Funding News - Applications for CounterACT Therapeutics Development Requested

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) requests small business innovation research (SBIR) applications for countermeasures against chemical threats (CounterACT) therapeutics development.  This announcement is made together with 5 other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).*

The increased risk of a terrorist attack in the United States involving chemical agents has created new challenges for many departments and agencies across the federal government.  The purpose of this research program is to support the development of new and improved therapeutics to prevent or mitigate the toxic effects from exposure to chemical threats.  Chemical threats are toxic chemicals that could be used in a terrorist attack against civilians, or chemicals that could be released at toxic levels by accident or natural disaster.

Areas of research interest include, but are not limited to:  therapies based on acute toxicity of the chemical threat agent; therapies based on sequestration or inactivation of the chemical agent in vivo, such as stoichiometric scavengers or cyanide sulfur donors; alternate routes of administration for new or approved therapies that are safe, effective, and easy to administer during a mass casualty scenario; toxicokinetic and route of administration studies with threat agents for the purpose of developing better medical countermeasures; re-evaluation of supportive measures and other medical approaches to delay mortality and morbidity until transportation to medical facilities; identification of segments of the general population that are more sensitive to chemical threats; safe and effective therapies for pediatric and elderly segments of the civilian population or for those individuals with pre-existing medical conditions; and medical prophylactic and protective measures appropriate for first responders or other personnel who must enter a contaminated site.

LETTERS OF INTENT RECEIPT DATE:  March 10, 2006.

APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE:  April 11, 2006.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. David Jett, Program Director, Technology Development Group, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2177, Bethesda, MD  20892; telephone: 
301-496-6035; fax:  301-402-1501; e-mail:  dj140o@nih.gov.

*For a full list of supporting NIH components and a more detailed description of this request for applications, please visit the NIH web site at:  http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-NS-06-006.html.