awards-terms-and-conditions

Terms and Conditions

1. Introduction

These terms and conditions (the "T&Cs") are intended to govern the operation of the Albumin Awards Program  (the "ALBUS Awards") organized by Grifols, S.A., a company duly incorporated under Spanish law, with Tax ID number A-58389123 and with registered offices at calle Jesús y María 6, 08022 Barcelona – Spain ("Grifols").

ALBUS Awards aims to develop novel concepts on albumin research, encourage discovery of beneficial albumin applications and further investigate mechanisms of action or clinical effects in different indications.

These T&Cs are available for consultation on www.albus-awards.com (the "Website").


2. Participants

Participation in the ALBUS Awards is voluntary and free of charge.

The Participants in the ALBUS Awards may present their proposal individually or as a part of a team. Both individual and team participants will be jointly referred to as the "Participant(s)".

Participant(s) shall meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • present an innovative project that fulfills the requirements as set out in Section 4.1;

  • be a scientist or clinician conducting research at hospitals, universities or independent institutions;

  • be employed or supported by a hospital, university or independent institution (the "Institution"), and

None of Grifols' and/or its group companies' employees or any relative up to the second degree of kinship of the persons directly involved in the management of Grifols' scientific awards or in the awardee selection process shall be eligible to participate in the ALBUS Awards.

Unless expressly stated in these T&Cs, in no case shall Grifols bear any costs and/or expenses in which the Participant(s) may incur by reason of their participation in the ALBUS Awards.

Submissions from Awardees of previous editions of ALBUS Awards will not be accepted.
 


3. Period of participation and timeline

The period of participation for the ALBUS Awards will be defined in the ALBUS Awards Timeline.

(a)    Submission of the Application Form: within the term indicated in the ALBUS Awards Timeline.
(b)    Submission of the full proposal for the Research Project (as such term is defined below) by the short listed Participants: within the term indicated in the ALBUS Awards Timeline.
(c)    The Awardee (as such term is defined below) will be announced on the Website within the term indicated in the ALBUS Awards Timeline. 


4. Awards details

Applicants (either individual Participant(s) or the Participant(s) in a team designated to present the proposal) should complete the Application Form and submit it, together with the Letter of Intent (LoI), a short curriculum vitae of all participant(s) during the term set out in Section 3.

Once the period to submit the Application Form ends, an independent jury formed by a panel of leading experts in clinical and academic medicine, whose identity details are published on the Website (the "ALBUS Review Board") shall select from four (4) to eight (8) proposals submitted Research Projects (as such term is defined below) that best match the requirements described in Section 4.1, taking into consideration the appraisal criteria described in Section 4.2.

The Participant(s) shortlisted by the ALBUS Review Board will be invited to submit a full proposal of the Research Project, following the requirements set forth in Section 4.1, jointly with the following additional documents: (i) letter of support from mentor and (ii) letter of support from director of the Institution, department or division head stressing Institution's commitment to the Participant. The ALBUS Review Board will select the one (1) Research Project that best match the ALBUS Awards' objectives described in Section 4.1.

The Participant whose Research Project is awarded (the "Awardee") will be announced on the Website with his/her/their name, last name, photo, job position, designation of workplace, short biography and together with the title of the Research Project.

If required, the Awardee shall attend the award ceremony, whether by physical attendance or remotely at the choice of Grifols, in order to receive the Award. In case it is required for the Awardee to attend the award ceremony physically, any costs and/or expenses associated with such physical attendance will be borne by Grifols. 
Participant(s) shall provide all information requested in the course of the selection process in English using the form or documents provided by Grifols, when they are available.
 

4.1    Requirements of the Research Projects

Participant(s) must present an innovative project relevant to albumin research or its role as therapeutic product. Proposals may include, but are not limited to, projects on efficacy, mechanism of action, safety and tolerability, quality of life and pharmacoeconomics. The project should meet the following requirements (the "Research Project"):

(a)    ALBUS Awards' objectives:

(i)    Develop novel concepts on albumin research,
(ii)    Encourage discovery of beneficial albumin applications,
(iii)    Further investigate mechanisms of action or clinical effects in different indications.

(b)    Research Project goals should be achieved within a maximum of twelve (12) months from the date of the first payment agreed in the Contract (as such terms is defined below), in case Participant(s) become selected as Awardees;

(c)    Studies sponsored by industry are excluded;

(d)    Basic Research Projects may include preclinical animal studies and in vitro studies;

(e)    Clinical Research Projects may include any studies requiring patient informed consent, including treatment of patients and/or use of patient samples (e.g. for biomarker analysis, genotyping and diagnostics); 

(f)    In no case, submitted Research Projects shall include any information or data which allows, directly or indirectly, the identification of patients and/or any other individuals who are not members of the Participant(s)' team and/or the Institution;

The Awardees agree to provide Grifols with an interim study report after half-time of the Research Project and a full report after completion of the Research Project. 

4.2    Appraisal criteria

The Research Projects will be assessed by the ALBUS Review Team taking into account the following criteria:

(a)    Scientific merit, which will take into account (i) the validity of the rationale and/or proposed methodology, (ii) the validity of the expected outcomes, (iii) the validity of the proposed timelines, and (iv) the feasibility of completing the proposed research within a maximum term of twelve (12) months from the date of the first payment agreed in the Contract, in case the Participant(s) become selected as Awardees;

(b)    Innovation of the Research Project design, methodology and objectives;

(c)    Clinical/medical impact, which will take into account the contribution of the Research Project results to clinical and scientific understanding, and

(d)    Mentor and research environment, which will take into account (i) mentor's research focus, clinical/scientific expertise and experience, (ii) qualification of the Participant(s), and (iii) expertise in the academic research environment.
 


5. Prize

The selected Research Project will be awarded with an amount of Euros 50,000 (the "Award"). The payment of the Award will only be made by Grifols to the Awardees' Institution with the following payment schedule and subject, if applicable, to holding a certificate of residence for non-Spanish residents:

  • Thirty-five thousand Euros (€35,000) (gross amount) within sixty (60) days of receipt of the corresponding invoice issued by the Institution.
  • Fifteen thousand Euros (€15,000) (gross amount) within sixty (60) days of receipt by Grifols of the final report, together with the corresponding invoice issued by the Institution.

The Awardee acknowledges that Grifols will not transfer any payment of the Prize directly to him/her.

The Institution shall use the Award only for the performance of the Research Project by the Awardee and shall not apply any indirect cost to the Award (i.e. management or administration costs).
 


6.    AGREEMENTS 

A written agreement shall be executed between the Institution and Grifols (the "Contract") to cover the granting of the award and the rights and obligations of both parties related thereto. The Contract shall be subject to Spanish law and to the jurisdiction of the courts of the city  of Barcelona, Spain, unless otherwise agreed by Grifols and the Institution.
 


7. Confidential Information

All documents and/or information submitted by Participants and/or the Institutions to Grifols related to the Research Project shall be considered confidential information (“Confidential Information”) and shall only be used by Grifols for the sole purposes of assessing Participants' candidacy in the ALBUS Award.  

The obligations of this Clause 7 shall be valid during a term of five (5) years after the delivery of the Confidential Information.  


8. Representations and Warranties. Intellectual and Industrial Property

The Participant(s) represent and warrant that (a) they are the scientists or clinician responsible for the submitted Research Project, (b) any submitted documents and/or information provided are accurate and updated, (c) the Research Project is an original creation, (d) they have obtained all necessary approvals from the Institution to participate in the ALBUS Awards and their participation does not violate any duty owed to the Institution or any other third party, (e) if applicable, they will obtain the informed consent of the patients in accordance with applicable law, (f) the Research Project complies with all applicable health regulations, and (g) their participation in the ALBUS Awards and the exercise by Grifols of the rights licensed herein do not infringe any legal provisions, agreements, rights or assets owned by any third party.

The Institution will be the exclusive owner of the economic rights of intellectual and industrial property over the Research Project. By participating in the ALBUS Awards, Grifols is granted a worldwide, non-exclusive, non-transferable (except to Grifols' group companies) royalty free license to use any and all results derived, directly or indirectly, from the Research Project for Grifols' internal research and development purposes and for the maximum time period legally acknowledged. The Awardees shall present any information, data and/or results derived from the Research Project only with the prior written consent of Grifols, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

For the avoidance of any doubt, the Institution shall fully keep the ownership or control over all documents, materials and information (whether or not protected by intellectual and industrial property rights) submitted to participate in the ALBUS Awards. The Institution shall have the right to publish the results provided that such publication does not constitute a breach of any provisions of these T&Cs.


9. Data Protection

Any personal data provided by the Participants will be processed in accordance with the Privacy Notice.


10. Applicable Law and Jurisdiction

These T&Cs are governed by Spanish law.

If any disputes that arise from the interpretation and/or execution of the provisions regulated in these T&Cs, the parties will try to resolve these disputes amicably. If the dispute, controversy or difference cannot be amicably resolved, the parties shall submit the dispute, controversy or difference exclusively to the courts of the city of Barcelona, Spain.


11. General

Participation in the ALBUS Awards implies full and complete acceptance of these T&Cs by each Participant(s). Any statement to the contrary such as not agreeing to the T&Cs, will result in the exclusion of the Participant(s) and, as a result, Grifols will be released from fulfilling any obligations with respect to said Participant(s).

It is hereby acknowledged that the Award granted is not conditioned upon any promotion, prescription and/or use of any products commercialized by Grifols nor it is intended to influence the Awardees and the Institutions to do so.

Grifols reserves the right to cancel the ALBUS Awards at any time on grounds of force majeure, a lack of participation or for any other valid reason.

Grifols reserves the right to disqualify any Participant(s) who infringes any of the provisions regulated in these T&Cs and/or any applicable regulation.

Grifols reserves the right to modify these T&Cs in case any irregularity is detected that might influence the objectivity and transparency of the ALBUS Awards.


Date of creation: November 2023