Key Dates

Related Announcements

August 18, 2022- Chemical Countermeasures Research Program (CCRP) Initiative: Basic Research on The Deleterious Effects of Acute Exposure to Ultra-Potent Synthetic (UPS) Opioids (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). See NOFO RFA-DA-23-056

Issued by

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Purpose

The purpose of this Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) is to solicit applications proposing basic research on Ultra-Potent Synthetic (UPS) opioids, alone or in combination with other substances, including xylazine.

Background

Ultra-Potent Synthetic (UPS) opioids, such as fentanyl, carfentanil, acetylfentanyl, sufentanil, remifentanil, lofentanil, alfentanil, and the structurally dissimilar ‘nitazene benzimidazoles’ (e.g.,meto-, eto-, isoto-nitazene), have been designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as highly toxic chemicals of concern. These synthetic opioids are not only considered public health risks under the ongoing opioid epidemic, but also as chemical threat agents by both military and civilian agencies where large-scale exposure may occur either accidentally and/or intentionally in weaponized form. Exposure could potentially occur as single agents, as a combination of UPS opioids, or as mixtures comprising UPS opioids and other non-opioid chemical substances. Notably, there is a significant knowledge gap in understanding and treating the observed toxicities stemming from exposure to the emerging UPS opioids such as nitazenes and their combinations, and UPS opioids in combination with other chemical substances. To address this problem, the Chemical Countermeasures Research Program (CCRP) is particularly interested in basic research to understand and treat/reverse the deleterious effects of nitazenes, combinations of UPS opioids, (e.g., fentanyl and nitazene) and UPS opioids in combination with the non-opioid sedative xylazine (e.g., fentanyl adulterated or associated with xylazine).

Research Objectives

The scientific scope of research supported by this NIDA-CCRP Notice of Special Interest initiative includes -

• Studies on elucidating the mechanisms that contribute to the deleterious effects after acute exposure to nitazenes, a combination of UPS opioids (e.g., fentanyl and nitazene) and UPS opioids in combination with xylazine (e.g., fentanyl and xylazine) 
• Fundamental research on the non-lethal, delayed, or persistent pathophysiological effects after acute exposure to nitazenes, a combination of UPS opioids (e.g., fentanyl and nitazene) and UPS opioids in combination with xylazine (e.g., fentanyl and xylazine)
• Design and synthesis of chemical probes to gain mechanistic insights on biological targets of relevance to treat or reverse toxicities caused by nitazenes, a combination of UPS opioids (e.g., fentanyl and nitazene) and UPS opioids in combination with xylazine (e.g., fentanyl and xylazine)

Applications for this NOSI initiative are being accepted under the NIDA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) RFA-DA-23-056. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Scientific/Research Contact(s) prior to submission as they may choose to develop their research projects in one or more areas based on their expertise and feasibility (nitazenes, and/or combination of UPS opioids, and/or UPS opioids when combined with xylazine). To be considered for this initiative, applications must follow the Funding Opportunity Description that is critical to the mission of the CCRP, including the non-responsive criteria and additional considerations found within the NOFO. 

Application and Submission Information

Applications for this initiative must be submitted using the following notice of funding opportunity or its subsequent reissued equivalent: 

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the notice of funding opportunity used for submission must be followed, with the following additions:

• For funding consideration, applicants must include “NOT-DA-23-044” (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this initiative.

Applications nonresponsive to terms of this NOSI will not be considered for the NOSI initiative.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to the Scientific/Research, Peer Review, and Financial/Grants Management contacts in Section VII of the listed notice of funding opportunity.

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

Kiran Vemuri, Ph.D
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Phone: 301-435-4446
E-mail: kiran.vemuri@nih.gov

Dave Yeung, Ph.D.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Phone: 301-796-7237
Email: dy70v@nih.gov