Funding available through this RFA supports company formation, as well as early research and development of novel oncology therapeutics, devices, treatment-oriented information technology products, diagnostics, or tools. The objective of the SEED Award program is to start with an interesting technology and to progress it toward a commercially viable business opportunity, i.e., make it more attractive to private funding agents. Typically, applicants have completed the following activities:

• Identified a novel therapeutic, diagnostic technology, or clinical tool and shown a biological effect
• Conducted preliminary safety and toxicology testing (in the case of therapeutic agents)
• Shown the product can be manufactured at small scale or as a prototype
• Assessed the business opportunity and organized a business plan that begins to address key issues (clinical utility, target market, financial plan, IP strategy, technical challenges, etc.) and lays out a preliminary development plan (formulation, toxicology, scale up, IND-enabling studies, phase 1 clinical trials, regulatory pathway, etc.).
• Established a company

Award Maximum: $3 million

Duration: Maximum of 36 months

Funding available through this RFA supports the ongoing research and development of diagnostic tests and devices to treat, detect, diagnose, monitor, and assist in the treatment of cancer. Relevant areas include:

• Devices and assays for cancer detection, diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring, treatment and prediction of response or resistance to treatment
• Markers for cancer prevention and control, companion diagnostic to a therapy
• Development of diagnostic tests to distinguish high-risk early lesions

Generally, at the time that an applicant applies to CPRIT pursuant to this RFA, the company has developed a commercial prototype of the device or a pictorial representation of the functional components/elements of the device. With respect to diagnostics, the company has developed assays that work on human samples and whose importance is well justified for development into clinical assays. The applicant should be working toward submitting an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) or a 510(k) or Premarketing Approval (PMA) and is typically within one year from filing an IDE (or later stage work.) Potential applicants that are not at or near this stage of product development should consider applying for a Texas Seed Company Award.

With appropriate justification, companies may use CPRIT funds to support studies that establish preclinical proof of concept, product validation, design, production, manufacturing and development, and clinical studies demonstrating safety and efficacy.

Award Maximum: No Maximum

Duration: Maximum 36 months

Funding available through this RFA supports the ongoing research and development of new and emerging technologies for the detection, diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring, or treatment of cancer. CPRIT created this RFA to fund new and emerging technology projects that do not easily fit into any of the three other CPRIT Product Development Research RFAs. Proposals may include, but are not limited to, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, production of radionuclides or their precursors, manufacture of cell-based therapies, processes to improve the quality of the samples used for cancer research or clinical care, and biomanufacturing of therapeutics.

With appropriate justification, companies may use CPRIT funds to support studies that establish preclinical proof of concept, product validation, design, production, manufacturing and development, and clinical studies demonstrating safety and efficacy.

Award Maximum: No Maximum

Duration: Maximum of 36 months

Funding available through this RFA supports the ongoing research and development of innovative products, services, and infrastructure with significant potential impact on patient care. Generally, at this stage, the company has identified and characterized a lead compound; demonstrated efficacy in multiple translationally relevant animal models; completed pilot/dose ranging toxicology studies; determined the feasibility of a scalable, GMP compliant manufacturing process, including release assays; and identified a prototype formulation suitable for further development. The applicant is typically within one year from filing an IND/IDE or already in Phase 1.

With appropriate justification, companies may use CPRIT funds to support the following:

• Studies that establish preclinical proof of concept (safety and efficacy)
• CMC/manufacturing development
• GLP safety studies to support INDs
• Phase 1 in humans to establish safety and a recommended dose for phase 2
• Phase 2 studies to determine safety and efficacy in initial targeted patient population

Award Maximum: No Maximum

Duration: Maximum of 36 months

Supports a competitive renewal of one single Collaborative Action Center whose function will be to innovatively expand the administrative services, resources, and support to CPRIT funded hepatocellular cancer research projects.

Award: Up to $3,000,000 in total costs for a period of 5 years

Supports innovative research projects that will significantly advance the knowledge of the etiology, prevention, cancer biology, and treatment of early-onset cancers.   

Award: Up to $300,000 per year for a 3-year period

Supports applications that propose innovative cancer clinical studies in adults or children and adolescents that are hypothesis driven and involve patients enrolled prospectively on a clinical trial. Areas of interest include clinical studies of new or repurposed drugs, hormonal therapies, immune therapies, surgery, radiation therapy, stem cell transplantation, combinations of interventions, or therapeutic devices. Clinical trial must be planned to begin when contract is awarded.

Award: Up to $400,000 per year for a period of up to 4 years

Supports applications which propose clinical and population-based projects designed to develop effective prevention and early detection interventions to reduce cancer risk, mortality, and morbidity among Texans. Projects that propose such research collaborations with existing CPRIT Prevention Program awardees including the CPRIT funded Texas Collaborative Center for Hepatocellular Cancer (https://www.bcm.edu/research/labs-and-centers/research-centers/texas-collaborative-center-for-hepatocellular-cancer) are strongly encouraged.

Award: Up to $300,000 per year for a period of up to 4 years

Supports applications for innovative research projects addressing questions that will advance knowledge of the causes, prevention, progression, detection, or treatment of cancer in children and adolescents. Laboratory, clinical, or population-based studies are all acceptable. CPRIT expects the outcome of the research to reduce the incidence, morbidity, or mortality from cancer in children and/or adolescents in the near- or long-term. 

Award: Up to $300,000 per year for a period of up to 4 years

Supports applications for innovative mathematical and/or computational research projects addressing questions that will advance current knowledge in the (a) mechanisms that tie altered gene expression and downstream molecular mechanisms to functional cancer phenotypes and/or (b) mechanisms that tie tumor morphology to functional cancer phenotypes and/or mechanisms that tie treatment sequence and combination to evolving functional cancer phenotypes (that emerge as a result of treatment selection).

Award: Up to $350,000 per year for a period of up to 3 years

Supports applications for innovative research projects addressing critically important questions that will significantly advance knowledge of the causes, prevention, and/or treatment of cancer. Areas of interest include laboratory research, translational studies, and/or clinical investigations.

Award: Up to $300,000 per year for a 3-year period

This award mechanism seeks to support the delivery of evidence-based clinical services to screen for cancer and pre-cancer in underserved populations who do not have adequate access to cancer early detection interventions and health care, bringing together networks of public health and community partners to carry out programs tailored for their communities. Projects should identify cancers that cause the most burden in the community, have nationally recommended screening methods, and use evidence-based methods to screen for these cancers.

Award: Maximum of $1M for new projects and $2.5M for expansion projects

Duration: Maximum 5 years

This award mechanism seeks to fund projects that will facilitate the dissemination and implementation of successful CPRIT Prevent Program-funded, evidence-based cancer prevention and control interventions across Texas. The proposed project should be able to develop one or more "products" based on the results of a previously CPRIT Prevention Program-funded intervention project. The proposed project should describe and package strategies or approaches for dissemination to other partners, settings, and populations in the state.

Award: Maximum of $450,000

Maximum duration of 3 years 

This award mechanism focuses on increasing implementation of evidence-based strategies to ensure that all Texans benefit from the cancer prevention knowledge that we currently have. CPRIT seeks to fund multilevel interventions to reduce cancer risk, disease burden, and cancer disparities. Modifiable risk behaviors include tobacco use, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy eating, alcohol use, sun exposure, HPV vaccination, Hepatitis B vaccination, and environmental/ occupational cancer exposures. Applications should also assess and address social determinants that contribute to cancer burden and disparities (e.g., cultural factors, unmet needs, access barriers). Interventions and communications should be structured to address the unique circumstances of the population to be served. 

Award: Maximum of $1M for new projects and $2.5M for expansion projects

Duration: Maximum 5 years