Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), in collaboration with Grand Challenges India (GCI), invites proposals for a focused Call For Proposal titled “Accelerating Innovation in Vaginal Formulations in Support of Women’s Health.” This special call targets the development of safe, effective, and user-centered vaginal formulations that improve women’s health and well-being through rigorous scientific innovation and translational research. Emphasis on affordable, accessible solutions, multidisciplinary collaboration, and pathways to real-world impact guides the funding and review process.

Overview and Objectives

The initiative is designed as a strategic, time-bound opportunity to move promising vaginal formulation concepts from concept to translational readiness. It prioritizes research that demonstrates strong scientific merit while delivering tangible benefits for women’s health across diverse settings. Projects should articulate a clear plan for usability, safety, manufacturing feasibility, and regulatory alignment to ensure eventual deployment. The program fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration, seeking to bridge laboratory discoveries with health-system adoption and patient outcomes.

Strategic aims include generating robust data packages, validating formulations under realistic use conditions, and outlining scalable manufacturing and distribution pathways. By encouraging partnerships across academia, clinical practice, and industry, the call seeks to shorten the distance from bench to bedside. It also emphasizes inclusivity and equity, ensuring innovations address the needs of women across socio-economic backgrounds. Overall, the objective is to catalyze next-generation vaginal formulations that are innovative, affordable, and accessible to a broad population.

Within this framework, successful projects will contribute to strengthening the vaginal health ecosystem in India and beyond. The program supports translational research that considers user experience, cultural acceptability, and health system integration. It also recognizes the potential for policy and regulatory impact, aiming to streamline paths to approval and adoption. The end goal remains improved health outcomes for women, supported by scientifically rigorous and market-relevant products.

Funding Details and Scope

The program offers substantial support to enable substantial progress over a defined period. Applicants may pursue ambitious objectives while maintaining realistic milestones and deliverables aligned with translational goals. The funding envelope is designed to cover essential activities from preclinical studies to early translational steps that prepare products for regulatory review and deployment. In all cases, proposals should demonstrate potential for wide accessibility and meaningful health impact.

The funding features include a substantial grant amount and a defined project duration that encourage comprehensive development work. The emphasis is on innovative approaches to vaginal formulations that address safety, efficacy, user experience, and practical deployment considerations. By design, the program seeks multidisciplinary teams capable of delivering end-to-end translational value—from formulation development to real-world implementation. Overall, the funding aims to accelerate the journey of impactful products toward patients and health systems.

• Funding amount: INR 2,20,00,000 (approximately USD 250,000) to support project activities.
• Duration: Up to 2 years for defined project milestones and translational progress.
• Focus: innovative, affordable, and accessible vaginal formulations for women’s health.
• Eligible applicants: Indian academic and research institutions; public and private R&D organizations; startups; not-for-profit foundations.
• Collaboration model: strong emphasis on multidisciplinary partnerships across sectors to maximize translational impact.

Proposals should include a detailed budget justification and milestones aligned with the goals of delivering safe, acceptable, and scalable vaginal formulations. Applicants must present a credible plan for utilization of funds, risk management, and measurable health outcomes. The scope encourages exploration of formulations that can be produced, tested, and distributed in a manner compatible with varying resource settings, regulatory environments, and healthcare delivery models. The ultimate objective is to generate products and data that can catalyze adoption and improve health outcomes for women.

Eligibility and Applicants

Eligible entities encompass a broad spectrum of Indian organizations engaged in health research and development. This includes Indian academic and research institutions, public and private R&D organizations, startups, and not-for-profit foundations. The inclusive eligibility framework is designed to promote diverse expertise and dynamic collaboration across sectors. Applicants should demonstrate capacity to execute translational research and address regulatory considerations pertinent to vaginal product development.

Collaboration across disciplines is a central criterion. Proposals should involve at least two different entities or disciplines to fulfill the multidisciplinary requirement. Emphasis is placed on user-centered design, health equity, and the potential to reach low-resource settings with scalable solutions. Teams are encouraged to articulate governance structures, collaboration modalities, and shared responsibilities to ensure efficient execution and knowledge transfer. Intellectual property management and data-sharing plans should be considered early in the proposal process.

In addition to technical merit, proposals should show a clear pathway toward real-world impact. This includes alignment with national health priorities, potential regulatory readiness, and a plan for scaling the product once validated. The program supports ethical considerations, patient safety, and community engagement as integral components of proposal development. Overall, eligibility seeks to foster collaborations capable of delivering meaningful improvements in women’s health through innovative vaginal formulations.

• Eligible entities: Indian academic and research institutions; public and private R&D organizations; startups; not-for-profit foundations.
• Collaboration requirement: multidisciplinary teams with at least two entities/disciplines.
• Focus areas: user-centered, translational research with regulatory readiness and health equity.
• Considerations: governance, IP, data sharing, ethical approvals as part of proposal planning.

Application Process and Timeline

Applications follow a structured, registration-based process designed to streamline submission and evaluation. Prospective teams should initiate registration in the program portal, then prepare a comprehensive full proposal detailing scientific merit, feasibility, milestones, and budget. The review process emphasizes transparency, alignment with national priorities, and considerations of gender and health equity in the context of women’s health. Throughout the process, applicants should ensure that their proposals clearly link innovation with potential for real-world impact and scale.

Key procedural aspects include adherence to call guidelines and submission windows. Registration and submission cycles are governed by BIRAC in partnership with Grand Challenges India, requiring timely preparation of all requested materials. Applicants are advised to monitor program communications for any updates or amendments that may affect scope, eligibility, or deadlines. The review and selection process will consider factors such as technical merit, translational potential, risk management, and the likelihood of successful deployment within health systems.

Important dates to note include the Announcement Date and Last Submission Date, guiding when teams should begin preparing and submitting proposals. The Announcement Date for this call is 28 October 2025, with a Last Submission Date of 16 December 2025 at 01:59 PM. It is essential to ensure that all required documents, budgets, milestones, and partner commitments are complete and aligned with the stated objectives. While templates and guidelines are typically available through the program portal, applicants should tailor their submissions to the call’s emphasis on safety, usability, and scalable impact for women’s health.

• Submission method: registration-based through the program portal.
• Key dates: Announcement Date 28 October 2025; Last Submission Date 16 December 2025 01:59 PM.
• Documentation requirements: complete proposal with scientific merit, feasibility, milestones, and budget justification.

Additional Information and Contacts

This specialized call represents a concerted effort under Grand Challenges India (GCI–BIRAC) to accelerate health innovations that address women’s health needs. It underscores a commitment to translational research, stakeholder engagement, and scalable health solutions that can be adapted across diverse settings in India and beyond. The program champions cross-sector partnerships, capacity building, and knowledge sharing to maximize impact and sustainability. Aligning with national priorities and regulatory readiness remains a core consideration throughout the research lifecycle.

Prospective applicants should consult the program portal for eligibility criteria, submission steps, and contact information. The initiative’s collaborative model is designed to foster partnerships among academia, industry, startups, and not-for-profit organizations to accelerate product development and deployment. Expected outcomes include fully documented prototypes, supportive preclinical data, potential clinical validation, and clear pathways toward commercialization or wide-scale adoption in health systems. BIRAC and GCI are dedicated to advancing women’s health through rigorous, high-impact research and development that translates into tangible public health benefits.