The largest program at SMRI is for the identification of medications that will improve the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Although medications have been available since the 1960s, they have proven to be only partially effective. Many individuals affected with these diseases continue to have symptoms even when taking available medications, while others find it difficult to take medications because of side effects.
The purpose of this program is to support the testing of medications to assess their efficacy for treating schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. At any given time, SMRI is supporting 50-60 treatment trials, the majority of which are generic and/or off-label medications.
Application Submissions:
SMRI is soliciting applications again this year for treatment trials of biological interventions which may be useful for improving the symptoms of individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. We expect to fund 5 to 7 studies this year. The deadline for applications is March 15th, 2018.
SMRI is most interested in supporting research on the efficacy of drugs which act on the immune system or infectious agents, but ultimately we are interested in the best ideas available, related or not to immune hypotheses. SMRI aims to support clinical trials testing the efficacy of compounds or biological interventions. Although studies can include a psychosocial component, studies that have a psychosocial intervention as the primary focus will not be considered, nor will analyses of existing data, or trials of drugs focused on alleviating side effects of existing medications. Applications should include information regarding whether the proposed compound crosses the blood brain barrier, with supporting data. If the compound does not cross the blood brain barrier, explanation will be needed as to why the compound could be helpful for treating schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
We can only fund studies that can be finished and have results in no more than 5 years after funding. If you cannot guarantee that your study will be finished and results analyzed within 5 years of funding, please do not submit a proposal. Progress of funded studies will be monitored in an ongoing fashion, and if it becomes clear that a study will not be completed on time, it will be terminated.
Drugs that are currently being investigated by SMRI, and those that have been funded in the past are on the List of Awarded Treatment Trials.
For more information, please visit: http://www.stanleyresearch.org/treatment-trials/