Q: What is the collaboration between Boston Children’s Hospital and Deerfield Management?
A: Boston Children’s Hospital is collaborating with Deerfield, an investment firm dedicated to advancing healthcare, to accelerate the translation of research in Boston Children’s Hospital faculty laboratories into clinical therapeutics. Blackfan Circle Innovations is a Deerfield company that will support Boston Children’s innovative translational research and leverage Deerfield’s expertise in accelerating state-of-the-art drug development.Blackfan Circle Innovations will fund projects with the aim of establishing novel therapeutics to cure life-altering diseases.
Through Blackfan Circle Innovations, up to $65 million of initial funding will be made available to back the initiative over five years by Deerfield and its partners. In addition, Deerfield will provide development expertise in support of innovative drug research across a span of high-need therapeutic areas, as well as those targeting patients who suffer from hard-to-treat and rare diseases.
Q: Who is eligible to apply?
A: Principal Investigators whose full-time employer is Boston Children’s Hospital or who have a faculty appointment and are subject to Boston Children’s policies regarding the conduct of research and ownership of intellectual property.
Q: How can I apply?
A: To submit an application, please contact the Technology and Innovation Development Office at Boston Children’s Hospital by emailing
tido@childrens.harvard.edu.
Q: Can I submit more than one proposal?
A: Yes, researchers are encouraged to submit for consideration all programs that are sufficiently validated with a biological rationale and insight.
Q: Can I submit a project even if I have a contract in place with another partner?
A: Eligible projects must be free (unencumbered) from any Intellectual Property (IP) obligations to other industry partners that may restrict the licensing and practice of the IP (by virtue of industry sponsored research agreements, material transfer agreements, or other contractual or intellectual property entanglements). If you have any questions about whether such obligations exist for your project, you should consult with the Boston Children’s Hospital Technology and Innovation Development Office by emailing
tido@childrens.harvard.edu.
Q: Does Blackfan Circle Innovations have a therapeutic area of interest?
A: No – We welcome applications from all therapeutic areas.
Q: How many calls for proposal are there in a year?
A: Blackfan Circle Innovations plans to conduct at least one RFP cycle per calendar year. Please contact the Technology and Innovation Development Office at Boston Children’s Hospital to learn about submitting a proposal off cycle.
Q: Are there limits on how many times a submission can be re-submitted?
A: No – Re-submissions may be made for all projects based on the constructive feedback provided by the Blackfan Circle Innovations Scientific Collaboration Director and the JSC.
Q: Why am I being asked to answer questions regarding publications, patents, and the sources of funding in the attestations section of the application?
A: These questions are designed to assist Blackfan Circle Innovations in evaluating whether your application can be reviewed by non-U.S. citizens in compliance with the applicable export laws and regulations. Your answers to these questions will not affect your funding eligibility.
