Brain Tumour Research Novel Therapeutics Accelerator (BTR- NTA)
There is a critical need for a new treatment pipeline to improve outcomes for patients with brain cancer. The Brain Tumour Research Novel Therapeutics Accelerator (BTR-NTA) is an accelerator programme that provides bespoke guidance and support to academic and industry scientists.
Guided by an international, multidisciplinary group of experts, the programme aims to help scientists position their therapeutic along a realistic pathway to clinical trials by giving independent and transparent guidance to maximise success.
Why the BTR-NTA was launched
Despite there being several encouraging pre-clinical studies, few brain tumour therapeutics make it to successful human trials due to barriers throughout the drug development pathway.
The BTR-NTA programme hopes to help address these barriers by:
- Making researchers aware of avoidable pitfalls or risks in their project
- Providing researchers with constructive guidance on next steps
- Facilitating connections with partners and funders
- Strengthening international collaboration in the brain tumour field
The ultimate goal of the Brain Tumour Research Novel Therapeutics Accelerator is to see more novel brain tumour therapeutics reaching patients in clinical trials and improved outcomes for patients with brain tumours.
How the BTR-NTA programme works
Academic or industry scientists can apply twice a year for their work to be reviewed by the BTR-NTA committee. If accepted, applicants go through the following process:
To protect the applicant’s intellectual property, the review process is conducted under a strict confidentiality agreement and all reviewers are assessed for potential conflicts of interest. Any intellectual property produced during the review process remains with the applicant.
The expert review committee
The BTR-NTA programme is led by a core committee of twelve international experts in brain tumours, drug development and clinical studies (including neuro-oncologists, translational scientists, pharmaceutical leaders, pre-clinical scientists, neurosurgeons, medicinal chemists, and many more).
BTR-NTA Core Committee
In addition to the core committee, an extended bank of experts is drawn on to provide guidance specific to the applicants’ needs e.g., regulatory, delivery technologies, genomics and statistics.
Who can apply?
Scientists developing any type of novel therapeutic for brain tumour patients can apply. BTR-NTA welcomes both academic and industry applicants from the UK/EU/USA, at any stage of pre-clinical or clinical work. Applicants can seek guidance on a wide range of issues including animal models, brain penetrance, delivery mechanisms, clinical trial protocols, toxicology, and regulatory requirements.
When is the next review meeting?
The first BTR-NTA review meeting will be held 10-12th November 2023 in London, with up to five suitable therapeutics being chosen for review. Review meetings are held in-person to provide the opportunity for collaborative discussions between applicants and reviewers.
Applications for this meeting will open mid-2023 – please register your interest by filling in the form below!
How much does a BTR-NTA review cost?
The review process will be free to academic applicants and a sliding fee will be charged to industry applicants based on the size of the company.
Who to contact
If you are interested in applying, would like to become an expert reviewer, or would like more information, please contact Charlotte Aitken (BTR-NTA Programme Manager) – charlotte.aitken@tessajowellbcm.org
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Brain Tumour Research for funding the BTR-NTA programme. We would also like to thank the TACT (TREAT-NMD Advisory Committee for Therapeutics) team for providing their toolkit and support to assist the TJBCM in developing this programme.
If you are interested in applying, please register here: