To foster the translation of ideas into innovation we are looking for novel drug targets as a basis for the development of new therapeutic approaches. In addition, we are also interested in disease-related biomarkers in the therapeutic fields mentioned below.  To foster the translation of ideas into innovation we are looking for novel drug targets as a basis for the development of new therapeutic approaches. In addition, we are also interested in disease-related biomarkers in the therapeutic fields mentioned below.

a. Diseases: The call is focused in novel targets and disease-related biomarkers in the fields of:

1.Oncology: Focus on anti-proliferative, survival signaling, transcription and chromatin modulation, cell cycle regulation, tumor metabolism, hypoxia, immunotherapy and antibody-drug conjugates.

2. Gynecology: Focus on novel treatment options for endometriosis (incl. adenomyosis uteri/endometriosis interna) and uterine fibroids (uterine leimyoma).

3. Cardiology: Focus on novel approaches to the care of chronic and/or acute pulmonary hypertension & adjacent lung indications, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, acute coronary syndrome, ischemic stroke, peripheral arterial occusive disease, acute lung injury / adult respiratory  distress syndrome, cardiorenal syndrome and chronic kidney diseases.

4. Hematology: Focus on hemophelia, anemia and thrombocytiopenia.

b. Definition of Drug Target: Bayer HealthCare defines a "druggable" target as a nucleic acid or a protein (e.g. an enzyme, a receptor) whose activity can be modified by a drug. The drug can be a small-molecular-weight chemical compound or a biological, such as an antibody or a recombinant protein. The target should have been shown to be effective/mechanistically involved in the disease by relevant in vitro or in vivo models.

c. Definition of a disease-related biomarker: A disease-related biomarker might be a protein, a nucleic acid or a metabolite that can be measured in biological fluids, tissue or isolated cells for the diagnosis, monitoring, prognosis or stratification of patients. Information generated by such biomarkers may enable intervention at an earlier and potentially more curable stage of the disease than under usual clinical diagnostic conditions or may allow the monitoring of a therapeutic action on disease progression as opposed/or in addition to the classical signs and symptoms. Through the incorporation of appropriately validated biomarkers, one can expect better clinical study designs, in more precisely defined patient populations.

d. Types of grants: BayerHealthcare offers the following different types of grants, depending on the specifics of the target and its development phase:

1. Support Grants (€5,000-€10,000) to further advance research on targets that are at a very early stage of discovery, fixed grant approval letter.  IP rights remain with the applicant.

2. Focus Grants (€10,000 - €125,000) for more mature ideas, e.g. to address specific aspects of a target as a first step towards transferring it to the drug discovery process; fized grant approval letter.  IP rights remain with the applicant.

Special conditions may apply for proprietary targets and the in-licensing of targets.

e. What is offered in addition to financial grants? In addition to the financial grants BayerHealthCare may support further work on the target of interest (if selected) by providing expertise, tools and/or investigations.  This may include:

1. Antibodies: Bayer HealthCare’s Antibody Discovery unit may be able to support your target validation work. Often, for the most innovative target proposals, no suitable validation tools are available. To fill this gap, Bayer HealthCare routinely employs its state of the art antibody lead discovery platform to generate antibodies for target validation. Recombinant antibody engineering technologies are used. The turn-around time averages six months from project initiation until antibody delivery.

2. Small Molecule Tool Compounds: Bayer HealthCare’s Compound Collection may provide valuable support for your target validation work. We may have chemical probes to support your validation efforts.

3. Biobank samples: Samples from Bayer HealthCare’s Research Biobank may help to validate your target/biomarker. Bayer HealthCare’s Research Biobank contains tissue and blood samples from all indications in which grants are offered including oncology (mainly solid tumors), cardiology, and gynecology. We are aware of the socioethical aspects of this topic and deploy best practice with a particular focus on the informed consent of the donors.

4. Technologies: The technology platforms and methods that are routinely used by Bayer HealthCare, may support your target/biomarker validation

f. Application process: The proposal should include a detailed description of the target and highlight its therapeutic potential. After answering a few questions on your target, you will be given an opportunity to briefly describe your idea/the target in an abstract.

g. Deadlines:

-VHIR's deadline: August 18th, 2014.

- Oficial deadline: August 31th, 2014.

h. More information: HERE