The Inflammation and Immunology Unit at Pfizer UK will consider high-quality submissions for independent medical education programmes, independent general research, and quality improvement initiatives in the following areas:

Medical Dermatology

Independent Medical Grant areas to be considered for Pfizer support include:

• Real World Evidence (RWE) generation for Alopecia Areata (AA), Atopic Dermatitis (AD), vitiligo, Palmoplantar Pustulosis (PPP) and Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), in particular relating to the UK patient pathways and disease management outcomes
• Health services research for AA, AD, Vitiligo, PPP and HS in the National Health Service (NHS) setting, including optimisation of patient referral pathways between primary and secondary care
• Research exploring the patient view of disease impact, including how this relates to Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS) and treat to target approaches
• Projects exploring innovative models of care, such as digital patient initiatives that improve clinician-patient communication and the patient treatment experience, individualized patient goals/ satisfaction, patient safety and/or adherence to therapy
• Fundamental research focused on mechanisms related to Janus kinase (JAK) pathways in skin diseases, including those related to specific patient populations and targeted therapy approaches
• Epidemiology of target skin diseases at the primary and secondary care levels in the UK
• Economic burden of the target skin diseases on the NHS
• Projects optimising healthcare delivery, quality improvement and patient care in relation to AA, AD, Vitiligo, PPP and HS.
• Research developing individualised treatment strategies in AD, AA and Vitiligo
• Projects optimising medical education, diagnostics, therapy and delivery of care, which may include the development of novel artificial intelligence and telemedicine approaches
• Research exploring the health-related quality of life burden and mental health comorbidity in AA, AD, Vitiligo, PPP and HS
• Research to explore the unmet need for dermatology patients and/ or projects to address the unmet need, including healthcare disparities, health and digital literacy.

Rheumatology

Independent Medical Grant areas to be considered for Pfizer support include:

• RWE generation in relation to UK patient care pathways and disease management outcomes for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA), Axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpA), lupus and inflammatory myopathies
• RWE, observational studies or audits investigating treatment outcomes in specific patient groups
• Health service research for RA, JIA, PsA, AS, AxSpA, lupus and inflammatory myopathies in the UK NHS setting, investigating improvements in access to patient care and optimisation of referral pathways
• Projects optimising medical education, diagnostics, therapy and delivery of care, which may include digital innovation and in particular the development of novel artificial intelligence and telemedicine approaches
• Research exploring PROMS and the impact of chronic inflammatory arthritis, lupus, and inflammatory myopathies on work ability and other social outcomes
• Translational research interrogating JAK pathway effects on inflammation, including those related to specific patient populations and precision medicine
• Studies investigating treatment adherence to oral dosing and/or patient preference in chronic inflammatory arthritis in adult or paediatric populations
• Research exploring factors associated with failure to achieve therapeutic target
• RWE to identify potential predictors of future biologic use and predictors of future poor outcomes at first clinical presentation
• Research to explore the unmet need for rheumatology patients and/or projects to address the unmet need, including healthcare disparities, health and digital literacy

Gastroenterology

Independent Medical Grant areas to be considered for Pfizer support include:

• Understanding disease management in Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and new measures of efficacy (e.g. treat to target, development of new tools, measures of efficacy, biomarkers)
• Understanding treatment and efficacy of JAK inhibitors in severe, acute flare in UC
• Research developing personalised medicine approaches in UK UC patients
• RWE generation investigating the effect of JAK inhibition in adult UC, specific to UK patient pathways 
• Projects optimising medical education, diagnostics, therapy and delivery of care in UC and Crohn’s Disease (CD), including the development of novel artificial intelligence and telemedicine approaches
• Support for basic science research – investigating mechanisms relating to JAK pathways and inflammation in UC
• Investigations into health disparities in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
• Studies relating to the immunology and pathophysiology of UC and CD specifically focusing on JAK pathways
• Role of microbiome
• Impact of half-life on infection resolution
• Safety profile of JAKs and role of mechanisms of action
• Strategies to improve adherence to therapies in UC
• Treat to Target Strategies
• Histological remission including tissue/mucosal microbiome and biomarkers
• Pain and fatigue in IBD patients
• Role of ultrasound in disease and treatment response monitoring
• Evidence on the progressive nature of UC
• Epidemiologic studies on comorbidities and background risk of adverse events of specific interest (AESI)
• Development of fibrosis in gastrointestinal diseases (IBD, Eosinophilic Oesophagitis (EoS))
• Role of microbiome in the response to treatment of IBD

For all independent medical grants, the grant recipient is responsible for the design, implementation, sponsorship, and conduct of the independent initiative supported by the grant, including compliance with any regulatory requirements.

Pfizer must not be involved in any aspect of project development, nor its conduct or monitoring.

To discuss your potential independent medical grant application for any of the above areas, please phone 01304 616161 and ask to speak to a member of the inflammation and immunology medical affairs team.