Investigating the Benefit of Early Treatment with Ritlecitinib in Alopecia Areata: A Real-World Evidence Approach is a competitive research grant funded by Pfizer Inc. under its Competitive Grant Program – Pfizer Internal Review Process. This RFP seeks to support real-world evidence studies that evaluate the impact of early versus delayed initiation of ritlecitinib in patients with alopecia areata (AA).

Overview

Alopecia areata is a chronic, immune-mediated condition that causes non-scarring hair loss and affects approximately 2% of the global population. When severe and untreated, the condition can lead to substantial psychosocial burden. Ritlecitinib, a systemic therapy approved for severe AA in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older, has demonstrated efficacy through the ALLEGRO phase 2b/3 program. However, important questions remain about the optimal timing of therapy initiation. Emerging post-hoc analyses from the ALLEGRO program indicate that patients with shorter disease duration and lower baseline severity may achieve higher response rates, suggesting earlier intervention could lead to improved outcomes.

Research Areas and Activities

Proposals should use real-world evidence to evaluate early versus delayed initiation of ritlecitinib in alopecia areata. Areas of interest include:

• Impact on clinical outcomes such as hair regrowth (SALT response), time to response, durability of response, and relapse rates
• Baseline patient characteristics and disease features that predict benefit from early ritlecitinib treatment, including disease and episode duration, baseline SALT score, extent of hair loss (AT/AU versus non-AT/AU), age, prior treatment history, and biomarkers of disease activity
• Comparative real-world evidence evaluating outcomes of patients treated early with ritlecitinib versus those who received conventional therapies before transitioning to ritlecitinib
• Disease trajectory and potential for disease modification with early ritlecitinib intervention, including impact on relapse frequency, flare severity, treatment sustainability, long-term disease trajectory in diverse patient populations, and impact on comorbidities

This RFP does not accept requests for the provision, purchase, development, formulation, or supply of drug compounds. Proposals including such requests will be considered out of scope.

Funding and Benefits

• Funding range: Individual projects requesting up to $100,000 USD will be considered. The estimated total available budget is $200,000 USD.
• Project length: Maximum 24 months.
• Award amounts include: Direct costs, institutional overhead costs (capped at 28% per Pfizer policy), and indirect costs.
• Pfizer does not provide funding for capital purchases such as equipment, software licenses, or technology. Equipment hire or leasing may be included in the project budget.
• Grant funding cannot be used to purchase Pfizer therapeutic agents.

Eligibility

Eligible candidates include:

• Institutions and Principal Investigators (PIs) based in the United States
• Only organizations are eligible to receive grants, not individuals or medical practice groups (independent groups of physicians not affiliated with a hospital, academic institution, or professional society)
• If the project involves multiple departments or institutions, all must have a relevant role, and the requesting organization must have a key role
• The PI must hold a medical or postdoctoral degree (MD, PhD, or equivalent), an advanced nursing degree (BSN with an MS or PhD), or a degree in Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, or Social Work
• The applicant must be the PI or an authorized designee
• The PI must be an employee or contractor of the requesting organization
• The requesting organization must be legally able to receive award funding directly from Pfizer Inc.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted via the online portal at www.cybergrants.com/pfizer/Research. First-time users must click “Create your password.” To begin, click the “Start A New Research Grant Application” button.

Submission requirements include:

• Complete all required sections of the online application
• Upload the proposal in the Proposal/Protocol field
• Select “Yes” for the question “Competitive Grant?”
• Select Primary Area of Interest: Dermatology - Alopecia Areata - RES
• Select Competitive Grant Program Name: 2026 I&I US AA Early Treatment RES

Applications submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed. Proposals must be single-spaced using Calibri 12-point font with 1-inch margins and a 15-page limit exclusive of references. Required sections include Goals and Objectives, Assessment of Need, Target Audience, Project Design and Methods, Innovation, Evaluation and Outcomes, Anticipated Project Timeline, Additional Information, Organization Detail, and Budget Detail. Organizations must obtain IRB approval if required and ensure it is in place prior to 1 November 2026.

Deadline and Timeline

• RFP Release Date: 14 May 2026
• Submission Deadline: 14 July 2026 (23:59 Eastern Standard Time)
• Anticipated Grant Award Notification: 17 September 2026
• Anticipated Project Start Date: November 2026
• Anticipated Project End Date: November 2028

Contact Information

For questions regarding this RFP, direct inquiries in writing to the Grant Officer Talita Honorato-Rzeszewicz at talita.honorato-rzeszewicz@pfizer.com with the subject line “2026 I&I US AA Early Treatment RES.” For technical difficulties with the submission website, use the “Technical Questions” link at the bottom of the page in Cybergrants.