Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 12 191

  • The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Multiplex Assay Development for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (SBIR R43/R44)" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.846 Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research.
  • This funding opportunity was created on May 31, 2012 and posted on May 31, 2012.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
Apply for PA 12 191

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Opportunity Summary:

The grant opportunity titled "Multiplex Assay Development for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (SBIR R43/R44)" (Funding Opportunity Number: PA 12-191) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) solicitation focused on advancing multiplex biomarker testing for diseases affecting joints, muscles, connective tissue, and skin. The central goal is to spur small businesses to create and apply modern multiplex assay technologies that can measure multiple candidate biomarkers at once, using only small volumes of body fluids. In practical terms, the FOA is aimed at tools that can simultaneously quantify panels of biological indicators (rather than a single marker at a time), which can be important for improving research and potentially supporting better disease characterization, monitoring, and therapeutic development in musculoskeletal, rheumatic, and skin conditions.

This is a discretionary NIH grant program under the SBIR mechanism, specifically the R43/R44 pathway, which generally corresponds to the phased SBIR structure (Phase I feasibility under R43 and Phase II development/expansion under R44). The eligible applicants are small business concerns, meaning the opportunity is designed for companies developing innovative diagnostic, measurement, or analytical platforms rather than for universities or large institutions as primary applicants. The funding instrument is a grant, and there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which lowers the barrier for small businesses that may not have significant non-federal capital to contribute.

From a technical standpoint, the emphasis on "state of the art multiplex assay technologies" signals NIH interest in advanced methods that can deliver high information content from limited sample volumes, a common constraint in clinical and translational studies. The FOA highlights measurement of "multiple candidate biomarkers," which typically implies use cases like profiling disease activity, stratifying patient subtypes, predicting outcomes, or assessing response to therapy, especially in complex immune-mediated or inflammatory diseases where single biomarkers often fail to capture the full biology. The requirement for small volumes of body fluid also points to real-world applicability, where sample amounts may be scarce (for example, pediatric samples or minimally invasive collections) and where efficient use of specimens is valuable.

Administratively, the opportunity falls under the NIH program area associated with arthritis, musculoskeletal, and skin diseases research (CFDA number 93.846). It was posted and created on May 31, 2012, with an original and final closing date of September 7, 2015, and it was archived on October 8, 2015. That means the specific announcement is no longer open, but it still provides a useful reference point for the type of projects NIH has sought in this space and may have relevance for identifying successor announcements or related SBIR topics.

For reference and official details, the full announcement was hosted through the NIH Grants Guide at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-12-191.html. The contact information provided is directed to the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster for access or link issues, using FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Multiplex Assay Development for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (SBIR R43/R44)."

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is PA 12-191.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) solicitation.

What program mechanism does this opportunity use?

It uses the NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) mechanism under the R43/R44 pathway.

What does R43/R44 mean in practical terms?

R43/R44 generally aligns with the phased SBIR structure: Phase I (R43) supports feasibility, and Phase II (R44) supports development and expansion of the work that was demonstrated as feasible.

What is the main goal of this FOA?

The central goal is to spur small businesses to create and apply modern multiplex assay technologies that can measure multiple candidate biomarkers at once, using only small volumes of body fluids, for diseases affecting joints, muscles, connective tissue, and skin.

What types of diseases are in scope?

The FOA focuses on arthritis and diseases affecting musculoskeletal and skin systems, including conditions involving joints, muscles, connective tissue, and skin.

What is meant by "multiplex assay" in this context?

In this context, a multiplex assay is a testing approach designed to simultaneously quantify multiple candidate biomarkers in a single run or workflow, rather than measuring one marker at a time.

Why does the FOA emphasize measuring multiple biomarkers at once?

The solicitation highlights panels of biomarkers because complex rheumatic, inflammatory, musculoskeletal, and skin diseases may not be well-captured by a single biomarker, and multiplex approaches can provide higher information content for research and potential disease characterization, monitoring, and therapeutic development.

What does "state of the art multiplex assay technologies" imply?

It signals NIH interest in advanced methods that can deliver high information content while using limited sample volumes, reflecting constraints commonly seen in clinical and translational studies.

What kinds of samples are expected for these assays?

The FOA specifically points to small volumes of body fluids.

Why is the "small volume" requirement important?

It points to real-world applicability where sample amounts may be scarce (for example, pediatric samples or minimally invasive collections) and where efficient use of specimens is valuable.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants are small business concerns. The opportunity is designed for companies developing innovative diagnostic, measurement, or analytical platforms rather than universities or large institutions as primary applicants.

Is this a grant or a contract?

The funding instrument is a grant.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The FOA states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

What is the CFDA number associated with this program area?

The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 93.846.

When was this FOA posted and created?

It was posted and created on May 31, 2012.

What were the closing dates for this opportunity?

The original and final closing date listed is September 7, 2015.

Is this opportunity still open?

No. The announcement was archived on October 8, 2015, and the final closing date was September 7, 2015.

Where can the official announcement be found?

The full announcement was hosted through the NIH Grants Guide at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-12-191.html.

Who should be contacted for technical issues accessing the NIH page?

The contact provided for access or link issues is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.

What kind of impact is NIH aiming for with this solicitation?

Based on the description, NIH is aiming to advance tools that support multiplex biomarker measurement and can be important for improving research and potentially supporting better disease characterization, monitoring, and therapeutic development in musculoskeletal, rheumatic, and skin conditions.

Can this archived FOA still be useful?

Yes. Even though it is no longer open, it can serve as a reference for the types of projects NIH has sought in this area and may be relevant for identifying successor announcements or related SBIR topics.

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