The Sijbrandij Foundation, in partnership with the Musella Foundation For Brain Tumor Research & Information, has committed $50,000 in grants to cover the license application fees of clinics and hospitals seeking to become Experimental Treatment Centers (ETCs) in Montana.
The foundations have tapped Infinita to oversee the initiative, including screening applicants for eligibility and potential impact. Infinita is facilitating biotechs & clinics use of SB535, and has formed the first ETRB (experimental treatment review board) called Montana ETRB.
Under Montana’s SB535 legal framework, licensed ETCs can offer eligible patients access to investigational treatments that have completed Phase 1 clinical trials.
The license application fee, set by statute at $10,000 (MCA 50-5-250(3)(a)), is a meaningful barrier for independent clinics and community hospitals considering the pathway.
This program removes that barrier for the first five approved applicants.
How It Works
Interested clinics and hospitals contact Infinita, which screens applicants for eligibility.
Eligible applicants submit their ETC license application to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS).
When DPHHS issues the license, the applicant receives a $10,000 grant covering the full application fee.
Grants are available for up to five clinics based on the Sijbrandij Foundation’s impact goals.
“SB 535 will make Montana a world-leading destination for access to cutting-edge treatments, and we’re deeply optimistic about where the program is headed. Biotech interest has been strong from the start, with a robust pipeline of sponsors ready to bring treatments to Montana. The harder challenge has been the brick-and-mortar side: for many clinics, a $10,000 application fee before the program had proven demand was a real deterrent. Support from patient-centered organizations like the Sijbrandij and Musella Foundations is a powerful validation of what this program can do for patients. With this initiative, we’re confident we can jump-start the SB 535 ecosystem.”
Stephen Martin, US Lead, Infinita
Interested Doctors, Clinics, and Hospitals Should Contact: stephen@infinita.co
