We’re excited to share that applications are now open for the second round of our Developing Medicines through Open Science (DMOS) program and that the program has expanded to support clinical-stage projects alongside preclinical research. This expansion reflects our commitment to moving promising therapies closer to patients while continuing to apply open science principles that support accessibility and affordability.
We’ve already seen DMOS projects catalyze major progress from advancing rare disease therapies toward the clinic to unlocking major international funding. We’re looking forward to supporting the next wave of collaborative, open science-driven drug development.
If you’re working on or know of a project that could be a fit, we encourage you to apply or share this opportunity with your network.
About DMOS
The Developing Medicines through Open Science (DMOS) program offers support and partnership opportunities for preclinical and clinical drug development in areas where open sharing and collaboration are key to advancement and where market solutions are limited.
This program aims to foster collaborations that undertake preclinical and clinical work to develop drug candidates in areas of unmet medical need, establish proof of concept (POC) for an open science path to drug development and further translate innovations into affordable medicines, generate economic activity, and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Canada.
With total funding of $15M this program supports projects focused on life-threatening or severely debilitating diseases that have demonstrated strong target validation and tractability to enable clinical proof of concept and undertake either IND-enabling preclinical studies or human safety and efficacy studies.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for DMOS funding, applicants must:
- Propose a preclinical or clinical research plan in an area of unmet medical need with a commitment to developing accessible medicines
- Conduct research at Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 2-7
- Include at least one Canadian SME
- Provide proof of matching funds to cover the remaining cost, as Conscience will fund a maximum of 33% to researchers, academic institutions, and large enterprises, and 50% to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
- Commit to our Open Science Policy
Funding Structure
The DMOS funding period is 2 years, with the possibility of an extension. Funding is milestone-driven and reimbursement-based. We will cover between 10% and 50% of eligible costs per Canadian participant*, with maximum total funding per project depending on the project’s TRL, as follows:
| Project’s TRL Category | Maximum funding from DMOS per project |
| Lead Identification (TRL 2-3) | $200,000 |
| Lead Optimization (TRL 3-4) | $550,000 |
| IND enabling preclinical development (TRL 4-6) | $1,600,000 |
| Early to mid-stage (Phase 1-2) clinical projects (TRL 6-7) | $2,000,000 |
How to Apply
The application process consists of two key phases: a Letter of Intent (LOI) application, followed by an invitation for selected applicants to submit a full proposal. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis until all funding is allocated.
