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What We’re Funding

Target ALS will support projects meeting the following criteria:

• At least one biotech/pharma partner with
  • Lab capabilities in-house,
  • Expertise in the development of therapeutics, biomarkers, or other tools, and
  • The ability to provide material, intellectual, and laboratory contributions to the project.
• The Project Leader must be from biotech/pharma. 
• At least one collaborator that will conduct research in human samples or data that validates the project’s target(s) and/or tools.
• Projects focused on a novel ALS target with robust biological rationale validated, at least in part, in human samples or datasets. 
• Proposed therapeutics may target C9orf72-ALS and/or non-genetic forms of ALS. 
• Drugs that may have potential for treating both ALS and FTD

We are not Funding:

• Drug Repurposing
• SOD1-targeting therapies
• FUS-targeting therapies
• Broad discovery-based screening efforts

Who Should Apply

This call is focused on bringing industry- and academic-researchers together to work collaboratively on ALS biology with the aim of identifying, developing, and/or validating novel ALS therapeutics. Only collaborative projects will be considered.

• Collaborative projects for this call comprise groups of 3-4 laboratories working around a common theme or target. 
• Target ALS aims to enrich ALS research by engaging with investigators who bring new technologies and core expertise in scientific disciplines to the community. We encourage proposals to include investigators who are new to ALS research (e.g. have never published on ALS).
• All Principal Investigators must provide a copy of the executed agreement between their institutions on data/IP sharing OR provide a letter of support that confirms each Technology Transfer Office has been made aware of the collaborative project and the need to sign a data/IP sharing agreement as part of the full proposal submission. 
  • NOTE: A fully executed data/IP sharing agreement must be shared within 60 days of notification of award or the grant will be rescinded.
• Principal Investigators should be at the career level of an independent faculty member who leads an independent lab or industry equivalent. Research assistant professors, post-doctoral fellows, and staff are not eligible to be included as investigators.
• Investigator contributions must exceed access to biological samples, patients, and/or other scientific materials relevant for the project. Investigators are expected to contribute complimentary methods, techniques, and responsibilities towards the project.
• We require at least one Principal Investigator from the biotech/pharmaceutical industry; one Principal Investigator from the biotech/pharmaceutical industry must act as the Project Leader for this project.
• A Principal Investigator can only participate in one LOI submission.
• Principal Investigators who have two or more active competitive grants from Target ALS are not eligible to apply. 

What Our Grant Supports

• Funding to cover the following project components
  • Researcher salaries and fringe benefits
  • Lab supplies, materials, and equipment
  • Research-associated direct costs up to 15% of the award (e.g., lab’s rent, IT costs tied directly to the project, tuition for lab fellows, etc.)
• A speaker slot at the Target ALS Annual Meeting, held in Boston, MA. This meeting provides an immersive experience in cutting edge ALS research and offers and opportunity to network with leaders from academia, pharma/biotech, venture capital, and other non-profits

• Grant Structure
  • $130,000 per lab, per year maximum
  • The total budget for a collaborative project cannot exceed a maximum of $400,000 per year
  • The grant will be for a two-year period.

Questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions. Don’t hesitate to contact us.