The NCI Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network (CITN) Seeks Member Clinical Sites


Notice Number: NOT-CA-10-034

Key Dates

Release Date: September 24, 2010
Letters of Intent due: 10/15/10
Deadline for Membership Requests: 11/15/2010
Identification of Member Sites: 12/31/2010
Date for Support: 1/1/2011 to 9/31/2015

Related Notices

RFA-CA-10-007

Issued by

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Purpose

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) announces the activation of a new initiative, Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network (CITN). As a main component of the CITN, the Central Operations and Statistical Center (COSC) has been created recently as a result of RFA-CA-10-007 (U01 CA154967-01, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, M.A. Cheever, PI). As announced earlier in RFA-CA-10-007, to complete the formation of the Network, the COSC awardee is now seeking institutions interested in serving as clinical sites for the CITN. The CITN expects to grant Member Site status to up to 25 institutions.

Candidates for Member Site status will be evaluated by a panel of experts organized by the NCI/CTEP in consultation with the COSC awardee. The selected institutions will be supported (based on patient per capita cost reimbursement) through the U01 COSC award as consortium-subcontractual sites. The COSC awardee institution may also serve as one Member Site. On behalf of CITN, the NCI will coordinate the process of Member Site selection.

The NCI and CITN expect that Member Sites will be capable of participating in a significant proportion of the clinical trials to be activated through the CITN. Collectively, these Member Sites are expected to bring new combinations of immunotherapy agents to the clinic. Member Sites will be chosen based on their past experience in leading or participating in Phase I and II immunotherapy trials, capability to report clinical trials data in a timely manner to the CITN management structure, as well as contribute to the scientific leadership of the CITN. Although optional, capabilities to conduct standardized immunomonitoring assays and biomarker and correlative studies from patient samples associated with the clinical trials will be also be considered.

Details on Requesting CITN Member Site Status:

For details on the form and content of the membership requests, required documentation, and the selection process, investigators should visit the NCI CTEP website (http://ctep.info.nih.gov/).

Note that the NCI must receive the complete membership request package not later than November 15, 2010. Letters of Intent to participate should be received by October 15, 2010.

Inquiries

General inquiries concerning the CITN program and the application for Member Site status should be directed to:

William D. Merritt, Ph.D.
Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis
Cancer Therapy and Evaluation Program
National Cancer Institute
6130 Executive Boulevard, EPN Room 7014, MSC 7436
Bethesda, MD 20892-7436 (for U.S. Postal Service Express or regular mail)
Rockville, MD 20852 (for non-USPS delivery)
Telephone: (301) 496-8866
Fax: (301) 480-4663
E-mail: merrittw@mail.nih.gov

Inquiries regarding administrative and fiscal matters should be directed to:

Shane Woodward
Office of Grants Administration
National Cancer Institute
Telephone: 301-846-1017
E-mail: woodwars@mail.nih.gov