Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs -- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Program -- Therapeutic Idea Award

Funding Agency:
Department of Defense

The FY23 ALSRP Therapeutic Idea Award supports the initial exploration of innovative, highrisk, high-gain ideas aimed at Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) drug or treatment discovery. The studies supported by this award mechanism are expected to be hypothesis-driven and generate preliminary data for future avenues of therapeutic investigation. All research projects should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on strong scientific rationale that holds translational potential to improve ALS treatment and/or advance a novel treatment modality. Applications may demonstrate the ability to achieve interpretable results in the absence of preliminary data supporting the hypothesis. While the inclusion of preliminary data is not prohibited, the strength of the application should not rely on preliminary data, but on the innovative approach.

Projects that focus primarily on investigating the pathophysiology of ALS, without consideration of therapeutic development, are not within the scope of this funding opportunity.

Innovation and impact are important aspects of the Therapeutic Idea Award. Research deemed innovative may introduce a new paradigm, challenge current paradigms, introduce novel concepts or technologies, or exhibit other uniquely creative qualities that may lead to potential therapeutics for ALS. Research with high impact should pioneer transformative research that could lay the foundation for a new direction in the field of ALS therapeutic development. Projects should strive to produce the type and amount of data needed to apply for the next stage, i.e., ALSRP Therapeutic Development Award or other mechanisms for ALS therapeutic advancement.

The Therapeutic Idea Award encourages applications submitted by early-career investigators as well as applications that include meaningful and productive collaborations between/among investigators. Applicants from outside the ALS research field are encouraged to include collaborators with the necessary relevant expertise, such as experience with ALS model systems, endpoints, and pathogenic findings.

Biomarker Option: The FY23 ALSRP Therapeutic Idea Award Biomarker Option encourages applicants to include the development of biomarker(s) in parallel with the main proposed Therapeutic Idea Award research effort. Additional funding, as described in Section II.D.5, Funding Restrictions, is being offered for the co-development of biomarkers that will enhance the drug development process. Efforts may include development of target engagement biomarkers, objective pharmacodynamic biomarkers to measure the biological effect of an investigational therapeutic, or predictive/cohort-selective biomarkers that indicate whether a specific therapy will be effective in an individual patient or patient subgroup. Development of markers for the purposes of diagnosis, prognosis, or measurement of disease progression apart from consideration of the therapeutic development process will not be supported.

 

Deadlines:
• Required Pre-Application Deadline: April 13, 2023
• Invitation to Submit an Application: June 2023
• Application Submission Deadline: July 13, 2023

Agency Website

Eligibility Requirements

Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent) are eligible to be named as Principal Investigator (PI).

Early-career investigators (defined as independent, non-mentored investigators within 5 years of their last training position e.g., postdoctoral fellowship, medical residency, clinical fellowship as of the application submission deadline) are encouraged to apply.

An eligible PI, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, or citizenship status, must be employed by, or affiliated with, an eligible organization.

Amount Description

The anticipated direct costs budgeted for the entire period of performance for an FY23 ALSRP Therapeutic Idea Award should not exceed $600,000.

The anticipated direct costs budgeted for the entire period of performance for an FY23 Therapeutic Idea Award – Biomarker Option should not exceed $750,000. Refer to Section II.D.5, Funding Restrictions, for detailed funding information.

Funding Type

Award
Grant

Eligibility

Faculty
Junior Faculty
Medical Fellow/Resident
Post Doctoral Fellows

Category

Medical
Medical - Basic Science
Medical - Clinical Science
Medical - Translational

External Deadline

April 13, 2023