Find Out About Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Funding Opportunities
Non-dilutive funding to advance innovations in delivery, biodistribution and half-life extension for protein- and peptide-based therapeutic platforms for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for seasonal and pandemic influenza and other respiratory viruses.
VITAL and BARDA are seeking protein-, including mAbs, and peptide-based therapeutic platforms for prevention of infection with influenza and other respiratory viruses. In particular, we are interested in transformative approaches that result in enhanced distribution of long-acting therapeutics to the upper and lower respiratory tracts.
The Approach
Protein- and peptide-based therapeutics have been successfully developed to treat a variety of diseases. However, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a more challenging indication for proteins and peptides due to their relatively short half-life. When considering platform approaches for PrEP, long-acting monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have offered significant advantages in terms of speed of response, treatment duration, and safety profile. However, mAbs have inherent limitations due to their minimal biodistribution to the upper and lower respiratory tracts.
Similarly, while peptide- and protein-based therapeutics offer many advantages over mAbs such as targeting otherwise obscure viral epitopes, higher yield, and flexible manufacturing platforms, they are not considered to be effective for use in a pandemic response due to limited half-life.
With this funding opportunity, VITAL and BARDA are seeking transformative approaches that would address the current limitations with protein- and peptide-based therapeutics for use as PrEP for seasonal and pandemic influenza and other respiratory viruses.
Protein or Peptide Platform Approaches for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): Targeted Delivery to the Upper and Lower Respiratory Tracts with Extended Half-Life
We are accepting applications from academic innovators, non-profit entities, and for-profit startups and companies globally.
Funding Guidelines & Duration
Submit your application before September 26 to be considered for the first round of review.
We will notify you in the Fall of 2025 if you have been selected to submit a full application for this cycle (by invitation only).
Awardees will be selected and notified in early 2026.
Watch our info session to gain insights into the VITAL Non-Dilutive Funding Opportunities to Advance Your Platform Approaches for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
Join one of our live webinars by signing up to a session here.
If you or your organization would like to explore collaborations with other potential applicants, please visit our Teaming Page.
Applications will be reviewed in whole based on responses to the questions in the application and all information submitted, with focus on alignment to the program requirements and program strategy, innovation and quality of data presented, technical approach and milestones to be achieved with the proposal, team and resources available, ability to transition and commercialize the product, and cost/price reasonableness for the proposed use of funds.
The PrEP awards are anticipated to be multi-year awards for development activities taking up to 3 years. It is required that project milestones be completed within the timeframe indicated by the applicant. Project management and mentor support will be provided during the project period. VITAL and BARDA also understand that unforeseen and unpredicted events happen during development, evaluation and validation activities.
There will be reporting requirements on a monthly or quarterly basis, annual reports, and final reports. The applicant and VITAL will agree during negotiations and before final award which standard reporting requirements and other deliverables are necessary as determined by the final, mutually agreed-upon Statement of Work, project deliverables.
No. SAM.gov registration is not required.
The Influenza & Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Therapeutics Program within BARDA focuses on development of 1) novel antivirals to treat seasonal and pandemic influenza in outpatient settings; 2) immune modulators and other host-directed therapeutics promoting lung repair to treat and improve clinical outcomes of acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by pandemic and seasonal influenza and other viral pathogens of pandemic potential; and 3) long-acting antivirals to provide pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) options against pandemic and seasonal influenza before vaccine availability and for people whose immune systems may not generate a sufficient response to available vaccines.
