NCI Formulary

The National Cancer Institute Formulary (NCI Formulary) is a public-private partnership. The NCI and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies work together to provide agents for cancer clinical trials. Investigators in NCI-funded, main-member ETCTN and NCTN institutions in the United States can participate. Investigators, including those doing preclinical research, have rapid access to agents. This is particularly useful for studies that target molecular pathways because the NCI Formulary makes it much easier to obtain agents from multiple pharmaceutical companies at the same time.

The NCI Formulary improves the way single-center scientists start clinical trials. It supports an efficient mechanism that provides targeted agents to academic researchers. Pharmaceutical companies work with the NCI and investigators to rapidly review and approve clinical trial proposals. This expedites protocol development and shortens the approval timeline.

NCI does not provide scientific review of the NCI Formulary proposals. All scientific discussion is conducted between the pharmaceutical company and investigator.