An RFP process has been developed to identify early-stage Vanderbilt therapeutic development projects, which will be utilized to select promising research opportunities by the Vanderbilt Selection Committee, and managed by the Vanderbilt-Ancora Joint Operations Committee. Development of selected projects will be supported by Ancora, advancing them from their existing state through the pre-clinical development process — including basic research, proof of concept, target selection and investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies designed to qualify a candidate to enter into human clinical trials. Once IND-enabling studies are completed, the research developed within the collaboration will either be licensed to pharmaceutical partners or spun out into new companies. Funding for companies supported by Ancora are anticipated to include capital from Deerfield.