Pharmacologic Agents and Drugs for Mental Disorders (SBIR R43/R44) | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Pharmacologic Agents and Drugs for Mental Disorders (SBIR R43/R44) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA 08 142) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant program focused on advancing medication-based approaches for mental disorders. The main aim is to support small businesses that are developing novel pharmacologic agents for brain and mental health research, including projects that directly pursue the discovery of new drugs. The scope is broad enough to cover early discovery work as well as more applied development efforts, and it also explicitly invites proposals that evaluate the effectiveness of new intervention approaches when those interventions are tied to the program's goals.

A key feature of the FOA is that it is not limited only to brand-new molecules. It also encourages applications that take existing, promising compounds and move them to the next stage of drug discovery and development. In practice, that means a small business could propose work such as lead optimization, formulation improvements, additional preclinical pharmacology, proof-of-concept studies, or other development steps that strengthen the scientific and commercial case for a mental health therapeutic candidate. In parallel, the FOA signals interest in studies that assess how well novel interventions work, which can include carefully designed effectiveness-oriented work, provided it fits within the SBIR framework and the underlying pharmacologic and mental-disorder focus of the announcement.

The program uses the SBIR grant mechanisms R43 and R44, which correspond to Phase I and Phase II SBIR awards, and it also accepts Fast Track applications that combine Phase I and Phase II in a single, continuous application path. As with many NIH opportunities, the number of awards and total dollars ultimately depend on the availability of funds and the strength of the applications received, meaning there is no fixed award count stated in advance. Awards are made competitively, and the final portfolio is driven by scientific merit, feasibility, and alignment with the FOA's objectives.

Budget and timing are structured around SBIR phases, but this FOA provides expanded limits compared with the typical SBIR defaults. Under normal SBIR guidelines referenced in the announcement, Phase I awards generally do not exceed $100,000 total costs over about 6 months, and Phase II awards generally do not exceed $750,000 total costs over about 2 years. For this specific FOA, applicants may request substantially higher budgets and longer time frames: Phase I budgets up to $350,000 total costs per year for as long as two years, and Phase II budgets up to $600,000 total costs per year for as long as three years. This expanded ceiling is important for drug discovery and early development work, where chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and translational studies can be more expensive and time-intensive than typical early-stage feasibility projects.

Eligibility is limited to United States small business concerns (SBCs) that meet SBIR requirements at the time of award for both Phase I and Phase II. The FOA reiterates the core SBIR eligibility standards: the business must be organized for profit with a place of business in the United States and must operate primarily in the United States or make a significant contribution to the U.S. economy through taxes or use of American products, materials, or labor. The entity can take common legal forms (for example, LLC, corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship), and joint ventures are allowed with restrictions, including no more than 49 percent participation by other business entities. Ownership and control must meet SBIR rules, generally requiring at least 51 percent U.S. citizen or permanent resident ownership and control (with specific allowances for certain structures as described in the solicitation), and the company (including affiliates) must have no more than 500 employees in line with SBA size standards (13 C.F.R. Part 121) and NIH SBIR policy on affiliation.

The principal investigator rules follow standard SBIR expectations: the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) must be primarily employed by the small business, meaning more than 50 percent employment with the SBC at the time of award and for the duration of the project. The FOA notes that individuals with the appropriate expertise and resources are invited to apply through their organizations, and it emphasizes NIH's ongoing encouragement for participation by individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and individuals with disabilities. The announcement also allows multiple PDs/PIs, enabling team-based leadership when a project benefits from shared responsibility across scientific, clinical, and development domains.

From an application management standpoint, a small business may submit more than one application as long as each submission is scientifically distinct. Resubmissions are permitted, but they must include an Introduction that directly addresses the critiques raised in the prior peer review summary statement. The FOA is categorized as a discretionary grant opportunity in the health area, tied to CFDA 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants), and it does not require cost sharing or matching.

Administrative details included in the source information indicate the FOA was posted April 10, 2008, with an original and current closing date listed as May 7, 2011, and an archive date of June 7, 2011, meaning the specific announcement as written is historical rather than currently open. The sponsoring agency is NIH, and the full archived announcement was available through the NIH Grants Guide link provided in the notice. For access or technical issues related to the announcement, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster (FBOWebmaster@od.nih.gov).

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Institutes of Health

Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health

Next opportunity: NIH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13/U13)

Previous opportunity: Development of PET and SPECT Ligands for Brain Imaging (SBIR R43/R44)

USGrants.org Applicant Portal:

Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.

Apply for PA 08 142

 

[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?

Applicants also applied for:

Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PA 08 142) also looked into and applied for these:

 

Grant application guides and resources

It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!

Apply for Grants

 

 

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers

Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.

If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.

Subscribe to Leads

 

Request more information:

Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "PA 08 142", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:

Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.