Pfizer’s Centers for Therapeutic Innovation requests proposals for the advancement of RNA therapeutics

Deadline:
Wednesday, April 6, 2022 - 5:00pm
Pfizer is seeking proposals for the advancement of RNA therapeutics and the development of the next generation of RNA medicines.
Deadline to submit to [email protected]: April 6, 2022
Submissions invited for novel target concepts and therapeutic strategies amenable to RNA based approaches (mRNA, circular RNA, gene editing), in the following areas of interest:
- Cellular reprogramming:
- Cellular reprogramming in cancer (CRC, Lung, Breast, Prostate, Renal), metabolic, autoimmune disease or fibrosis (e.g. transcription factors). Prioritized lineages include:
- Myeloid cells (DC, macrophages, monocytes)
- T cells (induction of Tregs); CAR-Tregs or Treg reprogramming; T cell exhaustion; tolerance
- Adipocytes, muscle cells, endothelial cells
- Tunable cytokine/interleukin expression for immune cell modulation in cancer
- Reprogramming of Myofibroblasts in liver and lung fibrosis
- Cellular reprogramming in cancer (CRC, Lung, Breast, Prostate, Renal), metabolic, autoimmune disease or fibrosis (e.g. transcription factors). Prioritized lineages include:
- Cancer vaccines
- Infectious Disease Vaccines
- Protective cell mediated response to bacterial or viral infections
- Emerging virus threats
- Bacterial pathogens (e.g. Chlamydia trachomatis, Staphylococcus aureus)
- Chronic or Rare Kidney Disease (Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, IgA Nephropathy, Alport Syndrome, or Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease)
- Rare Liver Diseases and Rare Neuromuscular Diseases
- Repeat Expansion Diseases (e.g. Huntington’s disease, Friedreich’s ataxia, ALS, myotonic dystrophy)
- Preference given to targets not amenable to small or large molecule intervention
Technologies and Enabling Infrastructure:
- Gene correction/replacement
- Epigenetic editing
- Delivery technology, including tissue targeting for liver, lung, kidney, immune cell subsets, central nervous system, muscle
- Non-viral delivery for RNA and gene editing
- RNA engineering technologies (e.g. UTRs, IRES, circular RNA, chemical modifications, stability)
- Regulatable gene expression
- Next-gen gene editing
Out of Scope:
- RNA vaccine strategies for Flu, COVID-19, RSV
- Non-coding RNA targets and modalities
Submission process:
- Develop a 2-3 page non-confidential document outlining the scientific background and research synopsis
- Faculty interested in submitting a project should contact [email protected]. Pre-proposals should be reviewed by one of Pfizer’s Emerging Science Leads to determine suitability prior to submission. Formal submission should be routed through Columbia Technology Ventures.
- The deadline to submit pre-proposals to Columbia Technology Ventures is April 6, 2022.
- Please see the Related Documents section of this page for additional information.