

Depending on the Stage of projects, we anticipate funding 3-7 projects per year, in the coming years. We hope to grow our available resources to increase the number of projects we can support.

Will you guide applicants on what stage they should apply for (e.g., how to proceed if research is somewhere between Stage 1 and 2)?

Prior to submission of an application, you can contact the TRxA team to gain consensus on the appropriate funding level. Request for such assistance as well as specific questions about the application process can be emailed to TRxA@c-path.org throughout the RFP process. 

Can our Tech Transfer Office (TTO) apply on behalf of the investigators?

Yes, but during the project, TRxA’s interaction with the PI is essential, so they have to be involved. TRxA welcomes and encourages engagement of TTOs throughout the project. In fact, if invited to submit a full proposal, a letter of support from the TTO will be required.

What does TRxA get out of this?

Terms and conditions in the project agreement will include a request for a percentage of income to the institution, when the project is successfully outlicensed, but we do not claim any IP ownership. A template of the TRxA project agreement is available  here.

What does TRxA get out of this?

Terms and conditions in the project agreement will include a request for a percentage of income to the institution, when the project is successfully outlicensed, but we do not claim any IP ownership. A template of the TRxA project agreement is available here. 

How do I apply?

To submit a pre-proposal application in response to an RFP,  click here to access TRxA’s grants portal. You will be asked to answer a few questions to confirm eligibility for a BRIDGe or BioBRIDGe award before creating an account.

Engagement of Contract Research Organizations (CROs)

How do I deal with CROs?

If needed, TRxA will help identify suitable CROs to do (part of) the work. The PI’s institution is responsible for entering into contracts with CROs as needed and appropriate and paying CROs directly for services. TRxA has no geographic restrictions on use of CROs.

Do you help to find CRO/CDMOs globally? Then do you join the management?

Yes, TRxA will help identify a suitable CRO/CDMO for work needed to be performed, should the PI or institution not have existing relationships in place they may want to use. TRxA has no geographic restrictions and can contract with CRO/CDMOs that can provide the required service without limitations. Management of the external work will be handled jointly between TRxA and the PI.

Intellectual Property

Are there intellectual property (IP) considerations that I should be aware of before applying for a BRIDGe or BioBRIDGe award?

Intellectual property associated directly to the project cannot yet have been optioned or out licensed. Applicants should be cognizant of the need to preserve patent rights and disclose technology to their respective institutions’ TTO in advance of any public dissemination.

Is it required that IP protection be in place for chemical matter at the time of application in order to be considered for TRxA funding?

It is not a requirement that the technology has IP protection in place at the time of application, rather that the chemical matter may be eligible for protection (i.e., it is not disclosed in advance of any established priority date).  Ideally, the PI will discuss a prosecution strategy with their University’s Tech Transfer Office (TTO) to advance the project to a stage that an identified licensee will assume the significant costs of national filings within 30-months of priority for an application filed under the Patent Cooperation treaty (PCT). To clarify, TRxA does expect that IP will be filed under PCT, not just in the U.S., leading to patent rights in multiple jurisdictions.

Is a granted method-of-use patent acceptable?

Typically, projects with method-of-use rather than composition of matter IP will not be competitive.

If an academic PI has launched a startup company and has the license for the IP, can the PI work with TRxA?

Once the project is licensed or optioned to a startup entity it would no longer be eligible for TRxA funding.

How to Contact TRxA

How does a PI reach out to you? Is this through the website?

You can reach the TRxA team at TRxA@c-path.org.

Team

C-Path TRxA Team

Programmatic Review Board

TRxA Scientific Advisory Committee

_{TRxA is made possible by a grant from Research Corporation Technologies, Inc’s Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation.}