The National Cancer Institute has announced the release of the 2012 SBIR Phase II Bridge Award program. The award helps bridge the funding gap, known as the “Valley of Death,” that currently exists between the end of the SBIR Phase II award and the next round of financing needed to advance a promising cancer therapy or imaging technology toward commercialization. The program is specifically intended to foster relationships between small business applicants and third-party investors and strategic partners who can help finance their development efforts.
The NCI intends to commit $10 million in fiscal year 2012, covering as many as 10 grants of up to $1 million annually for as long as three years. Development efforts may include preclinical R&D needed for regulatory filings or clinical trials in three project areas:
(1) cancer therapeutics
(2) cancer imaging technologies, interventional devices and in vivo diagnostics
(3) in vitro and ex vivo cancer diagnostics and prognostics
There are two deadlines to submit an SBIR Phase application: December 28, 2011 & March 27, 2012. For more information, visit the National Cancer Institute website.