NMRC CTG-Investigator-Initiated Trials (CTG-IIT)

Objective

The aim of the Clinical Trials Grant (CTG) is to enable the clinicians to carry out clinical trials for the development of novel therapies, interventions and diagnostics, focusing on healthcare needs.

This scheme will support Investigator Initiated Trials (IITs) of both early and late phase which are initiated and driven by clinicians who are interested to conduct trials on novel or pre-existing drugs/medical device/interventions for new indications.

Collaboration with industry partner is optional.

No minimum company contribution, however, applications with industry contribution would have higher priority.

Areas of Research

The following seven disease areas have been identified as national priorities for research:

1. Cancers and neoplasms
2. Cardiovascular
3. Eye
4. Infection
5. Mental health
6. Metabolic and endocrine
7. Neurological

Additional identified priority areas for clinical trials are as follows:

1. Small regional network-based trials led by Singapore KOLs, particularly for rare diseases and Asian prevalent diseases of high priority
2. healthcare challenges to Singapore
3. Early phase clinical trials of high value to build on strong translational expertise (particularly in oncology and cardiology)
4. Clinical pharmacological clinical trials focusing on aging population
5. Precision medicine
6. Digital health technologies
7. Clinical trials using real-world data and evidence and well characterised and pre-consented patient cohorts

Funding Details

Funding for each project is capped at $1.625M (inclusive of up to 30% indirect costs) for up to 5 years.

Eligibility Criteria

Each grant application must be submitted by a Clinical Principal Investigator (PI) who has to fulfil the following eligibility criteria listed below.

• Must fulfil HSA's requirements for PIs who are conducting clinical trials. Pls refer to HSA website (internet accessible link) for guidelines on conducting clinical trials.
• Must be clinically qualified (i.e. with MD/MBBS/BDS) and preferably with post-graduate clinical training and experience.
• Registered pharmacists who fulfil HSA's requirements may apply as PI.The pharmacist PI should involve physicians who are locally registered, as their co-investigators for all interventional clinical trials.
• Must hold a primary appointment in a local public hospitals/public health institutions/national specialty centres/public universities/Academic Medical Centres and salaried by the institution.
• Must be an independent PI with a demonstrated track record of research as evidenced by the award of nationally competitive funding (international funding to be considered on a case by case basis) or substantial publication record.
• Have a laboratory or clinical research program that carries out research in Singapore.
• Hold a minimum of 9 months employment with a local Singapore institution, and fulfilling full time residency in Singapore over a period of the calendar year.
• No outstanding reports from previous NRF, BMRC, NMRC grants and other national grants.

Submission

In the CTG-IIT scheme, applications are to be accompanied with:

1. A letter of support from HI and also from the PI’s Head of Department to show their commitment to adopt the IIT outcome
2. In-kind support from the HI (could include EOM/OOE/EQPT support from grants received by the HI e.g. NMRC Centre Grant, Clinical Research Coordinator Funding Award, or internal funds)

Proposals must be submitted and endorsed by the Host Institution's Director of Research (DOR) online via Research Grants Portal (internet accessible link).

Note: SingHealth PIs are to please refer to your respective Institutional Research Administrators for guidance on internal deadlines and submission procedures set by your institutions.

Contact Person

Ms Tricia Teo
Email:tricia.teosk@mohh.com.sg

Additional Information

• Please download the 'Application Guide and Template' documents from NMRC's website here (internet accessible link).
• For more information on CTG-IIT, please visit NMRC's website here (internet accessible link).