National Cooperative Drug Discovery and Development Groups (NCDDG) for the Treatment of Mental Disorders, Drug or Alcohol Addiction (UM1) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NCDDG program described in this opportunity?

The National Cooperative Drug Discovery and Development Groups (NCDDG) program was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity that supported multidisciplinary teams working to discover and advance new medications for mental disorders and for drug or alcohol addiction. It used the UM1 cooperative agreement mechanism and emphasized collaborative, milestone-driven research aimed at moving projects from discovery toward tangible therapeutic candidates and early evidence in humans.

Which NIH Institutes led this funding opportunity?

The program was led jointly by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

What does it mean that this is a UM1 cooperative agreement?

Because the award mechanism was a cooperative agreement (UM1), awardees should expect substantial scientific involvement from NIH staff compared with a standard research grant. The description emphasizes coordination, shared decision-making, and a strong focus on meeting clearly defined development goals and milestones.

What was the main purpose of the NCDDG initiative?

The core purpose was to accelerate the creation of pharmacological agents that can treat and also help scientists better understand mental illness and substance use disorders. Practically, this included speeding innovative drug discovery, supporting development of pharmacologic tools, and strengthening the pipeline from target identification through preclinical testing and into early human evaluation for the most promising candidates.

What kinds of diseases or conditions were in scope?

The scope included mental disorders as well as drug or alcohol addiction (substance use disorders). The initiative focused on medication development and related research tools relevant to these areas.

What stages of research and development were supported?

The opportunity covered a broad continuum, including target identification, discovery of candidates, systematic optimization, preclinical development, and proof-of-concept testing. It also supported early phase human clinical testing to quickly assess safety and initial efficacy signals for the most promising candidates.

Did the program support early human clinical testing?

Yes. The opportunity supported early phase human clinical testing to rapidly assess safety and initial efficacy signals for promising candidates. It also mentioned supporting new indications for drugs that were already considered IND-ready (ready for an Investigational New Drug application pathway).

Were applicants expected to use milestone-driven project plans?

Yes. A defining feature of the program was collaborative, milestone-driven research, with explicit emphasis on progress toward defined development goals.

What does “rational, mechanism-based candidates” mean in this context?

Applicants were encouraged to propose drug concepts grounded in a clear biological hypothesis about targets and pathways relevant to psychiatric disorders or addiction. In other words, candidates should be supported by a mechanistic rationale rather than being purely empirical.

Could projects focus on discovering entirely new chemical entities?

Yes. The scientific scope explicitly included discovery of entirely new chemical entities, along with optimization and preclinical development work.

Could projects involve developing pharmacologic tools rather than a therapeutic?

Yes. The opportunity aimed to support development of pharmacologic tools (for example, novel ligands) that can probe biological targets, help characterize existing targets, or validate new ones.

Did the program emphasize development and validation of models for evaluating therapeutics?

Yes. A key feature described was the push to develop and validate models for evaluating new therapeutics, reflecting the view that improved experimental systems and translational models can reduce later-stage failure.

Was collaboration between academia and industry encouraged?

Yes. The opportunity strongly encouraged partnerships between academia and industry, recognizing that successful drug discovery and early development often require academic innovation plus industry-style development capabilities.

What types of capabilities were highlighted as important for successful projects?

The description highlighted needs commonly associated with early drug development, including medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics, toxicology planning, manufacturing considerations, and regulatory readiness, alongside academic discovery strengths.

What CFDA program areas were associated with this opportunity?

This opportunity was listed under NIH CFDA programs for Mental Health Research Grants (93.242), Alcohol Research Programs (93.273), and Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs (93.279).

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity explicitly stated that it did not require cost sharing or matching.

Who was eligible to apply as a primary applicant?

Eligible applicants included a range of U.S.-based organizations, including small businesses, other for-profit organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)). Certain federal agencies were also eligible.

Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible to apply?

No. Foreign (non-U.S.) organizations were not permitted to apply as primary applicants under this opportunity.

Are foreign components allowed as part of a U.S. applicant’s project?

Yes. The opportunity stated that foreign components of U.S. organizations were allowed, which can enable international collaborations or specialized resources while keeping the primary applicant organization U.S.-based.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement?

The Funding Opportunity Number was PAR-11-206.

When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?

It was posted on April 22, 2011. The original and final closing date was February 22, 2013.

Is this opportunity still active?

No. The description identifies it as an archived announcement, with an archive date of March 25, 2013.

Where was the official announcement hosted?

The official NIH announcement page was hosted through the NIH grants guide. The information provided also notes that NIH’s Office of Extramural Research offered technical contact points for access or linking issues.

What kind of outcomes was the program designed to produce?

The program was structured to create coordinated drug discovery and early development teams focused on generating credible candidate therapeutics and research tools for mental health and addiction, with an emphasis on translational progress toward tangible therapeutic candidates and early human evidence.