Introduction
PFIZER’S CENTERS FOR THERAPEUTIC INNOVATION REQUESTS PROPOSALS FOR THERAPEUTIC TARGETS
Internal Deadline: June 21, 2021*
Pfizer’s Centers for Therapeutic Innovation (CTI) is a unique joint drug discovery model focused on collaborating with leading academic centers to translate and transform concepts into breakthroughs that change patients’ lives.
The CTI 2021 Call for Proposals (CFP) is focused on identifying novel therapeutic opportunities in the areas outlined below with application in Pfizer’s core research focus areas: inflammation & immunology, internal medicine, oncology, and rare disease. Please note the specifics in Pfizer’s Area of Interest and Target/Pathways of Focus.
NewCures can facilitate an early discussion with Pfizer prior to drafting a proposal to help ensure the ideas are aligned with Pfizer’s interest. Interested PIs should contact Caroline Ko, Project Leader of NewCures, as soon as possible at c-ko@northwestern.edu. Together with Feinberg Corporate Relations, we will support the PIs to prepare the submission.
* Non-confidential pre-proposals must be submitted through INVO; NewCures will be the representative who will submit to the CTI portal on your behalf. Click here for the pre-proposal template.
Please submit pre-proposals to newcures@northwestern.edu by Monday, June 21, 2021, 5:00 PM CST.
Eligibility
Applicant: All Northwestern University principal investigators (researchers and clinicians) with a full-time appointment are eligible to apply.
*If IP has not been disclosed to INVO, please contact us to discuss. The disclosure process is on INVO website.
Benefits
CTI Collaborations Include:
- Funding for project-specific research
- Hands-on collaboration from dedicated Pfizer drug-development experts
- Access to scientific/technological expertise and infrastructure at Pfizer
- Potential for in-licensing by Pfizer, which would include milestone and royalty payments
- Publishing rights
Area of Interest and Target/Pathways of Focus:
While the noted areas of interest are Pfizer’s priority, other ideas might be viable. For further information, please contact Caroline Ko, c-ko@northwestern.edu.
Inflammation and Immunology:
- Novel approaches to target interactions between pathogenic fibroblast and macrophage subsets or to modulate cellular senescence in inflammation / fibrosis (e.g. senolytic & senomorphic approaches)
- Novel targets and mechanisms to induce immune tolerance in autoimmunity (e.g. modulation of Mregs, Bregs, and tolDCs)
- Novel concepts to modulate pathogenic immune cells in autoimmune disease (e.g. targeting of B cells, inflammatory monocytes, neutrophils, mast cells or other granulocytes)
- Restoration of epithelial barrier function and promotion of its repair in IBD by directly targeting the epithelial barrier.
Out-of-scope: Targets in replicative senescence e.g. telomerase; direct induction/modulation of regulatory T cells (Tregs); modulation of immune cell functions that indirectly affect epithelial barrier function
Internal Medicine:
- Novel mechanisms and/or human genetic approaches to target heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Including, but not limited to, novel targets and pathways regulating skeletal muscle vascular growth and function.
- Mechanisms addressing cachexia associated with chronic disease and aging
- Pathways targeting muscle growth and function including metabolism and mitochondrial energetics
- Inflammatory pathways underlying cachexia of chronic disease
- Gut-brain signaling in regulation of energy balance (obesity/cachexia) – Targeting vagal sensory pathways in the gut or nodose ganglion to regulate feeding.
- Novel approaches for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy or chronic kidney disease, founded on evidence from human pathophysiology and/or genetics
Out-of-scope: nutraceutical approaches to muscle growth and function; approaches that cause browning of white fat/thermogenesis
Oncology:
- Induction or targeting of senescent-like arrest of tumor cells to overcome drug resistance and/or improve immune response to solid tumors
- Enhancing immune-mediated tumor cell killing: activation of repeat elements, antigen presentation, prevention or reversal of immune-senescence & -exhaustion mechanisms
- Splicing & cell stress: R-loops and restoration of RNA processing – selective targeting of splicing via RNA binding proteins and RNA helicases
- Targets driving the DNA damage response and replicative stress, including nucleases, deubiquitinases, and helicases; synthetic lethal relationships outside of BRCA1/2.
Out-of-scope: cytotoxic antibody-drug conjugates, rare tumor indications
Rare Disease:
Approaches for the cause/treatment of Repeat Expansion Diseases
- Targets directly impacting the pathogenic repeats at the level of DNA/RNA
- Molecular mechanisms that modulate or regulate the pathogenic repeat
- Assays for DNA mismatch repair and biomarkers of somatic repeat instability
Novel concepts for the cause (mutant or modifier genes, causal signaling pathways) or treatment (reverse existing pathology) of Rare Cardiac Diseases
- Rare inherited, Dilated, & Arrhythmogenic Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Amyloid light-chain amyloidosis (AL-Amyloidosis)
- Rare heart rhythm disorders
Opportunities for the pathogenesis or progression of Rare Renal Disorders; Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, IgA Nephropathy, Alport Syndrome, or Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease
- Novel targets/pathways to improve glomerular filtration
- Mechanisms to reduce IgA deposition or slow renal decline post deposition
- Mechanisms to reduce cyst size, growth, formation and downstream effects on renal function
Out-of-scope: ultra-rare diseases, ex vivo gene therapy, broad hemodynamic modifiers and fibrotic mechanisms
Click here for a PDF copy of the ‘Area of Interest and Target/Pathways of Focus’
Submission Process
NewCures can facilitate early discussions with Pfizer prior to submission. Interested PIs should contact Caroline Ko, Project Leader of NewCures, as soon as possible. Together with Feinberg Corporate Relations, we will support the PIs to prepare the submission.
Submission entails a non-confidential, 2-3 page Pre-Proposal application; the Pre-Proposal template can be found on this page (see tabs above). At a high level, the Pre-Proposal should provide an overview of the target, mechanism, evidence for disease linkage, the proposed therapeutic drug, and suggest how the therapeutic hypothesis could be tested in the clinic. Pre-proposals submitted to Pfizer CTI will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Pre-Proposals must be submitted to newcures@northwestern.edu by June 21, 2021, 5:00 PM CST.
Application Template
Click here for a copy of the PFIZER CTI PRE-PROPOSAL TEMPLATE
INTERNAL DEADLINE: MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2021, 5:00 PM CST
NewCures can facilitate an early discussion with Pfizer prior to drafting a proposal to help ensure the ideas are aligned with Pfizer’s interest. Interested PIs should contact Caroline Ko, Project Leader of NewCures, as soon as possible at c-ko@northwestern.edu. Together with Feinberg Corporate Relations, we will support the PIs to prepare the submission.
Non-confidential pre-proposals must be submitted through INVO; NewCures will be the representative who will submit to the CTI portal on your behalf.
