COCKPI-T | Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Co-Create Knowledge for Pharma Innovation with Takeda (COCKPI-T®) Funding
Updated on 31st July 2024 Application has been closed.
Background
Under our purpose "Better Health for People, Brighter Future for the World", Takeda actively engages in diverse open innovation initiatives. As one of the key pillars of such activities, we launched an open innovation platform called COCKPI-T® in Japan in 2015, in which Takeda solicits proposals addressing breakthrough science with relevance to Takeda’s R&D, and provides awarded projects with 1-year funding and the opportunity to work closely with its drug discovery experts, to help external investigators build robust preliminary proof of concept (PoC). Our aspiration is to catalyze the translation of early-stage research into innovative therapeutics or drug discovery platforms, with the ultimate aim to strengthen Takeda’s early pipeline.
We are now pleased to announce Call for Proposals for COCKPI-T® Funding for the Year 2024, and look forward to receiving applications to join forces with external investigators and together explore therapeutic solutions of the next generation.
Outline
Areas of Interest
Takeda invites proposals addressing novel therapeutic concepts/targets or emerging technological platforms. Further details can be found at our Areas of Interest page.
#1
Innovative therapeutic approaches to the below-listed diseases in neuroscience area, including but not limited to
- Novel drug targets or patient stratification/treatment-prediction biomarkers
- Generation of hit or lead compounds with pharmacological data based on an innovative drug discovery approach and/or mechanism (with a preference for those supported by in vivo data)
- In vitro/in vivo small molecule imaging probes for disease diagnosis and patient stratification
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Frontotemporal lobar degeneration
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple system atrophy
- Cerebral amyloid angiopathy
- Huntington’s disease
- Ataxias
- Myotonic dystrophy type 1
- Duchenne muscular dystrophy
- Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A
- Myasthenia gravis
- Sarcopenia
- Epilepsy
- Repeat expansion diseases other than those listed above
#2
Proposals addressing novel disease mechanisms that will enable highly innovative therapeutic approaches or reclassification of CNS diseases, based on human pathophysiology or physiology
Approaches of high novelty such as those addressing
- Neuropathy due to autoantibodies or autoimmunity
- Waste clearance from the brain
- Blood-brain barrier integrity
- Organelle homeostasis
- DNA damage
- RNA dysregulation
- Resistance/protective factors against diseases (i.e. resilience)
- Liquid‒liquid phase separation
- Aberrancy in glial cells
The following diseases are out of focus:
Multiple sclerosis, Acute ischemic stroke, Acute phase of traumatic brain injury, Cerebral thrombosis, Cerebral hemorrhage, Spinal cord injury, Pain, Neuromyelitis Optica
#3
Novel platform technologies to accelerate nucleic acids and small molecule drug discovery within neuroscience area
- Development and validation of novel platform technologies on nucleic acid medicines
- Novel approaches to improve efficacy, selectivity, toxicity profile and/or durability of nucleic acid medicine (e.g., new nucleotide modifications, new nucleotide constructs, etc.)
- DDS (drug delivery system) technologies for tissue-selective transportation of nucleic acid medicines (e.g., technologies to improve blood-brain barrier/blood-nerve barrier penetration, intrathecal delivery technology to the deep brain, de-targeting specific organ distribution, and devices that enhance drug delivery)
- Technologies for predicting in vivo PK/PD of nucleic acid medicines
- Development and validation of novel platform technologies on synthetic chemistry
- Innovative synthetic chemistry technologies (e.g., practical chemical reactions with high selectivity and yield (e.g., photo-redox reaction, electrochemical reaction, flow reaction, etc.), bio-orthogonal chemical reactions, and new conjugation technologies, etc.)
- Versatile technologies to improve physicochemical properties, such as solubility, of therapeutic compounds (Co-crystal, host-guest complex, etc.)
- Applications of AI (artificial intelligence), ML (machine learning), molecular simulation, and automation technology in drug discovery
- Optimization of chemical reactions, synthetic route and scale-up synthesis
- Methodologies for predicting pharmacological activity and potential side effects of the compounds, and methodologies for identification of novel MoA (mode of action)
- Technologies for virtual/in silico target screening
- Discovery of novel biomarkers with high translational confidence
#4
Disease Areas
- Solid tumors (with focus in Lung and GI cancers)
- Hematologic malignancies (with focus in AML)
Topics of Interest (Research associated with the above disease areas will be prioritized)
- Data-driven novel target identification through cutting-edge platforms utilizing human cells or patient-derived samples (e.g., single-cell/spatial omics, CRISPR screen, and data integration via AI/ML pipeline)
- Novel therapeutic approaches to modulate tumor microenvironment via targeting tumor-intrinsic pathways, stromal cells, adaptive/innate immune cells, etc.
- Enabling technologies for innate immune cell therapies and cell engagers
- Drug delivery systems for selective tumor or immune/stromal cell targeting (preferably addressing challenges associated with selectivity/safety/immunogenicity)
- Clinically translatable animal models or human in vitro/ex-vivo assay systems that reflect tumor microenvironment of patients (e.g., humanized models, organoids)
Proposal Content
- Ideal proposals should address novel therapeutic targets/concepts or innovative platform technologies within Takeda’s Areas of Interest, based on any non-confidential preliminary data produced by the applicant as well as publicly available data/information
- The rationale for competitive advantage of the proposed research over existing therapeutics or technologies, as well as timelines within the 1-year project term, should be clearly stated
Eligible to Apply
- Any researcher affiliated with a university, research institute or company located in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand
- Not a recipient of any other private funding which has conflicts with the terms and conditions of COCKPI-T® Funding (Please see below to check the basic terms and conditions)
Selection Process
- Submission of non-confidential proposal: 3 Jun to 17:00 JST on 30 Jul 2024 A proposal is to be prepared by the applicant using the designated Proposal Sheet (max. four pages), based on non-confidential information. The applicant may discuss the application with his/her university administrative staff while he/she is preparing the submission.
- First selection based on the proposal: to 10 Sep 2024 Submitted proposals will be reviewed by Takeda and/or Takeda’s affiliate researchers in the relevant research field and will be shortlisted based on strategic fit, innovation and potential contribution to therapeutic research.
- Interview (video-conference): to Mid Oct 2024 Following execution of a non-disclosure agreement as needed, an opportunity for a direct scientific discussion between the applicant and Takeda researchers will be set up. The interview will be held either in person, or most probably by video-conference. The COCKPI-T® Funding winners will be subsequently selected based on the result of the interview within several weeks.
- Final selection for COCKPI-T® Funding winners: 29 Oct 2024 The final winners’ ("Principal Investigators") institution ("Institution") will receive the COCKPI-T® Funding contract template from Takeda. It will take a few months to finalize the contract. The project will be initiated after contract execution.
Research Term
Approximately one year from contract execution
Research Fund*
Up to JPY13M or equivalent amount (including taxes and indirect costs) *Takeda decides the amount based on the research plan
How to Apply
Follow the procedure below to make an application.
- Download the Proposal Sheet below, and complete the application based on non-confidential information.
- Click "Submit to COCKPI-T® Funding". To proceed with the submission, you must agree with the Terms and Conditions that will be presented to you. Once you have agreed with them, click “I ACCEPT”.
- Complete the Application Form with your Proposal Sheet prepared at Step1, then click "SUBMIT". After submission, your browser will show “Submission Completed” screen and you will receive a confirmation email.
File Format: docx, doc File Size: up to 5MB
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (“Takeda”) and its affiliates shall have no obligations, including confidentiality and non-use obligations, on information disclosed or received from an applicant (“Applicant”) in relation to an application to COCKPI-T® Funding (“Information”).
- Takeda or its affiliates may use (including maintain, copy/reproduce, disclose or provide to any third parties, disposal, hereinafter collectively “Use”) the Information for COCKPI-T® Funding and shall not Use for any other purposes, without obtaining the Applicant’s consent.
- The Applicant hereby represents and warrants that (i) it has the right and authorization to apply to the COCKPI-T® Funding and to accept these terms and conditions for application to COCKPI-T® Funding (“Terms and Conditions”), and (ii) Applicant’s disclosure and provisions of the Information to Takeda, and Takeda and its affiliate’s Use of the Information shall not infringe any intellectual property rights and any other rights of any third parties, including Applicant’s current or former employers, such as universities or any other public research institutes.
- The Applicant hereby represents and warrants that, to the Applicant’s knowledge at the time of the Applicant’s disclosure and provision of the Information to Takeda, (i) the Information correctly reflects relevant facts, and (ii) there are no false or error in and to the Information.
- The Applicant agrees that (i) Takeda conducts selection of COCKPI-T® Funding, at its sole discretion, and (ii) Takeda will notify the Applicant by e-mail (a) of the result of the first selection until 10 Sep 2024, and (b) of the result of the second selection until 29 Oct 2024.
- The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that (i) his or her application to COCKPI-T® Funding will be made at his or her own discretion, and (ii) Takeda shall not be responsible for any damage or disadvantage incurred to the Applicant in relation to the application.
- Takeda and its affiliates agrees (i) to comply with relevant laws and regulations regarding protection of personal information and (ii) to use personal information received from the Applicant in relation to the application to COCKPI-T® Funding, such as Applicant’s name and address, solely for COCKPI-T® Funding and/or collaboration with Takeda or its affiliates in relation thereto.
- The Applicant agrees that (i) any and all communication regarding COCKPI-T® Funding shall be made to Takeda’s COCKPI-T® Funding Office (COCKPI-T@takeda.com) and (ii) unless otherwise designated by Takeda, the Applicant shall not directly contact via Takeda’s other e-mail address, telephone, and personnel.
- The Terms and Conditions contain the entire agreement between the Applicant and Takeda with respect to COCKPI-T® Funding, and supersede all prior written or oral agreements and understandings between the Applicant and Takeda thereto. The Terms and Conditions may not be amended, nor binding to the Applicant and Takeda, unless such modifications shall be in writing and signed by Takeda.
Basic Terms and Conditions in COCKPI-T® Funding Research
- Research Term: approximately one year after contract execution
- Funding for the Research Program: Takeda pays Institution a grant of up to JPY13M or equivalent amount according to the research plan, to support COCKPI-T® Funding research in whole or in part. Institution shall use, or have Principal Investigator (COCKPI-T® Funding winner) use, the funding solely for the COCKPI-T® Funding research (wages, supplies, operating expenses and other expenses as agreed).
- Progress Meeting: Takeda may request progress meetings with the Principal Investigator through a site-visit or teleconference on a quarterly basis. Upon completion of the project, the Principal Investigator must submit to Takeda a comprehensive final report within thirty (30) days, which includes all of the results of COCKPI-T® Funding research and an expense summary.
- Research Results: All research results generated in the course of COCKPI-T® Funding belong to the Institution. In case execution of COCKPI-T® Funding research was significantly dependent on Takeda’s contribution, Takeda may propose other conditions regarding the intellectual property.
- First Negotiation Right: Institution grants to Takeda and/or its affiliates an option to first negotiate with Institution, on an exclusive basis, for an exclusive, worldwide right and license of the research results whether patentable or not and/or the option for further research collaboration pertaining to COCKPI-T® Funding research results.
- Use of the Research Results: Takeda is free to use all the COCKPI-T® Funding research results for the purpose of Takeda's research and development without payment of additional compensation. (For the avoidance of doubt, Takeda is not allowed to use any other research results outside of the COCKPI-T® Funding research produced by the Institution even if the research results are related to the COCKPI-T® Funding research)
CONTACT
Please contact the COCKPI-T® Funding Office for further information.
E-mail：COCKPI-T@takeda.com
- Please be aware that we may not be able to respond to every inquiry.