Golden Ticket Competition

This competition is awarding one year of free lab and office space at Bakar Labs of University of California Berkeley to applicants with emerging technology in gene editing, gene delivery, and gene therapy/gene insertion that may be applied to CF. 

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The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is sponsoring a Golden Ticket Competition with the University of California, Berkeley's Bakar Labs to help CF stand for Cure Found. As part of the CF Foundation’s $500 million Path to a Cure initiative, up to three companies will win a year of free lab and office space at Bakar Labs. The CF Foundation is encouraging companies with emerging technology in gene editing, gene delivery, and gene therapy/gene insertion that may work in CF to apply.  

Bakar Labs is a life science-focused incubator that can host up to 50 startups developing innovative technologies to benefit society. In addition to lab and office space, companies will have access to the extensive resources of the CF Foundation, including scientific experts and advice, lab/research tools and techniques, an extensive patient registry/database, clinical trial design support, and a Therapeutics Development Network of over 90 clinical trial sites in the U.S. Selected applicants will be invited to present their company to a select group of Bakar Labs advisors and CF Foundation leadership in-person, onsite at Bakar Labs in Berkeley, Calif. on July 20, 2022. 

Applications will be accepted between Monday, May 2 and Monday, June 6, 2022 by 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT via the Bakar Labs CF Foundation Golden Ticket application page

Building on a Legacy of Progress in Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is a recessive, genetic disease caused by mutations in the gene that produces the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. Mutations in the CFTR gene can disrupt the normal production or functioning of the CFTR protein found in the cells of the lungs and other parts of the body. More than 30,000 people in the U.S. and 70,000 worldwide of every racial and ethnic group have cystic fibrosis – a disease that is life-limiting, causes long-lasting lung infections, limits the ability to breathe over time, and leads to many other complications throughout the body.  

While many people with CF have had incredible improvements in their health because of CFTR modulators, the disease can be caused by some mutations that can’t benefit from these treatments. People who have two nonsense mutations (also known as “x” or stop mutations) or other rare mutations that don’t produce any CFTR protein are such examples. That’s why in 2019 the CF Foundation established its $500 million Path to a Cure to accelerate treatments and drug development for the underlying cause of the disease and ultimately deliver a cure for all people with cystic fibrosis, regardless of their mutations. 

The CF Foundation invests more than $225 million annually in emerging science and has a long track record of success in facilitating the development of new cystic fibrosis therapies.  

Policies and Guidelines 

This competition is open to life science entrepreneurs who are developing and intend to commercialize genetic therapies for cystic fibrosis or related technologies to deliver, enable, or accelerate such therapies. 

  • Companies with university affiliation are eligible; so are companies that have no university affiliation. 
  • Both incorporated teams and teams that have yet to incorporate are eligible. 
  • Companies seeking seed-stage through Series A funding are eligible. 
  • Companies for which a Golden Ticket will significantly impact their ability to advance their company are encouraged to apply. 
  • Lab space shall be used by the winning company as its primary site of operations. 
  • Shortlisted applicants must be available to present to the judging panel in-person at Bakar Labs in Berkeley, Calif.  

Deadlines

  • Applications will be accepted between Monday, May 2 and Monday, June 6, 2022 by 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT via the Bakar Labs Golden Ticket application page.
  • Shortlisted applicants will be notified by Wednesday, June 29.
  • Shortlisted applicants will present to the judging panel on Wednesday, July 20.
  • The winners will be announced after the in-person pitch session on July 20. 

For More Information 

For more information about the Golden Ticket Competition, reach out to Ann Field at afield@cff.org.

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