← Back to contracts

Exploratory Clinical Trial Grants in Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (R61 Clinical Trial Required)

US National Institutes of Health (NIH) — National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) grant open #PAR-24-279
Response due Nov 02, 2026 · 00:00 UTC

Summary

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), is soliciting exploratory clinical trial grant applications under the R61 mechanism. This funding opportunity (PAR-24-279) targets early-phase, milestone-driven clinical trials focused on arthritis, musculoskeletal, and skin diseases. The R61 phase is designed to support feasibility and/or pilot work that establishes the foundation for a larger clinical trial. The opportunity is open for applications from December 9, 2024 through November 2, 2026.

What they want

Applicants must propose exploratory clinical trials in the domains of arthritis, musculoskeletal diseases, and/or skin diseases. The R61 grant mechanism requires a clinical trial and is structured as a milestone-driven award intended to test feasibility of interventions or methodologies before proceeding to a full-scale trial. Awardees are expected to conduct and report on early-phase human subjects research consistent with NIH clinical trial definitions and requirements.
Deliverables
  • Milestone-driven feasibility/pilot clinical trial results
  • Progress reports per NIH requirements
  • Final research report documenting trial outcomes and readiness for full-scale trial
Technical requirements
  • Clinical trial must meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial
  • R61 mechanism requires milestone-driven design
  • Must address arthritis, musculoskeletal, or skin disease focus areas
  • Human subjects research compliance required
Key personnel
  • Principal Investigator (PI) with clinical trial expertise
  • Clinical trial team with human subjects research qualifications

How they evaluate

Submission: Grants.gov electronic submission portal (PAR-24-279)

Eligibility & certifications

NIH registration and eRA Commons account requiredInstitutional assurances for human subjects research (IRB approval)SAM.gov registration (for applicable institutions)

Risks & flags

  • Rolling/multi-year open window (Dec 2024 – Nov 2026) is standard for NIH PARs but applicants should check specific receipt dates within the FOA
  • Scope is limited to NIAMS disease areas, which narrows the eligible applicant pool significantly
  • R61 milestone-driven mechanism adds administrative complexity not present in standard R01 awards

Market context

inferred from NAICS
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
NAICS 541714
US market size
$2.0T
Typical award
$25K – $50M
Typical buyers
All federal civilianDoDStates
Commonly required
8(a)WOSBSDVOSBPE/PMP

Sector-level estimate — full code lookup not yet in catalog.

Exploratory Clinical Trial Grants in Arthr…
Due Nov 02
Onboard ↗