ConcertAI, a real-world evidence (RWE) consortium, said it plans to award three $50,000 individual grants in 2021 to support development of more racially and ethnically diverse clinical trial designs in the fight against cancer.

Warren Whyte, vice president for strategic partnerships and customer success, said ConcertAI plans to expand the grant program in future years. The grants are part of the consortium’s Engaging Research to Achieve Cancer Care Equality (ERACE) initiative, which it launched in September. ConcertAI said ERACE is focused on building the most comprehensive cancer registry based on race and ethnicity in the U.S.

Under each ERACE Research Award, researchers will be tasked with examining the potential differences in cancer treatment patterns and outcomes. Other areas of focus under the program include clinical practice, genomics, safety and other variables, taking into consideration existing disparities among cancer patients, especially among racial and ethnic groups typically underrepresented in clinical trials. ConcertAI hopes to use the data to develop a strategy to eliminate disparities in healthcare along racial and ethnic lines.

The deadline to submit letters of intent for the grants is Jan. 15. ConcertAI said it will not consider clinical research or projects evaluating the comparative effectiveness of therapies or diagnostic agents for the grant program.