EUREKA CH-NL Call: Cell and Gene Therapy Towards Clinical Practice

EUREKA is an international co-operation programme supporting collaborative market oriented research and development projects that develop innovative products, processes and services. It is a decentralised network facilitating the coordination of national funding on R&D&I, the driving force of innovation in Europe for almost 40 years. Switzerland and the Netherlands collaborate continuously among the over 45 EUREKA member states and support all innovation topics with suitable EUREKA instruments (EUREKA Network-, EUREKA Cluster- and Eurostars projects). 

Switzerland and the Netherlands are jointly announcing a bilateral call for project proposals. The call is managed in line with the EUREKA initiative by the national EUREKA offices Innosuisse and Netherlands Enterprise Agency, in cooperation with the Federal Office of Public Health (Switzerland) and the Dutch Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (Health~Holland). 

The present call for project proposals is connected to the Dutch-Swiss long-term strategies in health and care laid down in The Federal Council’s health policy strategy 2020–2030 and the Biomedical research and technology masterplan 2022-2026 in Switzerland, and the Dutch Knowledge & Innovation Agenda (KIA) on Health and Care 2024-2027 and ambitions of expertise centre Future Affordable and Sustainable Therapy development (FAST) in the Netherlands. 

Switzerland and the Netherlands strive for a small number of complementary and high-impact R&D projects. Therefore, both countries encourage and support the forming of appropriate interdisciplinary public-private consortia including key stakeholders and specialised organisations and the proper experimental contexts in both countries. 

Scope 

The call aims to promote knowledge sharing and allows for rapid technological advances in gene and cell therapy and new approaches in stakeholder engagement. Projects should, where applicable, bring together a broad range of healthcare stakeholders — including manufacturers, academia, payers, providers, and patient advocacy groups — to facilitate innovative solutions and mitigate the fragmentation of gene and cell therapy research efforts. 

The primary focus of this call will be on stimulating public-private partnerships in translational research and clinical development of cell and gene therapies. The emphasis is on making these therapies not only clinically effective but also sustainable and affordable. Recognizing the industry-wide challenge of reducing regulatory obstacles, the goal is to expedite the process of cell and gene therapy development, ensuring faster, sustainable, and cost-effective therapies reach the market. 

Application

  • Call opening on 12 February 2024 
  • Online matchmaking platform opens on 12 February 2024 
  • Online information webinar 22 February 2024 (12:00-13:00 CET) 
  • Visit of Swiss Biotech Day, Seminar & Matchmaking Event 22-25 April 2024 
  • Submission Project Outline by 5 June 2024 
  • Recommendations sent to applicants by mid-June 2024 
  • Submission of Full project proposal by 25 September 2024 
  • Funding decisions communicated November 2024 
  • Project start at latest by 1 March 2025 

Financing 

Funding support to approved full project applications will be given to each partner by its own national funding organization in accordance with the national laws, rules, regulations and procedures in effect. 

  • In the Netherlands, Health~Holland has allocated a budget of € 2.000.000. 
  • In Switzerland, Innosuisse has allocated a budget of € 2.000.000 

For more information about the call, see the documents below or go to the RVO website. Click on the button below to register for the call.

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