SBIR Tech Transfer

Goal: To help move commercially-viable technologies from the NIH Intramural Program to the marketplace.

• Funding Opportunity Announcement: PA-18-705 – SBIR Technology Transfer
• Coupling technology transfer partnering mechanisms with SBIR funding to move inventions from intramural research to market
• Collaboration agreements and licensing permit co-development with NIH researcher.
• An SBIR-TT Phase I awardee will be granted a royalty-free, non-exclusive internal-use license to use NIH-owned and patented background inventions within the scope and term of the award.
• Upon notification that Phase I grant will be awarded, the company should apply for an internal use license so that it can be granted when the award is made.
• A commercialization license is required in order to accept an SBIR-TT Phase II grant. This can be a Start-Up License depending on the chosen invention. Upon receiving an SBIR-TT Phase I grant, the awardee should apply to the NCI TTC for a commercialization license to make, use, and sell products or services incorporating the NIH background invention.
• The SBIR-TT grantee works closely with the NCI PI as defined in the SBIR application. 
• As part of the SBIR-TT project, an NIH intramural investigator may provide assistance in a collaborative manner by providing technology, reagents and/or discussions during the SBIR award period.
• No SBIR funds are allowed to go to the NIH intramural investigator or to the NIH intramural program.
• R43/44 & R41/42 – Clinical Trial Not Allowed.
• Application Receipt Dates: September 5, 2018; January 5, 2019; April 5, 2019.
• Budget: Phase I $300,000 for 12 months; Phase II $2M for 2 years; Fast-Track accepted.
• NCI strongly recommends companies contact NCI SBIR-TT representatives (see below) prior to starting the grant application. 
  • NCI TTC will facilitate confidential discussions with the NCI researcher prior to developing a research plan. 

How Much Does It Cost?

• Most collaborations involve in-kind exchange of funds
• Each party responsible for its own costs
• CRADAs permit NCI to receive funds only to offset our costs for CRADA research
• NCI cannot receive funding provided to the Collaborator from an NCI grant or contract – including SBIR
• NCI cannot provide funding to SBC under any of the TT agreements

Collaborating with NCI intramural research via SBIR-TT Grants

• NIH labs can co-develop under several different formats, depending on the need
• Company can exchange IP with the NCI researcher (CDA invoked)
• Company can utilize fixed asset resources at NCI and an FFRDC such sd the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in Frederick, MD
• Company cannot rely on the NCI lab to perform the majority of the effort being proposed for the SBIR contract
• Company cannot fund CRADA work in NCI lab using SBIR funds, however local, state, other federal, private, or investor funds can be used if accounted for.

NCI SBIR-TT Points of Contact:

Christie Canaria, Ph.D.
Program Director
NCI SBIR Program Office

John D. Hewes, Ph.D.
Senior Invention Development Specialist
NCI Technology Transfer Center