CRACK IT 2024 Challenge 48: Wings of Change

The NC3Rs works to pioneer better science through advancing the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) of the use of animals in scientific research. CRACK IT is a challenge-led competition that funds collaborations between industry, academics and SMEs to solve business and scientific Challenges which will deliver 3Rs benefits, either by improving business processes or developing a commercial product.

Challenge 48: Wings of Change

Avian toxicity studies are carried out for internal chemical screening and to meet regulatory requirements for the registration of new pesticides. Large numbers of birds are used and there is a significant unmet need to develop alternative approaches. The aim of this Challenge is to develop new approach methodologies (NAMs) to assess acute and chronic avian toxicity for chemical screening and environmental risk assessment.

Further information about the aims and deliverables of this Challenge can be found in the Challenge brief. The Sponsors for this Challenge are BASF, Bayer Crop Science, Corteva and Syngenta.

This is a two-phase Challenge with funding for up to three years. Phase 1 has a projected duration of nine months, and total funding of £500k (max £200k per project if tackling both acute and chronic toxicity). Phase 2: up to three years (subject to successful completion of Phase 1) with a maximum funding of £1.5m for a single project.

Who can apply?

CRACK IT Challenges are run using the Innovate UK Contracts for Innovation process. The competition is open to any UK or European body, public or private. Applications can be from single organisations or investigators or from consortia. The lead applicant must be UK or EU based.

Applicants from the same organisation(s) as the Sponsors are not eligible to apply.

Scope and approaches

The aim of this Challenge is to develop a suite of NAMs for acute and chronic toxicity that can be:

• Used to screen candidate chemicals in early development.
• Integrated into an IATA to enable regulatory testing with fewer animals in the short-term and in the longer term, lay the foundations for moving away from in vivo avian studies for environmental risk assessment purposes.

The Challenge will require the integration of knowledge and experience within the in silico, in vitro, mechanistic toxicology and adverse outcome pathway (AOP) areas, alongside existing data and strategies.

Approaches that are in scope:

• In silico – QSARs, exposure and effects modelling (e.g. dynamic energy budget models and general unified threshold models for survival).
• In vitro – cell lines and sub-cellular fractions are preferred, and these should be from species used in regulatory tests (bobwhite quail and mallard duck for chronic toxicity; bobwhite quail and canary or zebra finch for acute toxicity), but other species would be accepted if they can be shown to be predictive. Primary cells may be considered if there are no cell line alternatives.
• Embryo (in ovo) – from species used in regulatory tests. Embryo studies should not involve protected life stages. Avian protected life stages are defined under UK Home Office guidance and the EU Directive 2010/63/EU.

For Phase 1 projects, applicants can apply to deliver either the acute work package, the chronic work package or both. Applicants can apply for up to £100k to deliver one work package or up to £200k to deliver both. It is expected that Phase 2 addresses both acute and chronic toxicity deliverables. Applicants focusing on a single work package during Phase 1 are expected to include the required expertise for Phase 2 to address both aspects – either by collaborating with another Phase 1 team or securing additional external partners.

Briefing and support

If you are interested in applying for this Challenge, register for the launch webinar on Tuesday 17 September 2024, 14.00 – 15.30 (BST).

If you would like help to find a collaboration partner, contact Innovate UK Business Connect’s Biotechnology, Chemistry or Health teams.