Application Process
Review Process
Support
Collaborate
Application Process
Submit Your Lead
Please use submission tool to submit your data. All fields must be filled out. Otherwise the submission cannot be processed.
The submission is non-confidential and should include information on the lead properties, including such biological data as target and affinities (IC50, Ki, etc.). For intellectual property (IP) reasons, please do NOT reveal the chemical structure, even if the structure has already been published.
After you have submitted your proposal, you will receive a confirmation of receipt by email containing a registration number, which should be used in all further communication.
Proposals can only be submitted via the submission form. The submission deadline is March 31st, 2017.The next submission period will begin in July 2015.
Review Process
Assessment by Bayer Scientists
Your submission will be reviewed by senior scientists at Bayer. In the following we provide an overview of the major criteria for our decision. Nevertheless, the decision is entirely at our discretion without any obligation to justify it or to give reasons.
In evaluating your submission, we will consider the following:
1. Molecular descriptors
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2. Biological activity
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3. Patent protection and third-party rights
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Support
Lead Assessment Grant 5000 €
If our assessment of your submission is positive, we will want to find out more about your lead and award you a support grant of 5000€.
Option 1
Bayer evaluates compounds in assays under a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA)
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Option 2
Bayer evaluates biological data on compounds under a Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA)
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Collaborate
Collaboration
If we are convinced by the data generated under an MTA or assessed under a CDA, we would be interested in a collaboration with you to leverage the potential of the lead by means of broader in vitro and in vivo characterization. At this point in time, we will propose a process by which you would reveal the chemical structure to us.
Depending on chemical matter, we will consider a collaboration under a lead exploration program, which could include further financial support for you and your lead. This would entail negotiating a contract reflecting the interests of all parties involved.
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply?
Researchers from universities, other academic research institutes, and start-up companies from all over the world are invited to apply.
Will the information provided be considered confidential?
No, the information provided will not be considered confidential. We will use the information provided in the submission form for an initial evaluation. Before asking for confidential data we will agree a Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA) with you.
Who will review the proposals?
The proposals will be reviewed by experienced scientists at Bayer.
Can I submit a proposal on behalf of a group?
Yes, you can submit a proposal on behalf of a group. However, please name your collaborators/coworkers in the respective field. When concluding a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) or a Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA) you should be aware of the ownership of your lead; signatures of representatives of your institution/organization might be needed during the assessment period.
Molecular descriptors:
At the non-confidential level we will determine our interest in your asset based on molecular descriptors without structural information. Descriptors – such as molecular weight, H bond donor/acceptor count, lipophilicity – help us gauge the compound’s suitability or liability in terms of drug-likeness.
When reviewing your submission we do not use drug-likeness rules as strict cut-off criteria, but see them as risk alerts that must be taken into account in future optimization strategies.
Biological activity:
The target addressed by the lead and the lead’s potency against this target is a very important piece of information. Our primary interest lies with compounds addressing targets or pathways in the fields of animal health.
Patent protection and third-party rights:
Patent protection of your lead: in view of a potential patent protection of your lead or analogs it is important to know, whether (1) the structure of your lead compound has already been published by you or others, (2) your lead compound has already been claimed in a published/ unpublished patent application.
The proper exchange of material under a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) or of information under a Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA) in Step 3 of the G4L process is also influenced by question whether the structure of your lead compound is publically available or not.
Third-party patent rights: to evaluate the scope of a potential support grant or a future collaboration it is necessary to know whether third-party rights are involved.
Option 1:
Bayer evaluates compounds in assays under a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA)
We are interested in assessing your lead using our own assays and models and propose a Material Transfer Agreement. The MTA stipulates that material
- shall be provided by you to Bayer solely to enable Bayer to evaluate its interest in entering into a cooperation agreement;
- shall be used by Bayer solely for investigational purposes;
- shall be held in strict confidence and under restricted access.
At this point we have still not asked you to reveal the molecular structure of your lead.
Option 2:
Bayer evaluates biological data on compounds under a Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA)
We might not have appropriate in-house assays to evaluate your compound, but would like to see more of your data on its biological activity. We therefore propose a Confidential Disclosure Agreement excluding the chemical structure to continue our discussion. Briefly, the CDA stipulates that your information
- shall be disclosed to us solely to enable Bayer to evaluate its interest in entering into a cooperation agreement;
- shall be kept strictly confidential by Bayer;
- shall be returned to you at your request.
