Active Solicitation · DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
AI Summary
The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking information on NMJ micro-physiological systems for botulinum neurotoxin characterization. This opportunity focuses on developing validated assays to reduce reliance on animal testing, specifically mouse bioassays, for measuring toxin potency and evaluating countermeasure efficacy.
Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT/A–G) inhibit acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction through cleavage of SNARE proteins (e.g., SNAP-25, VAMP, syntaxin). Currently, BoNT characterization, including toxin potency and neutralization by medical countermeasures, is measured using mouse-based bioassays, primarily the Mouse Potency Assay (MPA) and Mouse Neutralization Assay (MNA), respectively.
There is increasing scientific, ethical, and regulatory interest in transitioning to human-relevant in vitro systems that can provide mechanistic insight while reducing reliance on animal testing. NMJ micro-physiological systems may provide a biologically relevant platform capable of measuring BoNT potency and evaluating countermeasure efficacy.
BARDA is interested in understanding whether NMJ-based in vitro platforms could support future development of validated assays capable of reducing and potentially replacing reliance on mouse bioassays for BoNT potency and neutralization measurements, with specific interest in systems that can show recovery of neuronal signaling and thereby be appropriate for medical countermeasures evaluation.
RRPV BONT-NMJ is a federal acquisition solicitation issued by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. Review the full description, attachments, and submission requirements on SamSearch before the response deadline.
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