Daiichi Sankyo and BASF have recently launched new industry opportunities on Halo related to healthcare. Please find all the information and the call for proposals below:

BASF: Enhancing single-copy T-DNA plant transformation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens
BASF is looking to develop a protocol that improves the efficiency of Agrobacterium transformations, generating high proportions of transgenic plants with intact, single copy T-DNA insertions through tissue culture regeneration. They are open to solutions that have a technology readiness level of 1-5. The deadline to apply is November 30th. You can read more about the project call here.

Daiichi Sankyo: Gene therapy for normalizing repeat sequences in repeat expansion disorders
Daiichi Sankyo is looking for novel gene therapeutic technologies to selectively normalize or reduce the expression of abnormal repeat expansions. This includes approaches that utilize Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV)-derived nucleic acids, proteins (peptides), and regulatory factors to inhibit transcription or promote the degradation of repeat sequences. Additionally, they are interested in AAV-derived genome editing technologies that have unique features regarding editing efficiency, versatility, and safety for normalizing repeat sequences. Up to $100,000 USD in funding is available for a 12 month project with the potential for follow-on funding. The deadline to apply is November 30th. You can read more about the project call here.

Daiichi Sankyo: Gene therapy for chromosomal abnormalities
Daiichi Sankyo is looking for innovative research projects that can evaluate the efficacy of gene therapies targeting specific genes in chromosomal abnormalities. Their primary interest is in research focused on Down syndrome (trisomy 21), but other conditions such as trisomy 13, trisomy 18, as well as 5p- and 4p- syndromes are also within the scope. They are also interested in research focused on identifying key target genes involved in these abnormalities. Up to $100,000 USD in funding is available for a 12 month project with the potential for follow-on funding. The deadline to apply is November 30th. You can read more about the project call here.

Daiichi Sankyo: Exploratory research for novel gene therapy targets
Daiichi Sankyo is looking for innovative research projects that can identify and explore novel targets for gene therapy, particularly in CNS (central nervous system) and CVM (cardiovascular and metabolism) related diseases. They are interested in proposals that explore therapeutic effects through gene supplementation, knockdown, or a combination of both. The targets should be delivered by Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) to the relevant tissues and cell types and should be distinguishable from existing therapies. Up to $100,000 USD in funding is available for a 12 month project with the potential for follow-on funding. The deadline to apply is November 30th. You can read more about the project call here.