More effective medications for pain are needed, but poorly predictive animal models, changes in biopharmaceutical industry focus, and perceived regulatory and reimbursement concerns have made research challenging. Through a suite of targeted research efforts, the Helping to End Addiction Long-termSM Initiative, or NIH HEAL InitiativeSM, will accelerate the discovery and preclinical development of new medications and devices to treat pain.

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Research Programs

This program seeks to validate novel therapeutic targets using a variety of methods and model systems. These targets can be applied to future translational research to speed up the creation of effective non-addictive medications for pain and reduce reliance on opioids. 

The Preclinical Screening Platform for Pain (PSPP) program will create a preclinical testing platform to identify and profile non-addictive therapeutics for pain. This platform will be instrumental in transitioning NIH HEAL Initiative preclinical research into clinical programs.

The NIH HEAL Initiative will support research to develop more accurate research models, use these models to identify potential new therapies, and accelerate studies of novel small molecule and biologic drug candidates for testing in humans.

The NIH HEAL Initiative will support preclinical optimization and development of safe, effective, and non-addictive small molecule and biologic therapeutics to treat pain. 

The NIH HEAL Initiative will advance device-based treatments for people who currently have no effective ways to manage their pain. Research will support target identification, late-stage translational therapeutic and diagnostic device development, verification and validation activities, and early clinical studies.

Through a robust multidisciplinary and trans-NIH project, the NIH HEAL Initiative will advance the discovery and rigorous validation of biomarkers for pain research and treatment. Successful development of biomarkers could help increase the use of biomarkers for patient selection in clinical trials. This could improve the efficacy of clinical trials and increase the chance that new therapeutics will advance to approval.

Funded Projects

2020
AIBP AND REGULATION OF NEUROPATHIC PAIN
RePORTER Link
Mar 19, 2020
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2020
AIBP and regulation of neuropathic pain
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Mar 19, 2020
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2020
BEYOND PHEWAS: RECOGNITION OF PHENOTYPE PATTERNS FOR DISCOVERY AND TRANSLATION - ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENT
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Mar 19, 2020
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2020
Biomarker Signature to Predict the Persistence of Post-Traumatic Headache
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Mar 19, 2020
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2020
Using Virtual Reality Psychological Therapy to Develop a Non-Opioid Chronic Pain Therapy
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Mar 19, 2020
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Open Funding Opportunities

2021
HEAL Initiative: Planning Studies for Initial Analgesic Development [Small Molecules and Biologics] (R61 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
FOA Link
Jun 08, 2021
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2021
HEAL Initiative: Team Research for Initial Translational Efforts in Non-addictive Analgesic Therapeutics Development (U19 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
FOA Link
Mar 11, 2021
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2019
HEAL Initiative: Development of Therapies and Technologies Directed at Enhanced Pain Management (R41/R42 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
FOA Link
Oct 03, 2019
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2019
HEAL Initiative: Development of Therapies and Technologies Directed at Enhanced Pain Management (R41/R42 Clinical Trial Required)
FOA Link
Oct 04, 2019
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2020
HEAL Initiative: Non-addictive Analgesic Therapeutics Development [Small Molecules and Biologics] to Treat Pain (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional)
FOA Link
Sep 16, 2020
FOA Link

Closed Funding Opportunities

2019
HEAL Initiative: Clinical Devices to Treat Pain (UH3 Clinical Trial Optional)
FOA Link
Sep 25, 2019
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2019
HEAL Initiative: Translational Development of Devices to Treat Pain (U18 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
FOA Link
Sep 25, 2019
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2019
HEAL Initiative: Translational Devices to Treat Pain (U44 Clinical Trial Optional)
FOA Link
Sep 25, 2019
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2019
HEAL Initiative: Translational Devices to Treat Pain (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional)
FOA Link
Sep 25, 2019
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2019
HEAL Initiative: Announcement of the NCATS ASPIRE Design Challenges to Develop Innovative and Catalytic Approaches Towards Solving the Opioid Crisis
FOA Link
Sep 25, 2019
FOA Link

Collaboration Opportunities for Developing Drugs and Human Cell-Based Testing Platforms for Pain, Addiction and Overdose

National Institutes of Health, Office of Extramural Research. Grants & Funding. NIH's central resource for grants and funding information.

Collaboration Opportunities for Developing Drugs and Human Cell-Based Testing Platforms for Pain, Addiction and Overdose

The NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-termSM Initiative, or NIH HEAL InitiativeSM, seeks to speed scientific solutions to the national opioid public health crisis.

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