Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network (SPAN) to Support Translational Studies for Acute Neuroprotection - Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA NS 18 034

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 18 034

The Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network (SPAN) Coordinating Center opportunity (RFA-NS-18-034) is a National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), NIH cooperative agreement (U24; clinical trial not allowed) designed to build a centralized hub that manages and coordinates a national preclinical testing network focused on acute ischemic stroke neuroprotection. The scientific motivation is tied to major progress in endovascular thrombectomy: because clinicians can now reopen blocked vessels more effectively, there is renewed potential for neuroprotective drugs or interventions to be used alongside reperfusion therapy to preserve brain tissue, extend the practical treatment window, and improve long-term functional outcomes. This FOA is not funding the individual experimental sites directly; instead, it funds the Coordinating Center (CC) that will organize and oversee the network and ensure that candidate neuroprotectants are evaluated in a rigorous, standardized, and efficient way.

At the core of SPAN is a translational pipeline intended to bridge the persistent gap between promising preclinical stroke findings and therapies that are truly ready for pivotal clinical trials. The network is expected to support testing of up to six promising neuroprotective drugs or interventions, specifically those intended to be administered prior to reperfusion or around the time reperfusion occurs. The preclinical work is expected to use experimental models of ischemic stroke that mirror key clinical realities, with the FOA citing models such as transient middle cerebral artery occlusion as an example. The Coordinating Center is responsible for putting the structure around these studies so that results are credible and comparable across sites, reducing redundancy, shortening timelines, and improving decision-making about which therapies have the strongest evidence to justify moving forward into expensive, high-stakes human trials.

Functionally, the Coordinating Center is the administrative and operational backbone of the SPAN consortium. It is expected to work closely with the funded network testing sites supported under the companion announcement (RFA-NS-18-033). In practice, that means providing centralized administrative oversight and coordinating "all aspects of the network," which typically includes harmonizing protocols and timelines across laboratories, organizing governance and communication (such as steering committee operations and cross-site meetings), tracking progress and milestones for each candidate therapy, supporting consistent data practices and reporting, and maintaining overall project management so studies remain aligned with the network's translational aims. Because this is a cooperative agreement, NIH is likely to have substantial programmatic involvement compared with a standard grant mechanism, with the CC acting as the point of integration between NIH expectations and multi-site execution.

The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding in the health area (CFDA 93.853) and uses the cooperative agreement funding instrument type. The listed award ceiling is $500,000. The original closing date provided in the source information is December 13, 2018, and the FOA was created on August 6, 2018. While the source excerpt does not specify the number of anticipated awards, the intent is to support a single coordinating entity that can serve the network as a centralized hub.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities, reflecting the infrastructure-heavy nature of a coordinating center. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other organizations. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, there are clear restrictions on foreign involvement: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are not allowed.

Overall, this SPAN Coordinating Center FOA is about building a disciplined, networked preclinical evaluation system for acute stroke neuroprotection in the modern reperfusion era. The intended payoff is practical and translational: by running coordinated, multi-site, well-managed preclinical studies on a limited set of high-potential candidates, SPAN aims to identify which neuroprotective approaches are most compelling for subsequent pivotal clinical trials, while saving time and resources and improving the reliability of go/no-go decisions.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network (SPAN) to Support Translational Studies for Acute Neuroprotection - Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.853.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-08-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-12-13. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: 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.

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