Texas cancer agency asks for grant probe

The chairman of Texas’ beleaguered $3 billion cancerfighting agency is asking the Texas Attorney General’s Office to investigate an $11 million grant improperly awarded to a private company.

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas awarded the taxpayer-funded grant to Dallas-based Peloton Therapeutics without any review. The Houston Chronicle reported that CPRIT Chairman James Mansour has directed Executive Director Bill Gimson to ask the AG’s office to seek affidavits from all persons associated or formerly associated with Peloton.

Gimson has assumed blame for the grant, calling it an honest mistake and saying there’s no evidence CPRIT staff stood to benefit from it.