Funder: Cures Within Reach
Due Dates: June 26, 2026: Letter of Intent (LOI) submission deadline (11:59pm US Eastern Time)
Funding Amounts: Up to $100,000 per project (includes 10% institutional match); additional $5,000–$10,000 for community engagement
Summary: Supports global clinical trials validating AI-driven repurposing of approved therapies for unsolved diseases, with a focus on rare diseases and robust, explainable AI workflows.
Key Information: 2-stage process (LOI then full proposal); applications must be submitted via ProposalCentral.
Description
This opportunity from Cures Within Reach funds investigator-initiated, proof-of-concept, Phase I or Phase IIA clinical trials that aim to validate drug, biologic, or cellular/gene therapy repurposing opportunities identified by artificial intelligence (AI) models for any unsolved disease. The program encourages proposals addressing rare diseases and prefers the use of off-patent therapies. Eligible trials must use AI-generated data as preclinical support, and the overall AI workflow should provide clear, explainable evidence for the repurposing hypothesis. The grant is open to accredited academic and nonprofit research institutions and health systems worldwide. Community engagement with relevant organizations is strongly encouraged, with additional funding available for this purpose.
Due Dates
- June 26, 2026: Letter of Intent (LOI) submission deadline (11:59pm US Eastern Time)
The grant uses a two-stage application process: first, a brief LOI; selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal. PIs will be notified of LOI outcomes approximately 6–8 weeks after submission.
Funding Amount
- Maximum funding per project: $100,000 (includes a required 10% institutional match; Cures Within Reach provides 90% of the requested amount)
- Additional support: $5,000–$10,000 for approved community engagement activities (not included in the main project budget and exempt from the match requirement)
- Project duration: up to 36 months
- Up to 30% of the total funding may be used for indirect costs
Eligibility
- Who can apply: Principal Investigators at accredited academic or nonprofit research institutions or health systems worldwide
- Eligible trials: Interventional, proof-of-concept, Phase I or Phase IIA clinical trials validating AI-driven repurposing of approved drugs, biologics, or eligible cellular/gene therapies in a new indication for any unsolved disease
- AI requirements: Proposals must include AI-generated data as preclinical support, with a clear, explainable workflow
- Preferences: Rare diseases, off-patent therapies, and use of open or nonprofit/government-developed AI models
- Ineligible applicants: Start-ups, biotechs, pharmaceutical companies (unless collaborating with an eligible institution as the applicant)
- PI experience: Both previously funded and early-stage investigators are eligible; early-stage PIs without prior extramural funding should include a mentor’s letter of support
Application Process
- Stage 1: Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) via ProposalCentral
- Include a summary of the AI model, a simple AI workflow diagram (using the provided template), and address all required fields
- No institutional signature required at LOI stage
- Stage 2: Top-rated LOIs will be invited to submit a full proposal
- Review criteria: Innovation, feasibility, clinical impact, research team strength, and quality of AI-driven hypothesis
- Submission instructions:
- Log in or create an account on ProposalCentral
- Search for "Cures Within Reach" and select the "Non-Disease Specific Repurposing Research" program
- Follow all instructions and validate your submission before finalizing
Additional Information
- Eligible AI models: Any type is eligible (public, proprietary, nonprofit, academic, or government-developed)
- Community engagement: Strongly encouraged; additional funds available; not required for ultra-rare diseases
- Funding conditions: CWR funding must be the sole, late, or final funding needed for the trial’s aims, or supplement existing funding to improve trial success
- Restrictions: Applications must not be written by generative AI (e.g., large language models); if detected, applications may be disqualified
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Contact Information