The IMI call invites proposals for projects to develop treatments and diagnostics to better tackle the COVID-19 outbreak and to increase preparedness for potential future outbreaks.

This call comes as part of the coordinated EU response to the public health threat of COVID-19, hand in hand with the emergency research funding mobilised recently under Horizon 2020. The special call for expression of interest (SC1-PHE-CORONAVIRUS-2020) was launched on January 30 with a budget of €10 million. In the coming weeks, the selected projects will start their work to advance the knowledge on COVID-19 and its impact on infected people, with the aim of contributing to an efficient patient management and/or public health preparedness and response.

Reedited from original news: https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/covid19-horizon-2020-partly-funding-innovative-medicines-initiative-fast-track-call-2020-mar-03_en

Topic

• Development of therapeutics and diagnostics combatting coronavirus infections

Scope: Considering that this is a newly-identified virus, the scope of this topic remains broad and must address at least one of the following objectives:

• development of antivirals as well as other types of therapeutics to address a rapid response to the current COVID-19 outbreak;
• development of therapeutics to address the current and/or future coronavirus outbreaks;
• development of diagnostics, ensuring rapid evaluation of candidates based on existing technologies;
• development of fast and reliable tools that go beyond the state of the art for detection of COVID-19 carriers and symptomatic individuals suspected of COVID-19 infection.

Preventive vaccines are specifically excluded from the scope of the Call.

For full details of the topic, including the budget breakdown and the General Conditions for the Call for proposals, click on the links above (which take you directly to the relevant page of the Participant Portal) or read the IMI2 - Call 21 Text.

Applicants are also strongly advised to read this questions and answers document.

Indicative budget

• From EFPIA companies and IMI2 Associated Partners: to be defined based upon selected proposals
• From the IMI2 JU: EUR 45 000 000

Key dates and deadlines

• Draft topic texts published: 17 February 2020
• Publication date: 3 March 2020
• Submission start date: 3 March 2020
• Submission deadline: 31 March 2020

For more information please visit the Call website: https://www.imi.europa.eu/apply-funding/open-calls/imi2-call-21