OICR Cancer Therapeutics Innovation Pipeline – Request for Applications

The Cancer Therapeutics Innovation Pipeline (CTIP) Program was established to capitalize on Ontario’s expertise in cancer biology and drug discovery to create a pipeline of validated cancer targets and first-in-class or best-in-class, novel, selective lead molecules (small molecules or biologics) that would attract partnerships and/or investment for further preclinical and clinical development. To generate a sustainable pipeline, CTIP will support projects that aim to provide increasing evidence of target validation and disease association using functional assays and drug screening in relevant in vitro and in vivo models of the cancer type of interest.

CTIP funds projects in three stages of preclinical drug discovery and is currently inviting applications for the following two funding streams:

Early Accelerator projects: Delivers a validated primary assay to enable initial screening of molecules against a defined target. Entry into the EA stage requires evidence of target validation and association to the cancer of interest.

Funding available: Up to $150,000 for up to one year.

Late Accelerator projects: Delivers confirmed Hit molecules against a defined target, supported by evidence of disease association, using validated primary, secondary and orthogonal assays for screening. To achieve this goal, the project must describe an integrated testing cascade of experiments focused on achieving target validation in cell-based models coupled with medium-to-high-throughput screening for Hits.

Funding available: Up to $250,000 per year for up to two years.