MRFF- Two more COVID-19 Grants round

Imminent- Fast-tracking research into treatments for COVID-19 
The Australian Government will provide $13 million to fast-track research into treatments for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

The funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) aims to support rapid development of safe and effective treatment options for COVID-19, and will be awarded via two open competitive grant opportunities:

• $8 million to identify and develop antiviral therapies for people infected with COVID-19. In the antiviral development grant opportunity, $3 million will initially be provided to test up to 10 antiviral therapies to test proof of concept.  
• $5 million for clinical trials to better treat and manage COVID-19 patients with severe acute respiratory distress, which can be fatal.

This funding is in addition to the $2 million already allocated from the MRFF for research into a vaccine against COVID-19.

The funding announced today is part of the Government’s $2.4 billion COVID-19 National Health Plan announced by the Prime Minister on March 11.

The respiratory medicine grant opportunity will open on Monday 23 March 2020, and the antiviral grant opportunity will open on Wednesday 25 March 2020.

For more information on these grant opportunities and how to apply, will be available via GrantConnect. Both grants will be managed by the NHMRC.