PAR-01-118: NINDS CLINICAL TRIAL PLANNING GRANT

Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)

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This Program Announcement expires on July 31, 2004, unless reissued. NINDS CLINICAL TRIAL PLANNING GRANT Release Date: July 25, 2001 (see replacement PAR-03-051) PA NUMBER: PAR-01-118 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke THIS PAR USES "MODULAR GRANT" AND "JUST-IN-TIME" CONCEPTS. MODULAR INSTRUCTIONS MUST BE USED FOR RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATIONS UP TO $250,000 PER YEAR. MODULAR BUDGET INSTRUCTIONS ARE PROVIDED IN SECTION C OF THE PHS 398 (REVISION 5/2001) AVAILABLE AT http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html. PURPOSE The NINDS seeks to fund high quality clinical trials to evaluate treatments for neurological disorders. The NINDS Clinical Trial Planning Grant allows for early peer review of the rationale and design for clinical trials of treatments for neurological disorders and provides support for the development of a detailed clinical trial research plan, including a complete manual of operations and procedures. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES The NINDS encourages clinical research to evaluate interventions to treat and prevent neurological disease. The NINDS has established the Clinical Trial Planning Grant because extensive efforts are required to develop a detailed study protocol and to organize an effective research group. After the basic design and rationale for a neurological treatment trial has been reviewed, the NINDS Clinical Trial Planning Grant supports the development of specific elements which will be essential to conducting a successful full-scale clinical trial, including adequate plans for recruitment of patients, experimental design and protocols, data management, analytical techniques, facilities, administrative procedures, and collaborative arrangements. Detailed information regarding the rationale of the clinical trial, based on adequate, preclinical science and preliminary clinical research, must be developed prior to submission and included in the application for a Clinical Trial Planning Grant. The purpose of the planning grant is not to obtain preliminary data or to conduct studies to support the rationale for the clinical trial. The expected product of the planning grant is a detailed clinical trial research plan including a complete manual of operations and procedures. Included in the planning grant application must be an outline of the projected direct cost of the phase III clinical trial that would follow on the planning phase study. This estimate, broken down by year, should be included in the research plan of the application. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT The mechanism of support will be the Developmental Planning Grant (R21), which will provide up to $150,000 in direct costs for a single year. The award cannot be renewed. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign for-profit and non- profit organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of State and local governments; and eligible agencies of the Federal government. Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply as principal investigators. INQUIRIES Inquiries concerning this PAR are encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome. Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to: John R. Marler, M.D. Associate Director for Clinical Trials National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 6001 Executive Blvd., Room 2216 Bethesda, MD 20892-9520 Telephone: (301) 496-9135 Fax: (301) 480-1080 Email: jm137f@nih.gov Barbara Radziszewska, Ph.D., M.P.H. Clinical Research Project Manager National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 6001 Executive Blvd., Room 2216 Bethesda, MD 20892-9520 Telephone: (301) 496-2076 Fax: (301) 480-1080 Email: br94h@nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding review issues to: Lillian Pubols, Ph.D. Chief, Scientific Review Branch NSC/NINDS/NIH 6001 Executive Boulevard Bethesda, MD 20892-9529 Telephone: (301) 496-5324 Fax: (301) 402-0182 E-mail: lp28e@nih.gov Katherine Woodbury Harris, Ph.D. SRA, Scientific Review Branch NSC/NINDS/NIH 6001 Executive Boulevard Bethesda, MD 20892-9529 Telephone: (301) 496-5980 Fax: (301) 402-0182 E-mail: kw47o@nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Gladys Melendez-Bohler Senior Grants Management Specialist NIH/NINDS/GMB/Suite 3290 6001 Executive Blvd. Rockville, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-9231 Fax: (301) 402-0219 Email: bohlerg@ninds.nih.gov APPLICATION PROCEDURES The PHS 398 research grant application instructions and forms (rev. 5/2001) at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html are to be used in applying for these grants and will be accepted at the standard application deadlines (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/dates.htm) as indicated in the application kit. This version of the PHS 398 is available in an interactive, searchable PDF format. Although applicants are encouraged to begin using the 5/2001 revision of the PHS 398 as soon as possible, the NIH will continue to accept applications prepared using the 4/1998 revision until January 9, 2002. Beginning January 10, 2002, however, the NIH will return applications that are not submitted on the 5/2001 version. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone 301/710-0267, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov. Applicants planning to submit an investigator-initiated new (type 1), competing continuation (type 2), competing supplement, or any amended/revised version of the preceding grant application types requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs for any year are advised that he or she must contact the Institute or Center (IC) program staff before submitting the application, i.e., as plans for the study are being developed. Furthermore, the application must obtain agreement from the IC staff that the IC will accept the application for consideration for award. Finally, the applicant must identify, in a cover letter sent with the application, the staff member and Institute or Center who agreed to accept assignment of the application. This policy requires an applicant to obtain agreement for acceptance of the original application as well as any subsequent revisions. Refer to the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, March 20, 1998 at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-030.html. SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR MODULAR GRANT APPLICATIONS The modular grant concept establishes specific modules in which direct costs may be requested as well as a maximum level for requested budgets. Only limited budgetary information is required under this approach. The just-in-time concept allows applicants to submit certain information only when there is a possibility for an award. It is anticipated that these changes will reduce the administrative burden for the applicants, reviewers and NIH staff. The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/2001) at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html is to be used in applying for these grants, with modular budget instructions provided in Section C of the application instructions. Applicants are permitted, however, to use the 4/1998 revision of the PHS 398 for scheduled application receipt dates until January 9, 2002. If you are preparing an application using the 4/1998 version, please refer to the step-by-step instructions for Modular Grants available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm. Additional information about Modular Grants is also available on this site. The title and number of the program announcement must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the Checklist, and three signed photocopies in one package to: Center for Scientific Review National Institutes of Health 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040 - MSC 7710 Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express mail or courier service) In order to facilitate the review of applications assigned to the NINDS, the applicant should, at the same time, mail or deliver two copies of the application to: Dr. Lillian Pubols Chief, Scientific Review Branch NINDS, NIH 6001 Executive Boulevard Bethesda, MD 20892-9529 Rockville, MD 20852 (Courier service only) EMAIL: lp28e@nih.gov Applicants from institutions that have a General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) funded by the NIH National Center for Research Resources may wish to identify the GCRC as a resource for conducting the proposed research. If so, a letter of agreement from either the GCRC Program Director or Principal Investigator should be included with the application. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the CSR and responsiveness by the NINDS. Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. Applications that are complete and responsive to the PAR will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened by the NINDS in accordance with the review criteria stated below. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written critique and undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of the applications under review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second level review by the NINDS National Advisory Council. Review Criteria (1) Rationale. Is there adequate information to determine the significance and need to perform a future full-scale randomized clinical trial (RCT)? Are adequate reasons presented for selection of intervention and mode of delivery, and for selecting particular doses or procedures? Is there adequate information provided regarding the biological mechanisms and clinical data that support conducting an RCT? Did the applicant present a compelling case for a need to proceed with an RCT as soon as possible? Did the applicant adequately explain the impact of the future RCT on health care? Was there adequate discussion included of advantages and disadvantages of competitive therapies? Is the discussion of the ethical issues surrounding an RCT and the disease under study complete and thorough, and are there adequate safeguards in place to protect the welfare of human subjects? (2) Experimental Design. Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed and appropriate for the aim of the future RCT? In evaluating the experimental design, the reviewers will consider the adequacy of the following: translation of the clinical question into a statistical hypothesis; sample size and duration of the RCT; selection of endpoint(s) and data to be collected; randomization and masking; and inclusion/exclusion criteria; strengths and weaknesses of the proposed methods, and possible alternatives; ancillary therapies; capability to develop methods for standardization of procedures for data management and quality control. (3) Plans to Address Patient Recruitment/Retention. Are there adequate plans for documenting the availability of the requisite eligible patient pool and for including women, children, and minority individuals, (as appropriate) as trial participants? Has the applicant provided adequate plans for recruitment outreach, as appropriate, and for follow-up procedures to ensure collection of data at stated intervals? (4) Investigators. Is there a clear statement of the leadership and proposed organization of the RCT, including: identification of a principal investigator, and for multi-center trials, a core of potential center investigators? Is there evidence of professional training and experience of the RCT organizers in such areas as the clinical problem under study, administration of complex projects, and study design? Are there plans for inclusion of statisticians, data managers and study coordinators? Has the applicant developed plans to add or drop centers? Are there adequate plans for essential committee structure, i.e., Planning, Steering, and Executive committees? AWARD CRITERIA Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications. The following will be considered in making funding decisions: Quality of the proposed project as determined by peer review, availability of funds, program priority, and program balance. INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their sub-populations must be included in all NIH-supported biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification are provided indicating that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This policy results from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43). All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the UPDATED "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research," published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts on August 2, 2000 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-048.html); a complete copy of the updated Guidelines are available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_update.htm: The revisions relate to NIH defined Phase III clinical trials and require: a) all applications or proposals and/or protocols to provide a description of plans to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable; and b) all investigators to report accrual, and to conduct and report analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group differences. INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS It is the policy of NIH that children (i.e., individuals under the age of 21) must be included in all human subjects research, conducted or supported by the NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical reasons not to include them. This policy applies to all initial (Type 1) applications submitted for receipt dates after October 1, 1998. All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Policy and Guidelines on the Inclusion of Children as Participants in Research Involving Human Subjects" that was published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, March 6, 1998, and is available at the following URL address: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-024.html Investigators also may obtain copies of these policies from the program staff listed under INQUIRIES. Program staff may also provide additional relevant information concerning the policy. URLs IN NIH GRANT APPLICATIONS OR APPENDICES All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations. Unless otherwise specified in a NIH solicitation, Internet addresses (URLs) should not be used to provide information necessary to the review because reviewers are under no obligation to view the Internet sites. Reviewers are cautioned that their anonymity may be compromised when they directly access an Internet site. REQUIRED EDUCATION ON THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECT PARTICIPANTS NIH policy requires education on the protection of human subject participants for all investigators submitting NIH proposals for research involving human subjects. This policy announcement is found in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts Announcement dated June 5, 2000, at the following website: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html. PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA THROUGH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 has been revised to provide public access to research data through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) under some circumstances. Data that are (1) first produced in a project that is supported in whole or in part with Federal funds and (2) cited publicly and officially by a Federal agency in support of an action that has the force and effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be accessed through FOIA. It is important for applicants to understand the basic scope of this amendment. NIH has provided guidance at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm Applicants may wish to place data collected under this RFA (PA) in a public archive, which can provide protections for the data and manage the distribution for an indefinite period of time. If so, the application should include a description of the archiving plan in the study design and include information about this in the budget justification section of the application. In addition, applicants should think about how to structure informed consent statements and other human subjects procedures given the potential for wider use of data collected under this award. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This PA, NINDS CLINICAL TRIAL PLANNING GRANT , is related to the priority area of chronic and disabling conditions. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople/. AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.853. Awards are made under authorization of sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and administered under NIH grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.

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