NEI Translational Research Program for Therapeutics (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Supports milestone-driven development of therapies for visual system diseases through two research phases totaling up to five years; clinical trials are not allowed.
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: February 16, 2027 (New) | March 16, 2027 (Resubmission) | June 16, 2027 (New) | July 16, 2027 (Resubmission) | October 16, 2027 (New) | November 16, 2027 (Resubmission) | February 16, 2028 (New) | March 16, 2028 (Resubmission) | June 16, 2028 (New) | July 16, 2028 (Resubmission) | October 16, 2028 (New) | November 16, 2028 (Resubmission) | February 16, 2029 (New) | March 16, 2029 (Resubmission) | June 16, 2029 (New) | July 16, 2029 (Resubmission) | October 16, 2029 (New) | November 16, 2029 (Resubmission)
Funding Amounts: R61 budgets should rarely exceed $500,000 in annual direct costs; R33 budgets should not exceed $1,000,000 in annual direct costs; up to five years combined.
Summary: Supports milestone-driven preclinical development of biological, pharmaceutical, medical device, and combination therapies for visual system diseases and disorders.
Key Information: Clinical trials are not allowed; all projects must begin with an R61 phase and plan both phases.
Description
The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of NIH, runs this Translational Research Program to accelerate innovative laboratory findings into therapies clinicians can use to treat visual system diseases and disorders. It supports product-focused development of biologics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and combination therapies, with the goal of generating preclinical evidence for FDA Investigational New Drug or Investigational Device Exemption (IND/IDE) applications.
The two-phase R61/R33 mechanism supports exploratory development followed by late-stage preclinical work on a single therapeutic candidate. Projects must have a defined treatment or device endpoint achievable within five years. The program is not intended for solely basic science, platform technologies, or isolated technology development. Research infrastructure development is nonresponsive and withdrawn before review.
