SBIR/STTR GRANTS

The NIH can provide startups with nondilutive funding through the Small Busines Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs. SBIR and STTR at NIH  See also NIST funding Opportunities

In 2005 NIH’s combined SBIR and STTR grants totaled $640 million. Agencies with R&D budgets of $100 million or more are required to set aside 2.5 percent of their R&D budgets to sponser research at small companies. Phase I grant support, also known as feasibility study, is normally funded at $100,000 for 6 months (SBIR) or $100,000 for 12 months (STTR). Phase II support is avilable to Phase I recipients and provides tow year awards of $750,000 (SBIR) or $500,000 (STTR).

The success rate for well written SBIR grants is between 25 and 30%. To obtain an SBIR grant, one must convince the NIH that the proposed research is unique, creates value for the general public at learge through advancements in knowledge and tratment of disease and is relevant to the overall goals of NIH. Thus unlike private financing, NIH reviwers determine whether an SBIR grant applicaiton is significantly aligned with the agency’s public health mission. However, you should describe a sound and innovative approach to solving an unmet medical need. It is important to contact the program officials within the particular component of NIH from which funding is sought to determine whether your research plan fits these citeria. Applications are evaluated by a peer group of researchers from industry and academia. Thus you should not include propiretary information. The NIH SBIR program provides prospective applicants with a wealth of information, including advice documents ( dd), free workshops and conferences (xxx) and access to program officials (xxx).

CRISP

CRISP or “Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects” is a searchable database of federally funded biomedical research projects conducted at universities, hospitals and other research institutions. It may be useful to find prospective collaborators or scientific advisors of prequalified NIH funded researchers. This can be useful for a small company with limited scientific depth and also provide insight into funded research plans and strategies that are being contemplated for the upcoming years. It can also be sued to identify potential customers or key contacts.

The database can be queried based on institutions, disease indicaitons, names of primary investigators, type of grants and state.

NIH GRANTS for the Scientist

NIH has a 28-30 billion annaul budget with more than 80% going to support outside training and research, including grants to more than 3000 universiteis, medical schols and other research institutions. These funds are allocated in a competitve process, using peer review by independent scientists to idntify proposals. Over 80k applications are received a year. The NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) reviews and assigns priorites to 2/3 of the applications. After an application has been assessed by a CSR managed study section, CSR sends to the NIH institutes and centers a summary statement containing a score (and, in most cases a percentile ranking), the peer reviewer’s comments and resume of review discucussions.

The investigator-initiated (R01) grant application is very long, nearly 25 dense pages with unlimited appendices.

Scientists are very familiar with grant application writing to the NIH because their research depends on obtaining funds from such grants. A scientifst who fails to obtain a gLinks to NIH grant procedures are listed below and may also be of interest to the biotechnology rant is less likely to acheive tenure. startup company.

Institutes, Centers & Offices Office of Extramural Research NIHapplications&forms NIH receipt dates NIH review process NIH guide for grants NIH Funding NIH grant guidelines NIH Training and Fellowships NIH computer retrieval on scientific projects NIH Award Data Program Announcements

BIOSECURE ACT:

The BIOSECURE Act (U.S. House of Representative bill H.R. 7085, US Senate bill S.3558) restricts the US activity of 5 Chinese biotech companies on ntioal security grounds. Federal agencies are prohibited from contracting with companies that use biotechnology equipment or services from a “biotechnology company of concern”. Recipients of federal funds are prohibited from using those funds to purchase biotechnology equipment or services from a “biotechnology company of concern”. 

A company is considered a “biotechnology company of concern” if it is headquartered in or subject to the jurisdiction of a foreign adversary’s government. The House and Senate versions of the bill name four companies as “biotechnology companies of concern”: BGI Group, MGI, Complete Genomics, and WuXi AppTec.