CounterACT Program: From Exploratory to Therapeutic Development Q&A Webinar

The Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) Program is a trans-NIH initiative that supports research and development of new and improved therapeutics against chemical threat agents. The CounterACT Program is pleased to host a webinar led by Drs. Shardell Spriggs and Jodie M. Fleming to discuss components needed for successful applications for two general funding mechanisms to the program.

Investigators interested in learning more about these exciting opportunities are encouraged to register and participate in this Q&A Webinar on Wednesday August 30, 2023, at 1 PM ET (US and Canada). Please register here for the webinar. For further information, please contact Dr. Neel Dhruv.

PAR-23-139 CCRP Initiative: NIH Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) Translational Exploratory/Developmental Research Projects (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) supports translational research including preliminary efficacy and/or early preclinical development studies towards discovery and validation of novel molecular entities or biologics as candidate medical countermeasures. In addition to novel agents, new treatment strategies may involve repurposing FDA-approved products or combinations of interventions based on established mechanisms of action. Projects supported by this NOFO are expected to generate preliminary data that would facilitate the development of competitive applications for more extensive support from the NIH CounterACT Cooperative Agreement program (see below) or other related initiatives.

PAR-22-209 CCRP Initiative: Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) Therapeutics Discovery and Early-Stage Development (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

This NOFO solicits applications for the early-stage development of therapeutics to mitigate adverse health effects resulting from toxic chemical threats such as specific chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals, pesticides, and pharmaceutical-based agents. The UG3 phase of this NOFO supports target validation and characterization of initial lead compound(s). UH3 phase activities include candidate optimization and in vivo demonstration of activity and efficacy in relevant post-exposure models. At the conclusion of the overall UG3/UH3 funding period, projects are expected to deliver at least one well-characterized therapeutic candidate.