CDMRP PRMRP Clinical Trial Award | W81XWH 21 PRMRP CTA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 21 PRMRP CTA

The CDMRP PRMRP Clinical Trial Award (Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH-21-PRMRP-CTA) is a Department of Defense medical research funding opportunity administered through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). It is intended to move quickly from promising ideas into real-world testing by supporting the rapid start and execution of clinical trials that could meaningfully improve outcomes for a disease or condition that falls under at least one of the Congressionally directed FY21 Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) Topic Areas. In plain terms, the program is looking for clinical studies that can make a noticeable difference, not early laboratory work that is still far from patient impact.

This award is specifically for clinical trials, meaning studies where one or more human participants are prospectively assigned to an intervention so researchers can measure its effects on biomedical or behavioral health-related outcomes. The intervention can include an active treatment, a placebo, or another control condition, but the key requirement is that people are assigned in advance to receive (or not receive) the intervention and outcomes are then evaluated. The announcement also clarifies that the term "human subjects" refers to individuals who will be recruited for or who will participate in the proposed clinical trial. For additional guidance on expectations related to human subjects research under this mechanism, the opportunity points applicants to a Human Subject Resource Document available through eBRAP (the CDMRP electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal).

In terms of what kinds of trials are supported, the scope is broad as long as the work is truly clinical and aligned to the FY21 PRMRP Topic Areas. Trials may test new or improved products, drugs or biologics, medical devices, clinical practice guidance, and emerging approaches or technologies. The program allows projects across the clinical trial development spectrum: smaller proof-of-concept efforts like pilot studies, first-in-human investigations, or Phase 0 trials that establish feasibility and inform later-stage designs, as well as larger trials designed to evaluate efficacy in patient populations where the results could guide clinical decision-making. That flexibility suggests the program is open to both early clinical translation (as long as it is already in humans) and more definitive clinical testing.

A key boundary of the award is what it will not fund: this mechanism cannot be used for animal studies and is not meant for preclinical research. If a project is still in the preclinical phase, the applicant is expected to look at other PRMRP announcements rather than trying to fit it into the Clinical Trial Award. The takeaway is that funded work must directly support the conduct of a human clinical trial rather than earlier-stage laboratory validation.

From an administrative and eligibility standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity that may be awarded as either a grant or a cooperative agreement, under the broad category of science and technology research and development (CFDA 12.420). Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is generally open to a wide range of entity types, with the caveat that any extra eligibility conditions would be described in the official text under "Additional Information on Eligibility." The opportunity record lists an estimated seven awards expected. The listing shows an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates that a fixed maximum was not specified in the summary record and applicants need to rely on the full program announcement for any budget limits or constraints.

The opportunity was created on March 15, 2021, with an original closing date of August 26, 2021. Even though those dates are tied to the FY21 cycle, the description captures the core purpose and requirements of the PRMRP Clinical Trial Award: funding human clinical trials that can be launched quickly and that are positioned to deliver impactful, clinically meaningful results in one or more of the Congressionally directed PRMRP focus areas.

• The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "CDMRP PRMRP Clinical Trial Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 15, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 26, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for W81XWH 21 PRMRP CTA

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