The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to provide funding, resources, and expertise to accelerate the development of diverse biotherapeutic modalities — including but not limited to antibodies, peptides, proteins, oligonucleotides, gene therapies, cell therapies, and other emerging therapeutic modalities — for the treatment of nervous and neuromuscular system disorders.
The Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network for Biologics (BPN Biologics) program provides support for biologics-based therapy discovery and development activities from lead optimization through first-in-human clinical trials. This NOFO is a phased, milestone-driven cooperative agreement that involves close collaboration and regular interactions with NIH program staff.
Awarded projects will receive funding for investigator-led research activities to be conducted in their own laboratories and assistance from NIH-funded consultants with industry and regulatory experience. Participants may also augment their project through collaboration with NIH-funded contract research organizations that specialize in manufacturing, nonclinical studies, and early phase clinical trials. Recipient institutions will retain their rights to existing intellectual property and are assigned rights to any new IP developed within the program.
Companion FOA: PAR-24-293 , UG3/ UH3 Phase 1 Exploratory/Developmental Cooperative Agreement/Exploratory/Developmental Cooperative Agreement Phase II
Deadlines:
- Letter of Intent Due Date(s): 30 days prior to the application due date
- Application Due Dates: Jan 27, 2025; July 15, 2025; Jan 15, 2026; July 15, 2026; Jan 15, 2027; July 15, 2027
- AIDS Due Dates: April 18, 2025; August 18, 2025; April 17, 2026; August 18, 2026; April 19, 2027; August 18, 2027
PAR-24-294 Expiration Date August 19, 2027
Only United States small business concerns (SBCs) are eligible to submit applications for this opportunity.
Application budgets are not limited but need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.
Applicants should rarely exceed up to $500,000 total cost per year for Phase I and up to $1,500,000 total cost per year for the Phase II. In all cases, applicants should propose a budget that is reasonable and appropriate for completion of the research project. Application budgets should only cover the work that will be performed by the PD/PI and his/her staff. The NIH will pay BPN contractors and consultants directly for their work; therefore, these expenses should not be included in the budget for this application.