The PAASP Network is very glad to announce that the NIH has awarded an SBIR grant to a Network member – PAASP US, LLC.

Robust nonclinical data is an absolute requirement for building an effective translational strategy and developing clinically safe and effective medications.  Most current efforts to facilitate generation of robust nonclinical research data focus on producing guidelines and checklists pertaining to study design and data analysis, but do so mainly from a reporting perspective, rarely consider processes other than study design and data analysis (such as compliance of data records with FAIR principles), and are at risk of triggering normative responses, whereby research teams simply satisfy the guidelines at a time when it is too late to take corrective actions.  

The PAASP team will work on a novel research evaluation tool (PAASPort®) for early identification of potential risks of bias related to nonclinical research practice. Created by industry and academic scientists working with business professionals, PAASPort® will allow funding organizations such as private investors, non-profit foundations, corporate and non-corporate VCs to inform both financial (investment) and portfolio (science) decisions by supporting research with low risks of bias, thereby improving the probability that basic nonclinical discoveries will translate into safe and effective clinical treatments.

The PAASPort® tool will consist of a web application with proprietary analytics supporting project-specific and research unit-specific certification.  During Phase 1 of the project, the team will convert the existing paper-and-pencil PAASPort® prototype into a web-based, interactive digital tool.  As the next step, Phase 2 of the project will focus on developing and implementing analytical mechanisms to support semi-automated processing of information collected from the online assessment and demonstrating economic benefits of improved nonclinical research practice quality assessments for private investors.

The project will be led by Dr. Daniel Deaver (CSO, PAASP US) and Dr. Andre Der-Avakian (COO, PAASP US), supported by a highly motivated team of PAASP US employees, advisors and consultants across multiple locations in the US and Europe.

About PAASP Network

PAASP (Partnership for Assessment and Accreditation of Scientific Practice; www.paasp.net) is an unincorporated association of legally and operationally independent entities (one of which is PAASP US, LLC) acting in different countries but sharing the core infrastructure and united in the global goal to promote research quality standards.

Each Network member is independently working with local customers and partners in its geography, seeks to obtain funding and generate revenue for the operation of their own member organization, and is entering collaborations and developing novel products.

As of January 2020, the Network includes members and member organizations in the US, Germany, Benelux, Russia, Baltic States, and France.

About SBIR

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR; www.sbir.gov) program is a highly competitive program that encourages US domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) that has the potential for commercialization. Through a competitive awards-based program, SBIR enables small businesses to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including qualified small businesses in the nation’s R&D arena, high-tech innovation is stimulated and the US gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific research and development needs.