Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network (CP-CTNet): CP-CTNet Sites (UG1 Clinical Trial Required) | RFA CA 19 031

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 19 031

The Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network (CP-CTNet): CP-CTNet Sites (UG1 Clinical Trial Required) funding opportunity (RFA-CA-19-031) is a National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH cooperative agreement designed to support a network of clinical trial sites focused specifically on early phase cancer prevention research. The central purpose is to build and sustain capable, research-ready sites that can lead and carry out clinical trials aimed at preventing cancer before it develops, with an emphasis on testing preventive agents and interventions that target key molecular pathways involved in carcinogenesis.

At the core of the program is the design and execution of early phase clinical trials that examine both safety and potential cancer-preventive activity. The FOA explicitly highlights phase 0 (micro-dosing), phase I (dose-finding), and phase II (preliminary efficacy) studies. These trials can involve a range of agents and interventions, including those that act on biological molecules or processes known to play important roles in early cancer development. In practice, this means CP-CTNet sites are expected to have the expertise and infrastructure to plan trials, recruit and monitor participants, manage regulatory and safety requirements, and generate high-quality clinical and laboratory data suitable for prevention-focused decision-making.

A major scientific expectation of CP-CTNet is not simply to test whether an intervention is tolerable or promising, but to deeply characterize what it is doing biologically. The opportunity emphasizes measuring effects on the intended molecular targets and also on broader biological events associated with cancer development. Examples called out include changes in cell proliferation, apoptosis, growth factor expression, oncogene expression, and immune response. The intent is to connect these mechanistic and biomarker findings to clinical endpoints, so the trials do more than report outcomes; they also explain why an intervention may or may not be working and which biological signals track with benefit or lack of benefit.

Another key goal is to advance the science of prevention mechanisms and accelerate discovery of markers that could help predict or determine response. In other words, CP-CTNet trials are meant to generate insights that can guide next-step development, such as identifying which populations may benefit most, what dose and schedule make sense, and what biomarkers might serve as early indicators of preventive activity. This makes the program especially relevant to translational prevention research where laboratory measures, target engagement, and clinically meaningful signals are integrated within the same trial framework.

Structurally, CP-CTNet is described as having two main components. First are the CP-CTNet Sites supported under this FOA (and its predecessor RFA-CA-18-029). Second is a separate Data Management, Auditing, and Coordinating Center supported under a different solicitation (RFA-CA-18-030). The sites funded under this announcement are expected to provide scientific leadership not only in the development and conduct of early phase prevention trials, but also in aspects of data management and analysis, working within the broader network model where coordination and standardized oversight are essential.

The award mechanism is a UG1 cooperative agreement, which typically means the work is carried out with substantial programmatic involvement from NIH/NCI compared to a standard research project grant. The activity category is listed under education and health, and the associated CFDA numbers include 93.393 and 93.399. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding, and the eligible applicant pool is broad across U.S.-based organizations, including state governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and other eligible entities as permitted by the FOA. The announcement also explicitly includes certain institution types as eligible applicants, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).

Eligibility rules related to foreign participation are specific. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply as applicant organizations, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant may include certain foreign collaborations or activities if they meet NIH definitions and requirements. The FOA directs applicants to consult the full announcement for detailed eligibility conditions and any additional constraints.

From the source data provided, the FOA was created on June 28, 2019, with an original closing date of August 29, 2019. Award ceiling and expected awards fields are not specified in the excerpt, so the exact funding levels and number of awards would need to be confirmed in the full text of the announcement or related NIH/NCI materials. Overall, the opportunity is aimed at strengthening a national clinical trials network that can rapidly and rigorously evaluate promising cancer prevention strategies, while producing the mechanistic and biomarker evidence needed to understand and improve preventive interventions over time.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network (CP-CTNet): CP-CTNet Sites (UG1 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393, 93.399.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-06-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-08-29. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Others.

Apply for RFA CA 19 031

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: