# Therapeutic Catalyst

**Funder:** Cancer Research UK
**Budget:** Up to £250k (Target Award) or up to £350k (Early Therapy Award)
**Deadline:** 25 September 2026 (Remaining 2026 submission date; applications reviewed three times per year (February, June, October))
**Duration:** 12–24 months depending on award type
**Consortium:** Optional — projects are run collaboratively with Cancer Research Horizons' drug discovery team, but the academic researcher leads the application
**Application:** 2-stage: Expression of Interest → Full proposal (by invitation only)
**Frequency:** Annual
**Eligible countries:** GB
**Official call:** https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/for-researchers/apply-for-and-manage-your-funding/our-funding-schemes/therapeutic-catalyst
**Last updated:** 2 Aug 2026

## Eligibility & scope

Open to academic researchers worldwide with an independent lab, targeting early drug discovery for adult cancers using antibody-based or small molecule approaches. Two award types: Target Award (up to £250k, 12–18 months) for target identification/validation; Early Therapy Award (up to £350k, 18–24 months) for hit identification and druggability assessment. Fundamental biology, drug repurposing, and clinical-trial-enabling studies are excluded.

## Summary

Therapeutic Catalyst funds exploratory drug discovery projects to validate and de-risk cancer therapy targets, offering up to £250,000 over 18 months. The scheme is open to academic researchers worldwide with their own lab, working in partnership with Cancer Research Horizons' Therapeutic Innovation team on single-agent novel therapeutics. The call does not support basic biological research, drug combinations, or repurposing.

## Who should apply

- Academic researchers worldwide with their own lab or independent research position
- Applicants with expertise in drug discovery or target validation
- Projects on novel single-agent anti-cancer therapeutics
- Teams willing to collaborate with Cancer Research Horizons' Therapeutic Innovation team

## Key dates

- Expression of interest deadline: 25 September 2026
- Two-stage process: EOI shortlisting, then full proposal submission
- Project duration: up to 18 months

## Tips for applicants

- Establish your partnership with Cancer Research Horizons' Therapeutic Innovation team early, they are a mandatory collaborator, not an optional consultant.
- Frame your project around target validation and de-risking, not basic mechanistic biology; CRUK panels screen explicitly for translational readiness.
- Single-agent focus is strict; any hint of combination therapy or repurposing will be ruled out at triage.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does the Cancer Research UK Therapeutic Catalyst grant?

Up to £250,000 per project over an 18-month period.

### Who is eligible for Therapeutic Catalyst?

Academic researchers worldwide with their own lab or independent research position working on novel single-agent anti-cancer therapeutics.

### What research is not eligible for Therapeutic Catalyst?

The scheme does not support basic biological research, combination therapy studies, or drug repurposing projects.

### When is the Therapeutic Catalyst deadline?

The next expression of interest deadline is 25 September 2026; the scheme relaunched in July 2026 after a pause.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/cancer-research-uk-therapeutic-catalyst-2026-09) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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