India is a leader in global generic pharmaceuticals manufacturing. However, many generics manufactured in India are at the end of their respective product life cycle, with limited new research and development taking place on new drugs. Furthermore, our country has a high burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases and is vulnerable to epidemics.

In order to keep pace with global innovation and to improve health outcomes, there is a need to foster R&D for new and cost-effective therapies.

With the aim to take India at global map in terms of R&D innovations in the area of drug development in our country, the Department has initiated a new program on “Drug Development” with a vision to develop indigenous and cost-effective new drugs against the following diseases: I. Communicable Diseases • Tuberculosis II. Non-Communicable Diseases • Cardio-Vascular Diseases (CVD), • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) and • Cancer (oral, head and neck, cervical and breast cancer).

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in collaboration with its Public Sector Undertaking, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) invites proposals in the area of “Development of Drugs from existing leads with established proof of concept”.

Purpose of the Call: The goal of this Call is to support milestone-driven proposals focused on lead optimization and preclinical testing of candidate therapeutics for the given four diseases. All proposed studies must be directed to regulatory submission in India and therefore this Call excludes basic research, studies of disease mechanisms or epidemiological studies.

Proposals may be submitted online in the DBT as well as BIRAC R&D format through DBTeProMIS (http://dbtepromis.nic.in/Login.aspx) and BIRAC online web Portal (www.birac.nic.in) under Category of Area-‘Drug Development’, clearly stating ‘Proposal against Call for Proposal’. Subsequently, two hard copies should also be sent to: Dr. Vinita N. Chaudhary, Scientist ‘E’, Department of Biotechnology, Block- 2, Room No.705, 7thfloor, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003. For any queries please contact: Dr. Vinita Chaudhary, Joint Director, DBT:vinita.chaudhary@nic.in;Dr. Aparna Sharma, Manager-Technical, BIRAC tech01.birac@nic.in

Timeline: Call for Proposal opens: 01.01.2020; Call for Proposal closes: 29.02.2020

The goal of this Call is to support milestone-driven proposals focused on lead optimization and preclinical testing of candidate therapeutics for the given four diseases.