Life Sciences Discovery Fund announces $750k in proof of concept grants

The Life Sciences Discovery Fund announced nearly $750,000 in Proof of Concept grants to Washington state for-profit and non-profit organizations, looking to promote translation of health related technologies from the lab to the marketplace. In addition, an existing grant was expanded by $56,000 to increase the commercial potential of a drug to protect hearing in patients taking certain antibiotics.

The awards will advance the development of products to improve lupus treatment, permit at-home monitoring of lung function for individuals with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other conditions. In addition, the funding will also support validation of novel cell separations technology for cancer immunotherapy and other medical and research applications.

LSDF executive director said “We are excited to make additional investments in the areas of autoimmune disorders and cancer and to expand our grant-making reach into lung disease management.” Board chair Carol Dahl agreed, adding that “LSDF is pleased to support the burgeoning field of mobile health technology, which represents a powerful tool for improving overall quality and cost-effectiveness of our health-care system.”

The LSDF is now accepting pre-proposals from Washington for-profit and non-profit organizations for the 2014-2015 Matching and Proof of Concept granting programs. The next pre-proposal submission deadline for both programs is January 7, 2015. For additional details, visit http://www.lsdfa.org or email programs@lsdfa.org.