On the morning of July 4, 2025, the "CHANCE-3 EX Project" officially kicked off in Beijing. The study, titled "Efficacy of Colchicine for Secondary Prevention in Ischemic Stroke: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Controlled Clinical Trial," is led by Professor Yongjun Wang,  President of Beijing Tiantan Hospital at Capital Medical University (CMU) and a principal recipient of the inaugural SMART Investigator Program at the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART).

This landmark trial aims to rigorously evaluate the clinical value of anti-inflammatory therapy in the secondary prevention of ischemic stroke and to explore optimized treatment strategies. By advancing the frontiers of stroke research, the CHANCE-3 EX project seeks to contribute original insights rooted in China to the global effort in stroke prevention and treatment.

Dr. Huan Tu, Vice President of SMART, attended the inaugural ceremony and expressed strong support and great anticipation for the study. "This marks a milestone in building a collaborative innovation synergy between clinical and research communities," Dr. Tu noted. She emphasized SMART's commitment to advancing this trial by building a translational bridge between the bench and the bedside, translating research outcomes into tangible clinical benefits for stroke patients worldwide, thereby setting a new benchmark for innovation in stroke prevention and treatment.

As the inaugural nationwide multicenter clinical trial under the SMART Investigator Program, this project marks the operationalization of SMART's innovative funding paradigm featuring "long-term support, scientist-driven research, and cross-disciplinary innovation." As a flagship initiative, SMART Investigator Program establishes a pioneering paradigm for innovative synergies, underscoring SMART's role in accelerating globally impactful "China Solutions" to tackle major challenges in biomedical sciences.  

Furthermore, the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trials Center (Bay Trial), affiliated to SMART, will collaborate closely with the National Center for Clinical Research in Neurological Diseases at Beijing Tiantan Hospital to deliver comprehensive, end-to-end technical support for this project across the full clinical trial cycle. This strategic alliance will catalyze multi-dimensional innovation in biomedical sciences across the translational research continuum.

SMART Investigator Program

The SMART Investigator Program, established by the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART), is a flagship collaborative initiative designed to foster synergistic innovation in biomedical research. Inspired by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)'s philosophy of funding people, not projects", SMART provides clinical experts and outstanding scientists with long-term support, enabling them to address challenging problems and dedicate themselves to discoveries that will shape the future. Key areas funded include disease diagnosis and treatment, translational medicine, and breakthrough technologies, serving as a key driver in positioning the Greater Bay Area as a global hub for biomedical science and innovation.

By facilitating cross-institutional, cross-disciplinary, and cross-regional partnerships to build a globally-connected network for scientific and technological collaborations, this program drives knowledge exchange and technological integration at the frontiers of biomedical sciences, tackling some of the most pressing challenges in biomedical research and cultivating a cohort of globally influential, strategically minded leaders in biomedical sciences.