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Clinical Repurposing Research to Impact US Veterans/Military – 2026

Cures Within Reach

This Request for Proposals (RFP) from Cures Within Reach (CWR) is seeking clinical repurposing trials from US-based research institutions using already approved treatments to address unmet and high-priority medical needs of US veterans and/or active US military, such as mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and brain injuries. Our strongest preference is for proof of concept, pivotal, Phase I or Phase IIA clinical repurposing trials. Eligible trials may be conducted at accredited US-based academic, nonprofit and governmental research institutions and/or health systems involved with medical research, including Veterans Administration (VA) health systems and hospitals.

Repurposed therapies must be approved and/or generally recognized as safe for human use by some regulatory agency, such as the US Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency, Health Canada or Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency, and may include drugs, devices, nutraceuticals or diagnostics, as well as combination therapies. These repurposed therapies must be tested in a new indication for which they are not already approved or used widely in clinical practice as standard of care. Repurposed therapies also may be added to current standard of care to improve patient outcomes and/or quality of life.

CWR is accepting budgets of up to $75,000 for this funding opportunity, which includes the required institutional match (see Important Funding Information below). The total funding amount submitted to CWR must be sole, late or final funding required to accomplish the specific aims listed in the Letter of Intent (LOI). For Principal Investigators (PIs) who are interested in including underrepresented patients in the proposed clinical trial, CWR may provide $5,000 - $15,000 in additional financial support for approved community engagement costs. Community engagement must go beyond patient engagement and include collaborations with community-based organizations (i.e. community health, social services and/or faith-based organizations – including veterans-focused groups). Community engagement is required for any trials addressing health disparities and is optional for all other trials.

The LOI submission deadline is 11:59pm US Eastern Time on May 29, 2026. CWR has a 2-stage submission process, starting with the brief LOI. Top rated LOIs will be invited to submit a full proposal. PIs will be contacted approximately 6-8 weeks following the LOI submission deadline with a decision.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Strong Repurposing Hypothesis (Most Important)

CWR explicitly states that it prefers projects involving already approved therapies used for a new indication, supported by strong scientific evidence, clinical observations, or compelling biological rationale. Applications proposing entirely new drugs are generally outside its mission.

2. Clinical Trial Focus

Unlike many foundations that fund basic science, CWR primarily funds clinical repurposing trials, particularly proof-of-concept Phase I, Phase IIa, or similar early-stage studies. Projects closest to patient testing are favored.

3. Already Approved Therapies

Successful applications typically involve:

FDA-approved drugs
Approved biologics
Approved devices
Readily available therapies

The lower development risk associated with approved interventions aligns directly with CWR's funding model.

4. Rapid Patient Impact

CWR was founded on the principle that repurposing can deliver treatments to patients faster and more cost-effectively than traditional drug development. Applications demonstrating a realistic path to near-term patient benefit are particularly competitive.

5. Strong Supporting Evidence

Competitive proposals generally provide:

Preclinical evidence
Human observational data
Published literature support
Mechanistic rationale
Prior clinical signals

CWR specifically notes a preference for repurposing trials supported by strong scientific evidence or clinical observations.

6. Feasible and Efficient Trial Design

Because most awards are relatively modest compared with NIH grants, successful studies typically:

Have realistic budgets
Use existing clinical infrastructure
Employ efficient recruitment strategies
Generate meaningful pilot data quickly

Proof-of-concept designs are especially attractive.

7. Focus on Unsolved Diseases

Many CWR funding calls target diseases with significant unmet needs. The organization frequently describes eligibility as applying to "unsolved diseases" where effective treatments are lacking.

8. Alignment with Priority Populations

Recent funding initiatives have shown recurring support for:

Rare diseases
Pediatric conditions
Blood cancers
Veterans and military health
Health disparities
Underrepresented investigators
Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)

Applications fitting these strategic priorities often receive additional attention.

9. Investigator and Clinical Trial Experience

Although innovation is important, reviewers also assess whether the team can realistically execute the proposed trial, recruit patients, manage regulatory requirements, and complete the study successfully.

10. Potential for Follow-On Funding

CWR highlights its role in generating pilot data that can lead to larger grants, partnerships, or expanded clinical development. Projects with a clear path to subsequent validation studies are advantageous. CWR reports substantial follow-on funding generated from supported projects.

Frequently Funded Themes (2020–2026)

Recent CWR-funded programs have emphasized:

Drug repurposing in rare diseases
Pediatric unmet medical needs
Blood cancers (especially multiple myeloma and MDS)
Veterans' health, PTSD, and brain injury
Health equity and disparities
Meniere's disease, tinnitus, and hearing disorders
LMIC-focused clinical research
AI-driven drug repurposing validation studies
Off-patent therapies with broad accessibility potential

Funding Strategy

A highly competitive Cures Within Reach application typically contains:

An approved therapy being tested for a new indication.
Strong scientific or clinical evidence supporting the repurposing idea.
A feasible proof-of-concept clinical trial.
A disease area with significant unmet need.
Clear potential for rapid patient benefit.
A pathway toward larger validation studies and broader adoption.

Specialties

Pediatrics

Eligibility Requirements

• Be interventional clinical trials testing repurposed therapies, either alone or in combination with standard of care or other repurposed therapies, in a new indication to address unsolved diseases facing retired US military veterans and active US military members

• Be conducted at any US-based accredited academic, veteran nonprofit and governmental research institutions and/or health systems significantly involved with medical research, including VA health systems and hospitals, where good scientific research and clinical practices can be assured o Although start-ups, biotechs, pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies are not eligible for this RFP, their collaborators at eligible institutions can apply

• Have a timeline of no longer than 36 months

• Be led either by a previously funded PI or by an early-stage investigator who has received little or no extramural research funding to date o PIs who have not received extramural funding previously and/or who do not currently have their own lab should include a Letter of Support from a funded, senior researcher who will act as a mentor for the proposed research and the PI

• Not yet have funding (see Important Funding Information below) or already have funding from another source, when funding from CWR will help improve the chances of success of the project and/or help speed patient impact

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Cures Within Reach

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 134 N. LaSalle, #1130, Chicago, IL 60602 info@cureswithinreach.org

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