Bridging Interventional Development Gaps

**BrIDGs** The BrIDGs program allows research partnerships to advance candidate therapeutics for both common and rare diseases into clinical testing. Investigators do not receive grant funds through this program. Instead, selected researchers partner with NCATS experts to generate preclinical data and clinical-grade material through government contracts for use in Investigational New Drug (IND) applications to a regulatory branch of authority, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). **BrIDGs Program Goals** The high cost of translating therapeutic discoveries into clinically available agents can delay the development of promising therapies. Researchers may partner with private-sector companies to advance projects with significant commercial potential, but high-risk ideas or therapies for uncommon disorders frequently do not attract investors. When private-sector resources are limited, BrIDGs research and development expertise and services can help researchers bridge the gap between the preclinical and clinical stages of therapeutic development. This support allows continued evaluation of agents that may improve the standard of care for patients with a variety of diseases and disorders.