Infectious Disease Clinical Trial Development Grant Programme

Deadline: 19-May-2026

The Infectious Disease Clinical Trial Development Grant Programme supports researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to develop innovative clinical trial ideas that optimize licensed infectious disease interventions. The programme offers up to £200,000 per award for up to 24 months to support preparatory research that can lead to future late-stage randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Eligible teams must include at least 2 applicants (lead + coapplicant), with at least 50% of the team based in Africa, South Asia, or South-East Asia, and the administering organisation must also be located in those regions. Projects must focus on priority infectious diseases, include strong stakeholder engagement, data planning, capacity building, and transdisciplinary collaboration, and show how the work will progress toward future clinical trials.

Overview

The Infectious Disease Clinical Trial Development Grant Programme funds early-stage clinical trial development research for infectious diseases in LMIC settings.

Its goal is to help research teams design and prepare high-quality, scalable clinical trial concepts that can improve the use of licensed interventions in real-world settings.

Key Funding Details

Maximum funding: Up to £200,000 per award
Project duration: Up to 24 months
Project type: Clinical trial development / preparatory research
Focus: Optimising licensed infectious disease interventions
Target regions: Africa, South Asia, South-East Asia
Setting: Primarily relevant to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)

What Is This Grant Programme?

This programme supports research that lays the groundwork for future clinical trials, especially late-stage randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

It is not mainly for running a full late-stage trial now. Instead, it funds the development work needed before a major clinical trial can be launched.

Main Purpose

The grant is designed to help teams:

Identify and refine a clinical trial concept
Strengthen the evidence base for a future trial
Build the right transdisciplinary team
Improve trial readiness in LMIC contexts
Develop projects that can scale into late-stage RCTs

Priority Disease Areas

Projects must focus on infectious diseases within the programme’s priority areas.

Eligible Disease Focus Areas

Mycobacterial infections
- Tuberculosis (TB)
- Leprosy
- Non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections
Bacterial infections
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Lower respiratory tract infections
- Bloodstream infections
Invasive fungal infections
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)
- Dengue
- Leishmaniasis
- Schistosomiasis

What Kind of Research Is Supported?

The programme supports clinical trial development research, not just general infectious disease research.

Projects should clearly show how the proposed work will lead to a future clinical trial of a licensed intervention.

Strong proposals should include:

A clearly defined disease area
A specific licensed intervention
A strong rationale for optimising that intervention
A practical pathway toward a future clinical trial
A plan showing how the work can scale to a late-stage RCT

What Costs Can Be Funded?

The grant can cover a broad range of eligible research costs.

Who Is Eligible?

This is a team-based funding opportunity.

Team Requirements

Applicants must form a team with:

At least 2 applicants
- 1 lead applicant
- At least 1 coapplicant
Maximum 8 applicants
At least 50% of team members based in:
- Africa
- South Asia
- South-East Asia

All applicants must be based in eligible regions and intend to remain there for the full project duration.

Lead Applicant Requirements

The lead applicant must be:

A mid-career or established researcher
Experienced in designing and conducting clinical trials
Skilled in data management and analysis
Able to lead large collaborative projects
Based at an eligible organisation in the specified regions
Holding a long-term or permanent position for the full award period

Coapplicant Requirements

Coapplicants:

Can be at any career stage
May come from different disciplines
Must have a significant role in the project

Collaborators

Collaborators may:

Provide expertise
Contribute technical support
Offer institutional or resource support

However:

Collaborators cannot receive salary support from the grant

Eligible Organisations

The administering organisation must be located in:

Africa
South Asia
South-East Asia

Eligible organisation types include:

Higher education institutions
Research institutes
Healthcare organisations
Non-profit research organisations

The organisation must be able to:

Manage the grant funds
Comply with grant terms and conditions
Support project delivery and reporting

What Must the Research Proposal Include?

A competitive proposal should be detailed, practical, and clearly linked to future clinical trials.

Required Proposal Elements

Selected disease area
Chosen licensed intervention
Detailed work plan
Explanation of how the research supports future clinical trials
Stakeholder engagement strategy
Community engagement plan
Data management and data sharing plan
Capacity building approach
Plan for a transdisciplinary team
Explanation of how the project can scale to a late-stage RCT
Alignment with global clinical trial best practices

Why This Grant Matters

This programme is important because many promising interventions fail to reach effective real-world use without strong trial development work.

It helps research teams:

Improve clinical trial readiness
Build locally led research capacity in LMICs
Strengthen partnerships across disciplines
Generate stronger evidence for optimized use of licensed interventions
Advance equitable infectious disease research in high-burden settings

How to Apply / What to Do

Step-by-Step Application Strategy

Choose an eligible infectious disease focus
- Select one of the programme’s priority disease areas.
Identify a licensed intervention
- The intervention must already be licensed and suitable for optimization.
Build an eligible team
- Include at least a lead applicant and one coapplicant.
- Ensure regional representation rules are met.
Confirm organisational eligibility
- Make sure the administering institution is in Africa, South Asia, or South-East Asia.
Design a clinical trial development plan
- Focus on preparatory work that enables a future clinical trial.
Prepare core technical sections
- Work plan
- Stakeholder and community engagement
- Data management and sharing
- Capacity building
- Team structure and roles
Show the pathway to a future RCT
- Clearly explain how this project will evolve into a later-stage randomized controlled trial.
Build a realistic budget
- Keep within £200,000 and justify all costs.

Tips for a Strong Proposal

Focus on a clear, trial-ready research question
Show why the intervention is important in LMIC settings
Demonstrate local leadership
Include meaningful community and stakeholder engagement
Build a genuinely transdisciplinary team
Explain how the project reduces risk before a future RCT
Show alignment with global clinical trial standards

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Proposing a project that is too broad or too exploratory
Failing to identify a specific licensed intervention
Not clearly linking the work to a future clinical trial
Weak explanation of regional relevance
Missing the 50% regional team composition rule
Choosing a lead applicant without sufficient trial leadership experience
Treating collaborators as funded staff when salary support is not allowed

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the Infectious Disease Clinical Trial Development Grant Programme?

It is a research funding programme that supports clinical trial development projects aimed at improving the use of licensed infectious disease interventions in LMICs.

2. How much funding is available?

Each award can provide up to £200,000 for a project lasting up to 24 months.

3. Which diseases are covered?

Priority areas include:

Tuberculosis and leprosy
Non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections
Bacterial infections such as STIs, lower respiratory tract infections, and bloodstream infections
Invasive fungal infections
Neglected tropical diseases such as dengue, leishmaniasis, and schistosomiasis

4. Who can apply?

Eligible applicants must apply as a team of at least 2 members, with:

A qualified lead applicant
At least 1 coapplicant
At least 50% of the team based in Africa, South Asia, or South-East Asia

5. What kind of organisations are eligible?

Eligible administering organisations include:

Universities
Research institutes
Healthcare organisations
Non-profit research bodies

They must be located in Africa, South Asia, or South-East Asia.

6. Can collaborators receive salary support?

No. Collaborators may contribute expertise or resources, but they cannot receive salary support under the grant.

7. What should the proposal show?

The proposal must show:

A clear disease focus
A licensed intervention
A strong work plan
Stakeholder and community engagement
Data management and sharing
Capacity building
A realistic pathway toward a future late-stage RCT

Conclusion

The Infectious Disease Clinical Trial Development Grant Programme is a valuable opportunity for LMIC-based research teams to develop strong, scalable clinical trial concepts in priority infectious disease areas.

With up to £200,000 over 24 months, the programme is best suited for teams that can demonstrate regional leadership, trial expertise, strong partnerships, and a clear path toward a future late-stage clinical trial.

For more information, visit Wellcome.