Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-H) Solicits Proposals for Resilient Extended Automatic Cell Therapies (REACT) Program
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) is actively seeking innovative proposals through the Resilient Extended Automatic Cell Therapies (REACT) program, employing a Master Announcement Instruction (MAI) strategy for proposal submissions. This strategy enables proposers to tailor their submissions according to the scale of their planned projects, categorized into small (BIT/BYTE), medium (KILO/MEGA), and large (GIG/TERA) scales.
The REACT program specifically targets the large-scale GIG Module category, aiming to revolutionize therapeutic development and affordability and enhance patient self-management. The program addresses the issue of ineffective therapeutics, often resulting not from medical unsoundness, but from patient barriers such as limited access and high costs, leading to compromised treatment adherence and poor health outcomes.
REACT Program Tracks
The REACT program is structured into two innovative tracks. The first track involves the development of a “Living Pharmacy,” an implantable bioelectronic device housing cellular factories to produce and secrete therapeutic molecules as needed, all controlled externally by the patient. This aims to provide a continuous, patient-specific therapy delivery system, minimizing the need for frequent medical interventions.
The second track focuses on creating a “Living Sentinel,” another implantable device designed to monitor disease biomarkers in real-time, providing patients and clinicians with timely information to adjust treatment as necessary. This track has the potential to transform disease management, particularly for chronic conditions, by enabling more precise and responsive therapeutic interventions.
Address Technical Areas
All proposals must address the relevant Technical Areas (TAs) associated with their chosen track(s) to ensure comprehensive development and integration of the required capabilities. Living Pharmacy track proposals must address TAs 1-4, and Living Sentinel track proposals must address TAs 1-3 and 5. The TA titles are as follows:
- TA1: Long-Term Maintenance of Cells In Vivo
- TA2: Improve the Manufacture of Standardized Cell Lines
- TA3: Implantable Device That Communicates with Patients
- TA4: Therapy Generation with Stimulated Release
- TA5: Accurate Biomarker Detection
Abstract Due Date
An initial abstract of 6 pages is due by November 30, 2023. Based on the evaluation of the abstract, ARPA-H will encourage or discourage a proposer from submitting a Stage 1 proposal.
If you are developing a technique that could be of interest to ARPA-H under the REACT program, EverGlade can help you make that determination and pursue a successful contract. EverGlade Consulting connects public sector needs with private sector solutions. We help companies whose focus is to secure non-dilutive funding through the federal government and offer pursuit, proposal, and post-award support at agencies including BARDA, ASPR, NIH, DTRA, JPEO, ARPA-H, and DARPA.
