CTF, DELopen jointly offer unique opportunities to neurofibromatosis research community

The Children's Tumor Foundation (CTF), an innovative and global neurofibromatosis (NF) research foundation announced today a collaboration with DELopen, a DNA-encoded library technology platform sponsored by WuXi AppTec, a leading global provider of R&D and manufacturing services enabling companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. DELopen will provide researchers free access to billions of molecules to seek insights into and develop therapies for the treatment of NF under grants covered by CTF's Drug Discovery Fund.

The Children's Tumor Foundation has issued a renewed focus on investigator-initiated awards through its Discovery Fund, and is dedicating considerable support for the innovative and leading-edge research that will more quickly translate into new clinical treatments. CTF's Drug Discovery Initiative, in partnership with the DELopen initiative, will provide a unique opportunity for the neurofibromatosis research community to access this technology for their investigations.

The DELopen platform currently provides free access to nearly 2.8 billion molecules for biomedical research to the academic and nonprofit life science communities. The Children's Tumor Foundation will offer an in-vitro Drug Discovery Initiative Award for up to $40K, in conjunction with the use and implementation of DELopen for NF research.

The unprecedented availability of compounds for target validation, mechanistic studies, and academic drug discovery has transformative potential. Accessing compounds at this scale will stimulate innovation to tackle tough diseases like neurofibromatosis. We are indeed pleased to be part of the Drug Discovery Initiative to bring effective medicines to NF patients.

Richard Lerner, MD, chair of the DELopen advisory board, Institute Professor at Scripps Research, and co-inventor of the technology

The partnership between the Children's Tumor Foundation and DELopen offers unique opportunities to the NF research community to identify even better specific therapies for the patients in the NF community. We look forward to this collaboration in our mission to eradicate NF.

Annette Bakker, PhD, President of the Children's Tumor Foundation

Neurofibromatosis, or NF, is a genetic disorder that affects 1 in 3,000 births and causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. It can lead to blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, disfigurement, learning disabilities, disabling pain, and cancer. There are no approved treatments for NF available yet.