# Therapeutic Catalyst - Early Therapy Award

**Funder:** Cancer Research UK
**Budget:** Up to £350K
**Deadline:** 5 February 2027 (Further cut-offs 21 May 2027, 17 September 2027)
**Duration:** 18-24 months
**Consortium:** No - individual applicant, collaborative project run with Cancer Research Horizons' drug discovery team
**Application:** 2-stage: expression of interest → full proposal, by invitation only
**Frequency:** Three times per year
**Official call:** https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/for-researchers/apply-for-and-manage-your-funding/our-funding-schemes/therapeutic-catalyst
**Last updated:** 25 Oct 2026

## Eligibility & scope

Funds hit identification, druggability assessment, and further development of early therapeutic projects for adult cancers using antibody or small molecule approaches. Open to academic researchers worldwide with their own lab; run collaboratively with Cancer Research Horizons.

## Summary

The Therapeutic Catalyst - Early Therapy Award from Cancer Research UK funds up to £350K over 18-24 months for hit identification, druggability assessment, and early development of antibody or small molecule cancer therapeutics. It is open to academic researchers worldwide who run their own lab, and projects are delivered collaboratively with Cancer Research Horizons' drug discovery team. The scheme runs three times a year with a two-stage, invitation-only application process.

## Who should apply

- Academic researchers worldwide who run their own independent lab
- Projects focused on hit identification or druggability assessment for adult cancers
- Teams working with antibody or small molecule therapeutic approaches
- Researchers willing to collaborate closely with Cancer Research Horizons' drug discovery team

## Key dates

- Next deadline 5 February 2027, with further cut-offs 21 May 2027 and 17 September 2027
- Two-stage process: expression of interest, then full proposal by invitation only
- 18-24 month project duration

## Tips for applicants

- Expression of interest is the real filter - only invited applicants proceed to full proposal, so make the druggability rationale and hit-finding strategy clear upfront.
- Frame the project as a genuine collaboration with Cancer Research Horizons' drug discovery team rather than a standalone academic study.
- With three calls per year, a rejected expression of interest can be revised and resubmitted to the next cut-off rather than waiting a full year.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does the CRUK Therapeutic Catalyst Early Therapy Award pay?

Up to £350,000 for a project lasting 18-24 months.

### Who can apply for the Therapeutic Catalyst Early Therapy Award?

Academic researchers anywhere in the world who have their own lab and are working on antibody or small molecule approaches to adult cancers.

### Does this award require a consortium?

No, it is for individual applicants, though the project is run collaboratively with Cancer Research Horizons' drug discovery team.

### How often can I apply to this CRUK scheme?

The call runs three times a year, with cut-offs on 5 February 2027, 21 May 2027, and 17 September 2027.

### What is the application process for this award?

It is a two-stage process: an expression of interest followed by a full proposal, with the full proposal stage by invitation only.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/cancer-research-uk-therapeutic-catalyst-early-therapy-award-2027-02) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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