Biomedical catalyst 2017 – Round 2 late stage

Across the world we are facing increasing healthcare challenges, both physical and financial. There is a need to provide for a growing, ageing population that has an increasing burden of disease. Healthcare costs are rising. The long-term sustainability of current models of provision is in doubt. The need to provide efficient and effective healthcare has never been more important.

To meet these challenges companies and academics must work together.

Biomedical Catalyst awards fund innovative solutions to healthcare challenges. The aim of the late stage award is to test a well-developed concept and show its effectiveness in a relevant environment. It could do this through:

• initial human proof-of-concept studies
• demonstration of clinical utility and effectiveness
• demonstration of safety and efficacy (including phase I and II clinical trials)
• developing production mechanisms
• prototyping
• market testing
• intellectual property protection

These solutions should be innovative healthcare technologies, products or processes that will help provide one or more of the following:

• disease prevention and proactive management of health and chronic conditions
• earlier and better detection and diagnosis of disease, leading to better patient outcomes
• treatments that either change underlying disease or offer potential cures

The Catalyst will support projects from any sector or discipline, including but not limited to:

• stratified healthcare (both therapy and diagnostic components)
• advanced therapies (cell and gene therapy)
• diagnostics
• digital health
• enabling medical technologies and devices

Exclusions

In this competition we won’t fund projects that:

• we think are too early stage, for example:
  • basic research
  • generation of pure scientific and technological knowledge
  • development of research ideas, hypotheses and experimental designs without application
• are not supported by sufficiently validated prior research on your technology, product prototype or process, including demonstration in an appropriate model system
• are too close to market or are already at market, such as:
  • evaluations to inform labelling
  • approval of pharmaceuticals by relevant authorities
  • laboratory accreditation
  • distribution or marketing activity
  • post-marketing studies
  • post-marketing surveillance

Funding Costs

We have allocated up to £12 million to fund innovation projects in this competition.

For industrial research you could get:

• up to 70% of your eligible project costs if you are a micro or small business
• up to 60% if you are a medium-sized business

For experimental development projects that are nearer to market, you could get:

• up to 45% of your eligible project costs if you are a micro or small business
• up to 35% if you are a medium-sized business

Find out if your business fits the EU definition of an SME.

We expect projects to last from 12 to 36 months. Projects must start by 1 February 2018 and end by 1 February 2021. We expect total project costs to range in size from £250,000 to £4 million.