The National Institutes of Health issued two new funding opportunities for diagnostic test manufacturers to develop the next generation of COVID-19 tests, with a focus on accessibility and performance. 

The funding opportunities are part of the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Tech program, managed by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB). The new programs may award up to $300 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to support the accelerated development of tests and provide regulatory guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

The first solicitation is for accessible over-the-counter tests that can be used by people with disabilities, specifically blindness, low vision, fine motor skill difficulties and aging-related disabilities. Products should be ready for commercialization in 12-24 months. 

The second solicitation focuses on improving performance of OTC and point-of-care tests as well as integrating universal design features to ensure ease of use. Tests should aim to minimize or eliminate the need for serial testing, and the performance should be unaffected by variants. Products should be ready for commercialization in 24-36 months.

This effort builds on a successful program that has increased the U.S. testing capacity by billions in the span of two years and compressed the technology development timeline from years to months, the NIH said. 

Applications can be submitted starting Sept. 20, 2022. For more information, check out the RADx website.

—From NIH press materials