Contracts for Innovation in Dru

Animal Research Rule: Projects involving animals must comply with UKRI animal welfare guidance.

Appendices Required: Technical appendix PDF up to two A4 pages. Project plan or Gantt chart PDF up to two A4 pages. Financial projections annex PDF up to two A4 pages. Spend profile template spreadsheet.

Application Platform: Innovation Funding Service

Application Sections: Project details. Application questions. Finances. Project Impact.

Assessment Process: Reviewed by five independent assessors. All scores count toward funding decision. Portfolio approach applied.

Co-Funder: Office for Life Sciences

Collaboration Rules: Applicant may work alone or with subcontractors. Majority of work and key deliverables must be completed by the applicant.

Commercialisation Requirement: Must demonstrate credible UK route to market. Must include commercial plan and financial projections.

Competitiveness: Up to eight contracts expected across sectors. High volume of applications expected.

Decision Risks: Portfolio approach may limit awards. High scoring projects may not be funded. Outstanding payments to Innovate UK may affect decision.

Decision Timeline: Applicants notified 7 August 2026. Contracts awarded 30 September 2026.

Eligible Expenses: Eligible project costs between £200,000 and £1,500,000 inclusive of VAT. Regulatory approval costs including MHRA and NICE permitted. Overheads allowed. Costs must reflect fair market value and exclude profit.

Eligible Scope: Development of pharmaceutical, MedTech or digital health solutions for drug or alcohol addiction treatment, recovery, harm or overdose prevention. Must reach TRL 6 or 7 by project end. Must demonstrate user acceptability and UK market fit. Must include regulatory pathway plan and commercial plan.

Important Notes: Single phase competition. Cannot apply to both strands with same project. Project must not start before contract approval. Milestones must be SMART and linked to payments. Funding subject to sufficient high quality applications.

Ineligible Projects: Projects not original. Projects focused on tobacco, nicotine, gambling or behavioural addictions. Projects preventing initiation of substance use. Projects not aiming for TRL 6 or 7. Projects without clear commercial potential or regulatory pathway.

Ineligible R&D Activities: Quantity production. Commercial supply to recover R&D costs. Incremental improvements to existing products.

Intellectual Property: Applicant retains foreground and background IP. Must grant certain royalty free licences to funder.

Key Requirements: Must engage people with lived experience. Must engage treatment or service providers. Must define regulatory pathway. Must complete business model. Must align with national addiction strategies.

Payment Structure: Monthly payments in arrears against completed milestones. No advance payments. Invoices must be submitted within 30 days of each claim period.

Project Duration: Up to 24 months

Project End Date: 2028-09-30 00:00:00

Project Start Date: 2026-10-01 00:00:00

R&D Requirement: At least 50% of contract value must be directly attributed to R&D services.

Renewal Rules: Not specified

Sanctions Rule: Funding will not be provided where it breaches UK sanctions.

Subsidy Control: Procurement under the Procurement Act 2023 R&D exemption. Not subject to subsidy control criteria.

Substances in Scope: Opioids. Stimulants including cocaine and methamphetamine. Cannabis. GHB. Ketamine. Benzodiazepines. Gabapentinoids.

Total Fund Available: Up to £20,000,000 across two strands

VAT Rules: VAT status must be declared. Costs must be entered exclusive of VAT. VAT responsibility lies with invoicing business. Total eligible costs inclusive of VAT must not exceed limits.