BIOMEDICAL CATALYST: DEVELOPMENTAL PATHWAY FUNDING SCHEME (DPFS) OUTLINE: NOV 2020

1. Title: BIOMEDICAL CATALYST: DEVELOPMENTAL PATHWAY FUNDING SCHEME (DPFS) OUTLINE: NOV 20202. Awarding Authority: Medical Research Council (MRC), GB Email: DPFSandDCS@mrc.ukri.org. Web: (DPFS Team)3. Contract type: Service contract4. Description: DPFS is an ongoing scheme, with outline deadlines every 4 months.Further details of open and future DPFS deadlines can be found on the submission deadlines page for the scheme.The DPFS scheme is a key part of our Translational Research Strategy and supports the translation of fundamental discoveries toward benefits to human health. It funds the pre-clinical development and early clinical testing of novel therapeutics, devices and diagnostics, including “repurposing” of existing therapies.5. CPV Code(s): 73110000, 73100000, 730000006. NUTS code(s): UKK, UKK1, UKK147. Main site or location of works, main place of delivery or main place of performance: South West (England), Gloucestershire, Wiltshire And Bristol/Bath Area, Swindon.8. Reference attributed by awarding authority: Not provided.9. Estimated value of requirement: Not provided.10. Closing date: 25.11.2020 (16:00:00).11. Address to which they must be sent: For further information regarding the above contract notice please visit:12. Other information: Status: OpenOpen date: 16 Oct 2020Type: Grants, Researcher-ledTriage/shortlisting: Dec 2020Meeting date: 20 – 21 Jan 2021Categories: TranslationRemitThe scheme supports academically led projects whose goals are to improve prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment of significant health needs, or that focus on developing research tools that increase the efficiency of developing interventions.Projects supported by the scheme have up to four clearly defined milestones, outcomes and future plans. These help to maximise both the chance of success and the likelihood of the project attracting the downstream funding, from public or private sources, required to meet its clinical and commercial aims. The funding panels assessing the project will, if necessary, help to develop proposals and suggest enhancements.The following activities are eligible for support:Developing candidate therapeutic entities (e.g. drug discovery)Pre-clinical testing of novel therapeutic entitiesEarly-phase clinical studies of novel therapeutic entities (phases 1 and 2)“Repurposing” clinical studies – using existing therapies for new indicationsDeveloping and testing novel devicesDeveloping and testing diagnostics (including biomarker validation)Individual projects can start and finish at any point along the translational pathway but would not typically progress from initial development through to phase 2 clinical testing in a single application. Where there is a justified need for continued MRC support, sequential applications are encouraged.All disease areas (including those relevant to global health) and modalities of intervention are eligible for support from the scheme, including small molecules, peptides, antibodies, vaccines, regenerative medicine, cell and gene therapy, devices, surgical techniques and psychological approaches.Funding to support projects whose goals are to generate the evidence needed to submit a mature, substantial, request to develop regenerative medicine therapies would be welcomed through the Research Boards, and should be directed to the Board most appropriate to the science proposed.The following activities are ineligible for support:Fundamental or investigative research not linked to a development plan (supported by the Research BoardsClinical studies where the primary purpose is to investigate disease mechanism (supported by the Research BoardsLate-phase clinical trials (supported by the MRC-NIHR Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme and the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme)Late-phase global health trials (supported by the Global Health Trials Programme and the Joint Global Health Trials Scheme).EligibilityPlease note that there is no formal limit to the total amount that can be requested in a DPFS grant – all costs should be fully justified within a proposal and the Panel will assess value for money in the context of the proposed work.CollaborationsApplications including partnerships with charities or industry are encouraged where these add value to the project – for example, in terms of access to expertise, technologies, reagents or funding. Please note that industrial collaboration is not a prerequisite for application.Applications involving collaboration with industry should adhere to the MRC Industry Collaboration Agreement guidance. The lead applicant must be the academic partner, and the MRC will meet the academic costs of the project only.Application processProposals are assessed in a two-stage process. The first step involves review of an outline proposal (download the outline Case for Support form here). Successful outline applicants are invited to submit a full application, which undergoes external peer review before a further, more detailed, review by the Panel. The total assessment time for an application submitted to MRC, from outline submission to full decision, is approximately 26 weeks.All applicants will receive feedback from the assessment process. Guidance for preparation of full proposals will be provided to successful applicants with the outline feedback.Guidance for applicantsBoth broad guidance on assessment criteria and governance and specific guidance on preparation of DPFS outline proposals are available. The outline Case for Support form should be downloaded directly from this page. Applicants should also review our general guidance for applicants.Panel Membership – DPFSProposals Involving Animal UseContactFor all general enquiries, please contact the DPFS Team on DPFSandDCS@mrc.ukri.orgIf you have any specific queries about this funding scheme, please contact:Dr Adam Babbs (Adam.Babbs@mrc.ukri.org) Phone: 01793 416414Small molecules and drug (other)Dr Charlotte Durkin (Charlotte.Durkin@mrc.ukri.org) Phone: 01793 416420Regenerative medicineDr Tim Ellis (Tim.Ellis@mrc.ukri.org) Phone: 07599 500153Biomarkers and diagnosticDr Agnes Leong (Agnes.Leong@mrc.ukri.org) Phone: 0207 395 2220Therapeutic devices, psychological therapies, Digital health (software development/AI tools), radiology and imagingDr Alex Phillips (Alexandra.Phillips@mrc.ukri.org)Antibodies, proteins and peptide therapeuticsDr Penny Morton (Penny.Morton@mrc.ukri.org) Phone: 0207 395 2244Advanced therapeutics: vectors, gene, nucleic acid and siRNA therapiesTKR-20201016-EX-1478340# funding opportunity