The Developing Medicines through Open Science program is now accepting Letters of Intent, after which selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal!
This initiative is designed to foster collaborative drug discovery and development in areas often overlooked by the pharmaceutical industry, such as orphan diseases and antimicrobial resistance. The inaugural round of this program will offer a total of 5M$ in funding and partnership opportunities aimed at achieving significant advancements toward drug candidates.
Our goals are to support projects that undertake preclinical research, to establish a proof-of-concept for an open science approach to drug development, and support economic activity in Canada, particularly benefiting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Eligible projects will focus on life-threatening or severely debilitating diseases currently dismissed by the pharmaceutical industry and demonstrate a strong target validation and tractability. We will provide oversight and guidance to support grantees in achieving their milestones.
We will be looking for proposals that will include Canadian academic groups, non-profit research organizations, and industry partners, with at least one Canadian SME involved. Projects must also provide matching funds and commit to open science principles. The amount of funding available per project will depend on the Technology Readiness Level.
Key dates to remember:
- The deadline to submit an LOI has been extended to October 28.
- Full proposals must be submitted by November 22.
- Award announcements will be made in January, with the onboarding of recipients beginning in February 2025.
