Clinical Trials Activity initiative
The Clinical Trials Activity initiative helps Australian researchers and patients test new treatments through national and international clinical trials.
What is the Clinical Trials Activity initiative?
The Clinical Trials Activity initiative will invest $614.2 million over 10 years to increase clinical trial activity in Australia.
It incorporates the following Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) grant opportunities:
- Rare Cancers, Rare Diseases and Unmet Needs (formerly known as Lifting Clinical Trials and Registries Capacity)
- International Clinical Trial Collaboration
Why is the Clinical Trials Activity initiative important?
This initiative is important because it:
- gives patients across Australia more access to clinical trials
- shows which treatments and medicines work best for patients
- provides researchers with more opportunities to work with international colleagues in world-wide trials
What are the goals of the Clinical Trials Activity initiative?
This initiative aims to increase clinical trial activity in Australia, help patients access clinical trials, and enable researchers to bring international trials to Australian patients.
How will we meet these goals?
Our early funding priority areas are:
- reproductive cancers
- childhood brain cancer
- neurological disorders
- low-survival cancers and diseases
See the initiative snapshot for details of how we plan to meet these goals.
MRFF snapshot – Clinical Trials Activity
This snapshot shows this initiative at a glance. It includes budgets, early funding priorities and grant timelines, as at November 2019. Researchers and other stakeholders can use it to plan for upcoming opportunities and see how the initiative will be established, expanded and embedded over time.
Who works with us on the Clinical Trials Activity initiative?
The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) funds the initiative.
Our Health and Medical Research Office oversees this and other MRFF initiatives.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) administers this initiative.
Apply for funding
We will list grants on GrantConnect when they open. If you want GrantConnect to notify you about future MRFF grants:
- register with them
- enter ‘MRFF’ in the keyword section of your GrantConnect profile
Status
Upcoming grants
There are currently no upcoming grants.
Open grant rounds
International Clinical Trial Collaboration is a perpetually open grant opportunity with 3 scheduled closing dates each year.
Grants being assessed
We are currently assessing applications received under the following opportunities:
- reproductive cancers
- childhood brain cancer
- neurological disorders
- rare cancers, rare diseases and areas of unmet medical need
Grants awarded
We have funded the following projects under this initiative, as at 30 September 2019.
|
Funded Institution |
Project Name |
Chief Investigator |
Total Funding |
|
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute |
A randomised control trial of positive end-expiratory pressure levels during resuscitation of preterm infants at birth (The POLAR Trial) |
Associate Professor David Tingay |
$1,387,654 |
|
The George Institute for Global Health |
The SAHaRA Trial: Understanding the best red cell transfusion practice in patients with intracranial |
Associate Professor Anthony Delaney |
$902,752 |
|
University of Western Australia |
The Early valve replacement in severe ASYmptomatic aortic stenosis (EASY AS) trial |
Professor Graham Hillis |
$1,827,443 |
|
Macquarie University |
The Australian-multidomain Approach to Reduce dementia Risk by prOtecting brain health With lifestyle intervention (AU-ARROW) study |
Professor Ralph Martins |
$3,115,063 |
|
The University of Newcastle |
Sunrise Australia - A randomised clinical trial of single use negative pressure dressing for reduction in surgical site infection following emergency laparotomy. |
Dr Peter Pockney |
$782,256 |
|
La Trobe University |
Prospective, multicentre trial evaluating FET-PET in high grade glioma |
Professor Andrew Scott |
$1,564,188 |
|
Monash University |
A collaborative study of the Interfant network (Australian sites): the feasibility, safety and efficacy of the addition of Blinatumomab to the Interfant-06 backbone in infants with MLL-rearranged Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (The Blin-fant Study) |
Doctor Rishi Kotecha |
$314,772 |
|
Monash University |
A registry-linked national platform trial to improve precision-based outcomes using novel therapies in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) |
Associate Professor Andrew Wei |
$1,507,785 |
|
Monash University |
CAST – A Randomised Phase 3 Trial of Cyclophosphamide after Sibling Allogeneic Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant |
Associate Professor David Curtis |
$1,570,198 |
|
Monash University |
The BLENDER Trial – Blend to Limit Oxygen in ECMO: A randomised Controlled Registry Trial |
Professor David Pilcher |
$753,355 |
|
Monash University |
The DIAAMOND study: Diagnosis of aplastic anaemia, management, and outcomes utilising a national dataset |
Associate Professor Erica Wood |
$1,750,726 |
|
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute |
The efficacy of rehabilitation for hereditary ataxias- a randomised controlled trial |
Professor Martin Delatycki |
$1,227,418 |
|
The University of Adelaide |
Treatment of Severe Early Onset Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy |
Professor William Hague |
$1,191,769 |
|
The University of Queensland |
A platform clinical trial approach to the management of Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABSC) |
Professor Claire Wainwright |
$2,091,178 |
|
The University of Queensland |
An Open label, Multicentre, Phase I study of Ibrutinib, Rituximab and EBV specific T-cells in Patients with EBV-positive Primary or Secondary CNS Lymphoma unsuitable for standard therapies |
Professor Maher Gandhi |
$1,642,389 |
|
The University of Queensland |
Medicinal Cannabinoids to Relieve Symptom Burden in the Palliative Care of Patients with Advanced Cancer |
Professor Janet Hardy |
$1,363,040 |
|
The University of Western Australia |
BEAT-CF: Bayesian Evidence-Adaptive Trial to optimise management of Cystic Fibrosis |
Associate Professor Thomas Snelling |
$3,545,905 |
|
University of Melbourne |
SpeechAtax: A rater-blinded randomised controlled trial of intensive home-based speech treatment for ataxia |
Associate Professor Adam Vogel |
$498,627 |
|
University of Melbourne |
STOP-MSU: Stopping haemorrhage with Tranexamic acid cOmmenced Prehospital in a Mobile Stroke Unit |
Professor Stephen Davis |
$1,285,820 |
|
University of New South Wales |
CRISTAL: Cluster Randomised Trial of Apsirin versus Low molecular weight heparin for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in joint replacement surgery, a registry-nested study |
Professor Ian Harris |
$934,848 |
|
University of New South Wales |
Immunotherapy Targeting of Cytomegalovirus antigens in Glioblastoma: INTERROGATE-GBM |
Associate Professor Kerrie McDonald |
$1,446,002 |
|
University of Sydney |
A randomised controlled trial, of N-Acetyl Cysteine, for premanifest Huntingtin gene expansion carriers (NAC-preHD) |
Associate Professor Clement Loy |
$1,905,227 |
|
University of Sydney |
The BEST-Fluids study: Better Evidence for Selecting Transplant Fluids |
Professor Steven Chadban |
$1,117,150 |
|
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute |
A randomised placebo-controlled trial of combined mitochondrial agents for the treatment of fatigue and depression in multiple sclerosis with an assessment of the impact on kynurenine pathway metabolomics. |
Professor Anne-Louise Ponsonby |
$887,072 |
|
Deakin University |
The Candesartan Adjunctive Bipolar Depression Trial - CADET |
Professor Michael Berk |
$2,428,397 |
|
La Trobe University |
Improving muscle strength in young people with Prader-Willi syndrome |
Professor Nora Shields |
$874,179 |
|
Menzies School of Health Research |
Improving outcomes of children and young adults with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD): a multi-centre, double-blind, double-dummy, 2x2 factorial, randomised controlled trial (RCT) |
Professor Anne Chang |
$2,375,118 |
|
Monash University |
COZMOS: Phase I/Ib trial of combined 5'-aZacitidine and carboplatin for recurrent/refractory paediatric brain and solid tumours |
Doctor Jordan Hansford |
$125,355 |
|
Monash University |
Erythropoietin alfa to prevent mortality and reduce severe disability in critically ill trauma patients: a multicentre, stratified, double blind, placebo randomised controlled trial (the EPO-TRAUMA trial) |
Associate Professor Craig French |
$3,509,303 |
|
Monash University |
Evaluating the effectiveness and safety of sodium selenate as a disease modifying treatment for patients with behavioural variant Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD) |
Professor Terence O'Brien |
$1,604,184 |
|
Monash University |
FaR-RMS: Frontline And Relapse study in RhabdoMyoSarcoma |
Doctor Martin Campbell |
$1,353,514 |
|
Monash University |
Novel Veneticlax Combinations to Improve Outcomes in Unfit Older Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia |
Associate Professor Andrew Wei |
$1,380,298 |
|
Monash University |
SJ-ELiOT: St Jude - Phase 1 Evaluation of LY2606368, Molecularly-Targeted CHK1/2i Therapy, in Combination with Cyclophosphamide or Gemcitabine for Children and Adolescents with Refractory or Recurrent Medulloblastoma Brain Tumours |
Associate Professor Nicholas Gottardo |
$226,284 |
|
The University of Queensland |
A Randomised Phase II Trial of Adjuvant Avelumab in Patients with Early Stage Merkel Cell Carcinoma |
Doctor Wen Xu |
$1,632,096 |
|
The University of Queensland |
An Open Label, Multicentre, Phase One Study Incorporating Early Application of CAR T cells for Primary Refractory Aggressive Lymphoma |
Professor Maher Gandhi |
$3,596,967 |
|
The University of Queensland |
The TEACH-PD study: a targeted education approach to improve peritoneal dialysis outcomes |
Professor David Johnson |
$2,383,207 |
|
University of Canberra |
Evaluation of a bush medicine-based treatment for scabies in Australian Aboriginal children |
Doctor Jackson Thomas |
$1,294,542 |
|
University of Melbourne |
The AIM2 Study: Genomically Guided Novel Combination Treatment of Mantle Cell Lymphoma |
Doctor Constantine Tam |
$2,005,391 |
|
University of New South Wales |
Aldosterone blockade for health improvement evaluation in end-stage renal disease (ACHIEVE) study |
Associate Professor Martin Gallagher |
$2,850,898 |
|
University of New South Wales |
BEAT-Calci (Better Evidence And Translation in Calciphylaxis) |
Associate Professor Meg Jardine |
$2,201,944 |
|
University of New South Wales |
Does Withholding Enteral feeds Around blood Transfusion reduce the incidence of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) in very preterm infants? The international WHEAT Study |
Professor Kei Lui |
$1,606,826 |
|
University of New South Wales |
MEMOIR: A multi-site placebo-controlled trial of memantine and graded motor imagery for complex regional pain syndrome |
Associate Professor James McAuley |
$922,314 |
|
University of Sydney |
ALS Trials Australia (ALSTA) - to develop precision medicine |
Professor Matthew Kiernan |
$1,704,432 |
|
University of Sydney |
MAGMA: Multi-Arm GlioblastoMa Australasia Trial |
Doctor Craig Gedye |
$1,273,632 |
|
University of Sydney |
NAVMAN TRIAL: A multi-centre, dynamic, waitlist randomised controlled trial of patient navigators in children with chronic kidney disease |
Associate Professor Germaine Wong |
$1,093,681 |
|
University of Sydney |
PETReA: Phase 3 evaluation of PET-guided, Response-Adapted therapy in patients with previously untreated, high tumour burden follicular lymphoma. |
Associate Professor Judith Trotman |
$787,069 |
|
University of Sydney |
PICCOG: PARP and Immune Checkpoint inhibitor COmbination for relapsed IDH-mutant high-grade Glioma |
Doctor Hao-Wen Sim |
$1,391,472 |
|
La Trobe University / Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research |
A Basket Study of Low Survival Cancers Treated with EGFR-ADCs |
Associate Professor Hui Gan |
$1,658,626 |
|
Monash University |
Brain Oxygen Neuromonitoring In Australia And New Zealand Assessment (BONANZA) Trial |
Associate Professor Andrew Udy |
$1,084,852 |
|
Monash University |
Frailty-stratified randomised controlled bayesian adaptive trial of bortezomib versus lenalidomide in transplant-ineligible myeloma - the FRAIL-M study |
Professor Andrew Spencer |
$1,682,836 |
|
Monash University |
Improving survival in myelofibrosis |
Professor Andrew Perkins, |
$1,733,327 |
|
University of Melbourne |
Combination of Avelumab with Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) or Conventional Fractionated Radiotherapy (RT) in Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) |
Doctor Shahneen Sandhu |
$1,812,005 |
|
University of Sydney |
mFOLFIRINOX and STEreotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for pancreatic cancer with high-risk and Locally AdvaNced disease (MASTERPLAN): a multicentre, randomised phase II study of the Australian Gastrointestinal Trials Group (AGITG) |
Associate Professor Andrew Kneebone |
$1,512,808 |
|
Australian Clinical Trial Alliance |
Strengthening the capacity, efficiency and effectiveness of Clinical trials networks through the Australian Clinical Trial Alliance |
Not Applicable |
$5,000,000 |
|
Total |
|
$87,718,196 |
|
Related information
See a list of all MRFF grant recipients.
Contact
For more information, see the NHRMC's Investigator Grants page or contact them.
Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) contact
Contact for more information about the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), or to provide feedback on the MRFF website.
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funds high quality health and medical research to build research capability, support researchers, encourage the translation of research into better health outcomes and promote the highest ethical standards for health and medical research.