U Research

Please see the below pre-announcement details for MTEC’s "Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM) Advancing Therapeutic Reprogramming for Military Regenerative Medicine" program. Click HERE to view full details on the RPP. This is mostly focused on trauma but is well-aligned with gene therapy opportunities and peptide opportunities. Please contact Jim McDonough with questions or to discuss further.

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This is to notify the Research and Development Community that the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM) will soon be releasing a Regenerative Medicine Program Announcement. Regenerative medicine offers revolutionary potential for harnessing the body’s own repair mechanisms to functionally heal previously irreparable tissues or organs. Military applications for tissue repair and wound healing include treatments close to the point of injury to reduce the severity of the injury, or to speed recovery and return to duty.

Proposals must align to the following focus areas of military interest:

• Focus Area #1: Craniomaxillofacial Regeneration
• Focus Area #2: Extremity Regeneration
• Focus Area #3: Genitourinary/lower abdomen Reconstruction
• Focus Area #4: Skin Regeneration
• Focus Area #5: Ex-vivo/on demand Blood
• Focus Area #6: Cellular therapies for Trauma and Critical Care

Projects must address the development of products that are regenerative in nature or may be carriers for a regenerative factor. These projects/products include, but are not limited to:

• Cells (native and modified) and cell components (includes secreted factors, extracellular vesicles, lysozymes).
• Small molecules to include drugs and peptides
• Biologics to include proteins and antibody-drug conjugates
• Gene therapies and CRISPR-based gene editing

Proposals should, where feasible, address U.S.-based manufacturing considerations (such as standardized protocols) and adherence to relevant domestic manufacturing standards to support a secure and reliable supply chain for regenerative medicine technologies.

It is anticipated that the US Government will make approximately $15 million available for this effort. Proposals are expected to be in the range of $2 - $4 million total (direct and indirect) costs.

Cost sharing, including cash and in-kind (e.g., personnel or product) contributions are strongly encouraged, have no limit, and are in addition to the Government funding to be provided under the resultant award(s).

The Program Announcement will be posted on https://afirm.info. A White Paper format will be used with a Project Narrative of 10 pages and additional supportive information and documents.