Friedreich’s Ataxia Alliance Catalyst Fund

Overview

The Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre (OHC) is a partnership between the University of Oxford, UK and Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals Cleveland, Ohio, established since 2019. The OHC aims to drive cutting-edge rare disease breakthroughs and in 2021 established a dedicated programme for recruiting leading disease area experts and co-ordinating substantial translational research efforts towards developing new treatments for Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA). Further information on the OHC and expertise in FA recruited can be found here.

FA is a debilitating, life-shortening, degenerative multi-system rare disease that affects roughly 1 in 50,000 people in the US/UK, with onset typically between 10-15 years of age. Individuals with FA have genetic mutations that result in a deficiency in the production of the protein frataxin, causing progressive damage and cell death in multiple organs and cell types. This leads to the symptoms of FA including difficulty walking, a loss of sensation and reflexes and cardiomyopathy. Despite extensive research there is no cure for FA, meaning that significant progress is still required to advance new therapeutics for patients in need.

The OHC FA programme is supported by the non-profit organisation EndFA, The Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), and Ataxia UK, and is collectively known as the Friedreich’s Ataxia Alliance at Oxford (FA Alliance). To turbocharge the OHC FA programme, the Translational Research Office (TRO, MSD) is pleased to announce a NEW translational funding opportunity targeting the development of new therapies to cure or treat FA. The FA Alliance Catalyst Fund has been established collaboratively between the TRO and OHC and will leverage co-funding from the TRO and recent philanthropic funding donated to the OHC FA programme.

REMIT

The FA Alliance Catalyst Fund supports proof-of-concept projects at the early stages of translation that are of high-risk but with potential of high reward. It will fund researchers to accelerate the transition from discovery research to translational development projects supporting preliminary work or feasibility studies to establish the viability of a translational approach.

The FA Alliance Catalyst Fund will initiate and accelerate cutting edge translational research currently underway within the OHC for development of a NEW treatment for FA and is exclusively available to Oxford’s researchers already tackling FA or working on a therapeutic platform intervention that could be applied in tackling FA. In exceptional circumstances, the panel will consider proposals that focus on another ataxia, repeat expansion diseases or a platform technology/approach where clear and direct relevance to FA is demonstrated.

This fund does NOT support:

• exploratory basic science
• research on biomarkers or devices unless they are directly linked to the therapeutic approach included in this application targeting FA
• entire translational projects; bridging funding or PhD studentships
• continuation of normal research grants
• costs relating to protection of intellectual property.

Projects should aim to provide sufficient preliminary data to establish compelling proof-of-concept, strategic merit in a translational context, or the viability of a translational approach. An explicit outcome of the award is that projects should reach a value of inflection point as strong candidates to be considered for external follow-on translational funding and expertise through the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Scholar Award or Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance funding opportunities.

FORMAT

It is envisaged that the available funds will finance up to THREE projects, with the TRO providing project management support for the funding scheme where appropriate. Awards will be co-funded with equal contributions from philanthropic funds and the TRO (Medical Research Council Impact Accelerator Account, MRC IAA).
Funding available from the FA Alliance Catalyst Fund will be up to £85k per project. Awards will be made from the FA Alliance Catalyst Fund for direct costs only.

Projects should be in the region of 6-12 months with funding for 12-month projects requiring full justification. Awards must commence within one month of the award letter being issued. All projects must be completed within one year of the start date and/or in line with overarching MRC grant conditions (TRO portion of funds contributing 50% to this funding scheme). Please ensure that your project is scheduled accordingly, and that the timeline is appropriate and realistic to the objectives and milestones set out.

Awards will be managed from the TRO on behalf of the University and the OHC. Applications, scores and reviewer comments may be shared with other internal University panels to ensure maximum value for money. Award conditions apply, including acceptance of a ‘mid-term’ review meeting with the TRO and a panel of experts to discuss progress made towards milestones, as well as commitment to providing yearly progress report return post completion.

ELIGIBILITY

Any researcher from the University of Oxford holding a contract extending to at least the end of the proposed project may apply, assuming they have host departmental approval. Applicants should clarify their eligibility with departments, and departmental approvers are required to check eligibility of their applicants before advancing any applications. The Committee welcomes applications from Early Career Researchers (ECRs). Early Career Researchers must have a contract extending to at least the end of the proposed project and must seek permission in writing from their direct line manager supporting the ECR to undertake the proposed work stated in the application. The ECR must also identify a mentor for the award period to support the delivery of the proposed work packages within the application as well as the proposed career development skills stated.