NEW YORK – July 13, 2016 – Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) announced today new a Request For Proposals (RFPs) under SU2C CatalystTM, a program sponsored by industry to support scientists interested in conducting early-phase clinical trials or translational research. Funded by SU2C Charter Supporter Bristol-Myers Squibb, the grants will support activities including investigation of new uses of the company’s immuno-oncology products Opdivo® (nivolumab), Yervoy® (ipilimumab), and Empliciti TM (elotuzumab), and investigational compound urelumab.
The RFP is available at https://proposalcentral.altum.com/, with proposals due by noon EDT, Aug. 15.
Support from Bristol-Myers Squibb will enable SU2C Catalyst grants for up to four projects with funding in the range of $1 million to $3 million each, and access to Opdivo (nivolumab), Yervoy (ipilimumab) and Empliciti (elotuzumab), all of which are approved for the treatment of various cancers, as well as urelumab, an investigational agent that is currently in early clinical trials. Proposals can include the study of one or more of the products, alone or in combination with other treatments, and may include products from other companies, as well as explore potential new uses for the drug(s).
All four drugs are designed to aid the body’s immune system to fight cancers. Opdivo is approved to treat certain types of advanced melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and classical Hodgkin lymphoma; Yervoy is approved to treat certain types of melanoma; and Empliciti is approved to treat multiple myeloma, in conjunction with other drugs. Urelumab is an investigational agent that is being evaluated for use as a potential treatment for a range of cancers, including some hematological cancers, advanced colorectal cancer, and head and neck cancers.
SU2C Catalyst is a collaborative program managed by SU2C’s Scientific Partner, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), that is intended to leverage all facets of the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, diagnostic, and devices industries to bring new treatments to patients as rapidly as possible. Bristol-Myers Squibb is a Charter Supporter of the program.
“We are extremely pleased with the support of SU2C Catalyst by the pharmaceutical industry,” said Raymond DuBois, MD, PhD, dean of the College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, and chair of the SU2C Catalyst–Bristol-Myers Squibb Steering Subcommittee. “SU2C Catalyst is opening new opportunities for clinical trials and translational research in order to speed up the pace at which new treatments will be delivered to the patients who need them.”
“The Stand Up to Cancer Catalyst Program exemplifies our shared commitment to improving outcomes for all cancer patients,” said Awny Farajallah, MD, vice president, head of U.S. Medical Oncology at Bristol-Myers Squibb. “Industry’s support of the research community is one of the ways that we will continue to make meaningful progress in our fight against cancer.”
Each SU2C Catalyst project will be carried out by a collaborative team of expert investigators. The project must be designed to accelerate the clinical use of therapeutic agents or methods leading to patient involvement within the three-year term of the grant, and to deliver near-term patient benefit, according to the program’s guidelines.
Proposals for SU2C Catalyst research projects must be based on perceived opportunities for success as well as high-priority areas with a critical need for rapid progress beyond current medical care. An emphasis on early-phase, signal-finding clinical trials is encouraged.
SU2C Catalyst is overseen by an executive committee chaired by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, PhD, chair of the SU2C Scientific Advisory Committee and institute professor at the Koch Institute for Integrated Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The SU2C Catalyst–Bristol-Myers Squibb Steering Subcommittee chaired by Dr. DuBois will also include three additional academic scientists named by SU2C in consultation with the AACR, and three pharmaceutical industry members named by BMS. The subcommittee will review submitted grant proposals and make recommendations to the SU2C Catalyst Executive Committee.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
SU2C
Jane Rubinstein
646-386-7969
jrubinstein@eifoundation.org
SU2C
Rick Buck
215-446-7162
rick.buck@aacr.org
About the Stand Up To Cancer Initiative
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. SU2C, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was established in 2008 by film and media leaders who utilize the industry’s resources to engage the public in supporting a new, collaborative model of cancer research, and to increase awareness about cancer prevention as well as progress being made in the fight against the disease. As SU2C’s scientific partner, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and a Scientific Advisory Committee led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, PhD, conduct rigorous, competitive review processes to identify the best research proposals to recommend for funding, oversee grants administration, and provide expert review of research progress.
About the American Association for Cancer Research
Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world’s first and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research and its mission to prevent and cure cancer. AACR membership includes more than 36,000 laboratory, translational, and clinical researchers; population scientists; other health care professionals; and patient advocates residing in 107 countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise of the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, biology, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer by annually convening more than 30 conferences and educational workshops, the largest of which is the AACR Annual Meeting with nearly 19,500 attendees. In addition, the AACR publishes eight prestigious, peer-reviewed scientific journals and a magazine for cancer survivors, patients, and their caregivers. The AACR funds meritorious research directly as well as in cooperation with numerous cancer organizations. As the Scientific Partner of Stand Up To Cancer, the AACR provides expert peer review, grants administration, and scientific oversight of team science and individual investigator grants in cancer research that have the potential for near-term patient benefit. The AACR actively communicates with legislators and other policymakers about the value of cancer research and related biomedical science in saving lives from cancer. For more information about the AACR, visit www.AACR.org.
About Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol-Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.