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We join hands to defeat neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that affects children

We join hands to defeat neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that affects children

Brussels – The Anticancer Fund unites with an international consortium to find more treatment options for children with neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that mostly affects babies and young children. The ACTION consortium is calling out to researchers to submit novel clinical research proposals. We are looking for collaborative initiatives, cross borders.

We are excited to announce the first Research Funding Award by the ACTION Consortium, an international collaboration that has the ambition to find innovative approaches to tackle neuroblastoma. Founded by five non-profit organisations, Anticancer Fund (Belgium), The Evan Foundation (United States), Kindred Foundation (Canada), Solving Kids’ Cancer (United Kingdom) and Zoé4Life (Switzerland), the ACTION Consortium is a collective force committed to Advancing Clinical Trial Implementation and Optimisation in Neuroblastoma.

Cancer is a leading cause of death by disease in children globally, and progress in the treatment of children with solid tumours, including neuroblastoma, has stalled. Despite decades of research and hundreds of clinical trials, only one class of targeted agents (anti-GD2 antibodies) has been approved and incorporated into front-line therapy for neuroblastoma since the 1980s. There is an urgent international need to assess new agents and therapeutic strategies rapidly and robustly, for the benefit of children. A more efficient framework for conducting international clinical trials is needed.

Award will be one of the largest in the neuroblastoma field

Our debut funding call is focused on refractory and relapsed neuroblastoma, calling for innovative approaches to accelerating clinical trials, and evaluation of novel therapies. By pooling our resources to form the ACTION Consortium, this award will be one of the largest seen in the neuroblastoma field, standing at $2 million. Our aim in this is to challenge the scientific community to bring proposals with the potential to instil significant change to the neuroblastoma landscape, which will directly and positively impact children facing this devastating disease.

Working together to bring more treatment options to children with neuroblastoma is an opportunity we are eager to seize. We believe this grant call will leverage innovation that will benefit the patients. The Anticancer Fund is truly committed to support scientists who are willing to think outside the box to deliver ground-breaking therapies to defeat neuroblastoma”, says Rica Capistrano, Programme Director New Projects of the Anticancer Fund.

This feat of international collaboration has been born from the shared values and missions of our five organisations- to drive and invest in clinical research that addresses the areas of most unmet need within childhood cancer, and bring better treatment to children as rapidly as possible. We are excited to be entering into this partnership for the benefit of children with neuroblastoma, and look forward to seeing this award progress.

Agenda

6 March 2023: Letters of Intent (LOI) due
April 2023: Development Grant award with invitation to complete Full Proposal
14 August 2023: Full Proposals due  
August – October 2023: Scientific peer review
October 2023: Rebuttal process
November 2023: Award and contracts

More information on the non-profit organisations in the ACTION-consortium

Solving Kids’ Cancer (UK)

Kindred Foundation (Canada)

Zoé4Life (Switzerland)

The Evan Foundation (United States)

Contact

The grant call has been developed and funded by the ACTION Consortium and is being managed by Solving Kids’ Cancer UK on behalf of consortium partners. All correspondence should be directed to Leona Knox: research@solvingkidscancer.org.uk
Are you a researcher who would like to applicate for the award? To see all the details of this RFA, please click here below.

Action Consortium Call for Novel Therapies in Neuroblastoma