The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) serve as one of the largest sources of early-stage capital for technology commercialization in the United States (US). In FY2021, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) SBIR and STTR Programs provided approximately $182M in non-dilutive funding to US small businesses and managed over 400 different projects. By supporting startups and other small businesses in the cancer space, the NCI SBIR and STTR Programs act as catalysts of innovation for novel technologies and products to achieve NCI’s mission to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer. Staffed by a dedicated team of scientists with wide-ranging technology and industry experience, the NCI SBIR Development Center provides both funding and non-funding resources to US small businesses all aimed at translating technologies to the clinic to help cancer patients and providers.

During the past 5 years, NCI has provided SBIR/STTR funding to approximately 25 companies who are developing novel cancer prevention agents. Companies focused on prevention of several indications such as colorectal cancer, oral squamous cell carcinomas, and human papillomavirus-related cancers. Award sizes ranged from $200k-$2M and included support for companies with technologies in the preclinical and clinical stages of development. NCI provided opportunities for non-funding support as well, including entrepreneurial training programs such as I-Corps™ at NIH and programs to facilitate connections between innovators and potential investors. Whether a technology is in the preclinical or clinical stage of development, NCI can help small businesses translate their innovative research to the marketplace so they become available to healthcare providers and their patients.

Citation Format: Jonathan Franca-Koh. National Cancer Institute Small Business Innovation Research Development Center NCI SBIR & STTR resources for commercializing innovative cancer prevention [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second Biennial NCI Meeting: Translational Advances in Cancer Prevention Agent Development (TACPAD); 2022 Sep 7-9. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2022;15(12 Suppl_2): Abstract nr IA009.