Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development

Key Facts

Status: Open

Posted date: July 7, 2026

Opportunity ID: 363095

Opportunity number: PAR-28-043

Opportunity category: Discretionary

Agency name: National Institutes of Health

Agency code: HHS-NIH11

Award floor: $0

Award ceiling: $0

Cost sharing required: No

Funding Instrument Types
  • Cooperative Agreement
Category of Funding Activity
  • Health
Eligible Applicants
  • City or township governments
  • County governments
  • For-profit organizations other than small businesses
  • Independent school districts
  • Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
  • Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
  • Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
  • Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
  • Others
  • Private institutions of higher education
  • Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
  • Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
  • Small businesses
  • Special district governments
  • State governments
Tools
Categories (use these for quoted searches)
  • agency_code:hhs_nih11
  • category_of_funding_activity:health
  • cost_sharing_or_matching_requirement:false
  • eligible_applicants:city_or_township_governments
  • eligible_applicants:county_governments
  • eligible_applicants:for_profit_organizations_other_than_small_businesses
  • eligible_applicants:independent_school_districts
  • eligible_applicants:native_american_tribal_governments_federally_recognized
  • eligible_applicants:native_american_tribal_organizations_other_than_federally_recognized_tribal_governments
  • eligible_applicants:nonprofits_having_a_501_c_3_status_with_the_irs_other_than_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:nonprofits_that_do_not_have_a_501_c_3_status_with_the_irs_other_than_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:others
  • eligible_applicants:private_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:public_and_state_controlled_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:public_housing_authoritiesindian_housing_authorities
  • eligible_applicants:small_businesses
  • eligible_applicants:special_district_governments
  • eligible_applicants:state_governments
  • funding_instrument_type:cooperative_agreement
  • opportunity_category:discretionary
  • status:open
Description

The NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research is interested in continuing to support the BluePrint Neurotherapeutics Network for Small Molecules (BPN-SM)- a program designed to help investigators advance promising small-molecule therapeutics toward clinical testing. The BPN-SM program supports drug discovery and development activities in investigators’ own laboratories while also providing access to NIH-supported subject matter experts and contract research organizations (CROs) with capabilities in medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, formulation development, GMP synthesis, and Phase I clinical testing. By integrating NIH resources with industry-standard expertise, BPN-SM advances investigator-initiated drug discovery while enabling investigators to retain and strengthen their intellectual property while gaining hands-on experience in translational drug development.The overarching goal of the program is to reduce the risk of scientific and therapy development sufficiently to enable external partners to take on late-stage development and ultimately bring new therapies to patients. In addition, this BPN program is specifically focused on small molecules and excludes biologics, because development, regulatory, and manufacturing considerations for each class of therapeutics differ substantially from each other. It will use a phased cooperative agreement mechanism which will enable the program to support innovative but higher-risk projects, with decisions of continued support being contingent on demonstrated feasibility of yearly milestones. A cooperative agreement framework is proposed because several key aspects of the program will involve collaborative activities between the investigators and NIH program staff, with substantial involvement beyond the normal scope of grant stewardship. The project principal investigator(s) and NIH program staff will work jointly with NIH-supported subject matter experts to coordinate and participate in all scientific and technical management aspects of the project.Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop competitive projects and establish the cross-disciplinary collaborations necessary for success.

Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development
The NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research is interested in continuing to support the BluePrint Neurotherapeutics Network for Small Molecules (BPN-SM)- a program designed to help investigators advance promising small-molecule therapeutics toward clinical testing. The BPN-SM program supports drug discovery and development activities in investigators’ own laboratories while also providing access to NIH-supported subject matter experts and contract research organizations (CROs) with capabilities in medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, formulation development, GMP synthesis, and Phase I clinical testing. By integrating NIH resources with industry-standard expertise, BPN-SM advances investigator-initiated drug discovery while enabling investigators to retain and strengthen their intellectual property while gaining hands-on experience in translational drug development.The overarching goal of the program is to reduce the risk of scientific and therapy development sufficiently to enable external partners to take on late-stage development and ultimately bring new therapies to patients. In addition, this BPN program is specifically focused on small molecules and excludes biologics, because development, regulatory, and manufacturing considerations for each class of therapeutics differ substantially from each other. It will use a phased cooperative agreement mechanism which will enable the program to support innovative but higher-risk projects, with decisions of continued support being contingent on demonstrated feasibility of yearly milestones. A cooperative agreement framework is proposed because several key aspects of the program will involve collaborative activities between the investigators and NIH program staff, with substantial involvement beyond the normal scope of grant stewardship. The project principal investigator(s) and NIH program staff will work jointly with NIH-supported subject matter experts to coordinate and participate in all scientific and technical management aspects of the project.Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop competitive projects and establish the cross-disciplinary collaborations necessary for success.
Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development
Open
National Institutes of Health
Health
Cooperative Agreement
State governments
County governments
City or township governments
Special district governments
Independent school districts
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Private institutions of higher education
For-profit organizations other than small businesses
Small businesses
Others
2026-07-07