The application deadline has passed.
We appreciate your interest in this Canadian Biotechnology opportunity!
Background:
Canadian biotechnology and clinical trial communities rarely intersect, and consequently few Canadian researchers undertake randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating Canadian biotechnologies.
Few, if any, small- and medium-size biotechnology companies in Canada have the capital to fund the clinical trials required to obtain regulatory approval of their products, and few major pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies have their headquarters in Canada, which limits opportunities for Canadians to lead clinical trials.
Since most biotechnologies require RCTs demonstrating efficacy and safety to obtain regulatory approvals in Canada, the objective of this RFA is to fund trials evaluating products from Canadian-controlled biotechnology companies in partnership with ACT Network clinical trialists.
Applicants can request up to $400,000 (CAN) in funding to facilitate phase 2, pilot, or Vanguard trials. Trials that assess safety, recruitment potential, and feasibility are also welcome provided they are an RCT.
Eligibility:
For an application to be eligible, it must fulfill the following criteria.
- Nominated principal investigator (PI) has to be Canadian researcher who is a member of an ACT Network
(click here to see the full list of ACT Networks) - Trial must evaluate a biotechnology from a Canadian-controlled biotechnology company
- The proposal must be an RCT and not a product validation observational study
- The proposed budget must be CIHR eligible
Deadline:
The deadline to apply is Sunday January 5th, 2025 at 11:59 pm ET
Application Process:
For full instructions on the application process, please see the Call for Proposals PDF.
The application portal can be found here: https://redcap.link/RFA6SubmissionPortal
If you have questions about the application process, please reach out to us at: ACT.Canada@PHRI.ca
Should you have any questions or require assistance, please reach out by December 20, 2024 to ensure a prompt response. Queries received after this date may not garner a response.
FAQ:
Q: When does funding need to be used by?
A: Due to the timing of the overall ACT grant, the ACT funding provided through this RFA must be used by June 30, 2026. We recognize the timelines related to the ACT funding may be limited and fully support researchers using non-ACT funding to recruit additional patients or complete extended follow-up of patients recruited via ACT funding. The overall trial may take longer to finish.
Q: Which institutions are eligible to hold funds?
A: It is not required that the institution receiving funds is CIHR-eligible. However, the institution should become familiar with the allowable expenses and structure (e.g. direct vs indirect costs) for CIHR funding. As part of the submission, we require the institution review the budget for CIHR-eligible expenses and that the budget includes a statement that this review occurred.
Q: The inclusion criteria states that the product must come from a Canadian biotech company. What if the product is academic?
A: An academic center can submit a biotechnology product provided they meet the overarching criteria of being Canadian owned and controlled.
