ERDERA’s 2025 Joint Call for Rare Disease Therapy Proposals

The European Rare Diseases Research Alliance (ERDERA) has announced its 2025 Joint Transnational Call (JTC) for Proposals on Rare Disease Therapies, which opens on 10 December 2024. This call invites research teams across Europe and internationally to submit collaborative projects that focus on pre-clinical therapy studies for rare diseases using small molecules and biologicals.

The 2025 JTC builds upon past initiatives by the European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases (EJP RD), aiming to foster international partnerships to develop new therapies for rare diseases. Over 30 countries are expected to participate, including France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Baltic states.

Purpose of the Call

ERDERA’s 2025 JTC aims to support interdisciplinary, transnational collaborations that bring together diverse expertise to create effective therapies for rare diseases. Research proposals should focus on pre-clinical studies involving small molecules or biologicals. Potential areas include developing innovative therapies, identifying biomarkers for therapeutic effectiveness, and replicating studies to confirm findings.

Note: This announcement is preliminary, and the list of funders may be updated.

Eligible Research Topics

Proposals should focus on:

• Development of pre-clinical therapies using models such as cell cultures, organoids, or animal models.
• Identification of biomarkers related to therapeutic effectiveness.
• Proof-of-concept studies to confirm pharmacological activity and safety in a pre-clinical setting.

Projects focused on gene therapies, rare neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s), and rare cancers are not eligible for this call. This call specifically encourages therapies that could translate into clinical application.

Key Dates for Submission

The JTC 2025 will follow a two-stage application process:

• 10 December 2024: Call opens.
• 13 February 2025: Pre-proposal submission deadline.
• 9 July 2025: Full proposal submission deadline, with funding decisions expected by December 2025.

Get Involved

An informational webinar will be held on 17 December 2024 to assist applicants. ERDERA encourages collaboration with Patient Advocacy Organisations (PAOs) and the inclusion of Early Career Researchers (ECRs) to foster a patient-centred and collaborative research approach.

For more information, visit ERDERA’s website.