Preannouncement of 2015 Calls for Proposals
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) wishes to announce in advance the calls for proposals it expects to launch in 2015. The forthcoming 2015 calls for proposals are:
- Improved treatment and clinical management of poverty-related diseases
- Strategic projects with major cofunding
- Ethics and Regulatory capacities
- EDCTP-TDR Clinical Research and Development Fellowships
As publication of the official call text and grant awarding by EDCTP will depend on approval of the EDCTP2 work plan for 2015 by the European Commission and the General Assembly of the EDCTP Association, this preannouncement is provided for early information purposes only. All dates and amounts are to be confirmed.
1. Improved treatment and clinical management of poverty-related diseases
The purpose of this forthcoming call for proposals is to provide funding to projects that aim to evaluate new or significantly improved drugs or drug regimens in humans or to optimise the efficacy and use of existing therapeutics for any of the poverty-related diseases (PRDs), including co-infections of PRDs.
Proposals should include one or more clinical trial(s) (phase I-IV) of therapeutics for PRDs to be conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. Proposals for conducting phase II and/or III clinical trials are encouraged. The requested EDCTP contribution per activity shall not exceed €15.0 million.
Two-stage application procedure:
Stage 1 – Letter of Intent
Opening date: 28 January 2015
Deadline for submission: 30 April 2015
Stage 2 – Full proposal
Selection results will be available by 16 July 2015
Deadline for submission: 30 September 2015
Type of grant: Research & Innovation Action (RIA)
Expected number of grants: 3-5
2. Strategic projects with major cofunding
The purpose of this forthcoming call for proposals is to provide cofunding to strategically important, large-scale research projects with the potential to achieve rapid advances in the field of poverty-related diseases (PRDs) and to make a significant contribution to the objectives of EDCTP2.
Applications for a strategic project should focus on clinical trials, related clinical research and/or capacity building efforts on PRDs in sub-Saharan Africa, and may address any area of research within the scope of EDCTP2. Proposals to conduct phase III trials and/or address research areas not covered by other open or forthcoming EDCTP2 calls for proposals in 2014 or 2015 are encouraged. The requested EDCTP contribution shall neither exceed 50% of the total cost of the activity nor €10.0 million; the total cost of the activity shall not be less than €3.0 million. Applicants must demonstrate financial commitment from other funders (Participating States and/or third parties) to cofund the proposed project.
Two-stage application procedure:
Stage 1 – Letter of Intent
Opening date: 28 January 2015
Deadline for submission: 30 April 2015
Stage 2 – Full proposal
Selection results will be available by 16 July 2015
Deadline for submission: 30 September 2015
Type of grant: Research & Innovation Action (RIA)
Expected number of grants: 2-5
3. Ethics and Regulatory capacities
The purpose of this forthcoming call for proposals is to support sub-Saharan African countries to establish and develop robust national medicines regulatory systems and capacities for ethical review of clinical research and use of medicinal products and technologies for use in humans. This scheme targets both National Ethics Committees (NECs) and National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs).
Proposals may include support for training, networking and promotion of good practices through improved recognition and accreditation of the relevant bodies. The requested EDCTP contribution per activity shall not exceed €200,000.
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation will partner with EDCTP on this call for proposals with a total contribution of up to €100,000 reserved for cofunding participants from Portuguese-speaking sub-Saharan Africa in successful applicants. Please note that cofunding from the Gulbenkian Foundation will be subject to the signature of a collaboration agreement between EDCTP and the Foundation.
Single-stage application procedure:
Opening date: 26 March 2015
Deadline for submission: 18 June 2015
Type of grant: Coordination & Support Action (CSA)
Expected number of grants: 5-10
4. EDCTP-TDR Clinical Research and Development Fellowships
The purpose of this (forthcoming) joint call for proposals is to support researchers and key members of clinical trial research teams from Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) to acquire specific skills in clinical research and development through placements in pharmaceutical companies, product development partnerships (PDPs) and research institutions.
The scheme targets junior to mid-career researchers or clinical staff (clinicians, pharmacists, medical statisticians, data managers, other health researchers) who are employed by a legal entity in LMICs where they are currently working on activities in the scope of EDCTP and TDR. Placements are for a minimum period of 6 months up to a maximum period of 24 months. Fellows must be committed to return to their home organisation for a minimum of two years after completion of the fellowship.
TDR will fund fellows employed by a research institution in any LMIC to be placed in pharmaceutical companies, PDPs and research institutions either in or outside Europe to train and develop new research skills on infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, and neglected infectious diseases such as Ebola.
EDCTP will fund fellows employed by a sub-Saharan African legal entity to be placed in European-based pharmaceutical companies to train and develop new research skills of relevance to poverty related diseases.
Two-stage application procedure:
Stage 1 – Proposal
Opening date: 15 October 2015
Deadline for submission: 28 January 2016
Stage 2 – Training plan (EDCTP only)
Selection results will be available by 1 July 2016
Deadline for submission: 30 July 2016
Type of grant: Training & Mobility Action (TMA)
Expected number of grants: 25