Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials (IICT)

Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials is the SNSF route for large randomized controlled trials led by researchers rather than industry. It supports studies that address unmet medical and societal needs, usually in multicenter settings, and it can also span international collaborations when the trial design calls for it. The 2026 call ran as the twelfth call, with a letter of intent and PPI preparatory grant deadline of 26 May 2026 and full proposals due on 3 November 2026. The PPI preparatory grant can reach CHF 5,000 for four months. Main projects run for up to five years, the research group may include up to five people, and eligible trial types include treatment, prevention, screening, diagnostic, quality-of-life, adaptive platform, repurposing, and replication studies. Pilot studies, non-randomized work, phase I/IIa proof-of-concept studies, observational studies, and projects with direct commercial purpose are excluded. This is a clinical-trial route for teams with strong trial leadership and the capacity to manage a multicenter study from design through delivery. Patient and Public Involvement is mandatory in the preparatory material, and Clinical Trial Unit support is strongly encouraged. The scheme is most relevant for Swiss research groups in health sciences that can show the scientific and operational discipline needed for a randomized trial.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.