Intercept Broad-Spectrum Preventatives
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Quick Answer
Grants, convertible grants or equity from about US$50,000 (about ₹47.5 lakh) for teams worldwide, including India, developing medicines that prevent many respiratory viruses at once.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- Intercept Health Fund
- Application deadline
- 54d — 31 Dec 2026
- Location
- International
About this grant
The Intercept Broad-Spectrum Preventatives call is a request for candidates from Intercept, a US philanthropic initiative run by the Intercept Health Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity. It looks for medicines and delivery platforms that could protect people from many respiratory viruses at once. Funding starts from about US$50,000 (about ₹47.5 lakh) for exploratory work, and the call is open until at least 31 December 2026. Companies, labs, institutes and nonprofits in any geography can apply, so Indian biotech startups and research groups are not shut out.
What the program offers
Intercept uses grants and equity investments to speed up broad-spectrum preventatives, called BSPs. A BSP is a shot, nasal spray, pill or similar product that protects against rhinoviruses, influenza, coronaviruses and other respiratory viruses together. The aim is to advance at least two products through Phase 2 trials as soon as possible. Intercept's target product concept describes a safe, well-tolerated, long-acting preventative that stops at least 75% of symptomatic respiratory infections, with as few doses and as easy a route as possible.
The budgets on the page are directional and depend on the project's level of development. Exploratory projects run from about US$50,000 to US$250,000 (about ₹47.5 lakh to ₹2.4 crore). Larger budgets, up to about US$2 to 5 million (about ₹19 to ₹47.5 crore), are listed for Phase 1 or Phase 2a work, and the page gives ranges for the steps in between, such as preclinical work and manufacturing. Indirect costs are capped at 15%.
Intercept offers grants, convertible grants and equity, and the structure is agreed with you during the proposal and negotiation. It does not take ownership or co-ownership of your intellectual property, and it takes no lien. Larger awards carry a dormant, royalty-free mission licence that can only be used in events such as a wind-down or insolvency. Funded results are expected to be published, and you have 12 months after finishing the research to publish, so you can file patents first.
Who can apply
For-profit companies, academic labs, research institutes and nonprofits across different geographies can apply. Any development level is welcome, from exploratory research to Phase 2, and clinical data is not required. Partly aligned proposals are accepted. Applicants or projects involving a party under sanctions or export controls cannot be funded.
The project must be either a product candidate with a credible path to the target product concept, or a new delivery platform that can get preventatives into and keep them in both the upper and lower respiratory tract. Areas of interest include broad-spectrum biologics and small-molecule antivirals, T-cell vaccines, trained immunity, next-generation interferon-like molecules and siRNA or ASO antivirals, and other credible ideas.
For an Indian applicant, this means a biotech startup, a university lab or a research institute can apply directly. It suits teams with a real scientific idea against several respiratory viruses, not general operating funding.
How to apply
The first step is a short project overview, not a full proposal. Decide whether you are applying with a product candidate or a delivery platform, make a copy of the matching template document, fill it in, and send it with any supporting materials through the form linked on the request page. Intercept does not sign NDAs at this point, so share only what you are comfortable sharing. If you have several products aimed at different virus families, the page asks for one combined proposal.
How applications are judged and what happens next
Intercept judges potential to meet the target product concept, not what you have already achieved. It looks at the strength of the idea, the need for speed where timing is critical, how well the team limits non-scientific risk, and accountability through clear deliverables and realistic timelines. It cannot reply to every submission. If there looks to be a fit, it contacts you to arrange a first meeting and asks for more information. Most overviews will not move on to full proposals or investment talks, and the funding terms are agreed later, with NDAs expected after the overview.
About Intercept
Intercept is a philanthropic initiative that aims to sharply reduce the burden of respiratory infections. It says funding will scale up for candidates that show promising data, and a separate request for air cleaning technologies is planned.
Things to check before you apply
- The call is open until at least 31 December 2026. After that Intercept may revise it before reopening, so submit early if your project is time-sensitive.
- Submitting an overview does not guarantee funding or even a reply.
- Expect to publish your results and share data with the field, within the 12 months the page allows.
- Indian recipients of foreign money should check tax treatment, foreign-exchange rules and any institutional approvals with an adviser. The source does not discuss them.
- The source does not state an application fee, and it does not mention any travel requirement.
Eligibility
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Grant providers
Benefits & Funding
- Fund type
- Grant
What You Get
Funding is sized to the stage of the project. Directional ranges for product candidates are about US$50,000–250,000 (about ₹47.5 lakh to ₹2.4 crore) for exploratory work, US$250,000–1 million for preclinical, US$2–8 million for CMC, US$500,000–2 million for IND-enabling work and US$2–5 million (up to about ₹47.5 crore) each for Phase 1 and Phase 2a. Delivery-platform projects run from about US$50,000–250,000 (exploratory) to US$100,000–500,000 (pilots). Indirect costs are capped at 15%. Intercept may fund through grants, convertible grants or equity; grants usually come with milestone-based reporting and rights to non-confidential results. Equity and grants that convert to equity follow standard venture terms.
- Disbursement
- Milestone Based
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
Intercept reviews each project overview for its potential to meet the target product concept, the strength of the idea, the need to move quickly and the team's ability to limit execution risk. It cannot reply to every submission. If there may be alignment it arranges a first meeting, and most overviews will not move on to full proposals or investment talks. The funding structure is agreed at the proposal and negotiation step.
Application Process
- 1
Project overview
Fill in the overview document and submit it with any supporting materials.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 3
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply to the Intercept Broad-Spectrum Preventatives call?
For-profit companies, academic labs, research institutes and nonprofits across different geographies can apply. The project must be a candidate or a delivery platform with a credible path to Intercept's target product concept. Applicants involving sanctioned or export-controlled parties cannot be funded.
Can Indian startups and research institutes apply to Intercept?
Yes. The call is open to organisations in any geography, and the source names companies, labs, institutes and nonprofits. An Indian biotech startup or lab with a relevant respiratory-prevention project can submit an overview. The source does not set any India-specific rule.
How much funding does Intercept offer?
Budgets are directional and depend on the level of development. Exploratory projects run from about US$50,000 to US$250,000 (about ₹47.5 lakh to ₹2.4 crore), and Phase 1 or Phase 2a work from about US$2 to 5 million (about ₹19 to ₹47.5 crore). Indirect costs are capped at 15%.
Is the Intercept funding a grant or equity?
Intercept offers grants, convertible grants and equity investments, and agrees the structure with you. A board seat or equity stake is not necessarily required. It does not take ownership of your IP.
What is the deadline, and what if it has passed?
The call is open until at least 31 December 2026. After that, Intercept may revise the request before reopening it, and may announce time-bound topic-specific calls separately. The source does not give a date for any reopening.
Do we keep our intellectual property?
Yes, you keep full ownership and control of your IP, including patent filing. Larger awards include a dormant, royalty-free mission licence that can only be used in events such as a wind-down or insolvency. Results are expected to be published within 12 months of finishing the research.
What do I need to submit?
You fill in a project overview using the template for either a product candidate or a delivery platform, and send it with any supporting materials through the linked form. You do not need clinical data. Intercept asks for more detail only if there may be a fit.
Do I need to travel or pay to enter?
The source does not mention an application fee or any travel requirement. The first meeting, if invited, is arranged by Intercept. Check the request page for current details.
When will I hear back from Intercept?
The source gives no response time. Intercept says it cannot reply to every submission, and it contacts you only if there may be alignment. Most overviews do not move on to full proposals.
Which kinds of projects does Intercept want?
Examples are broad-spectrum biologics and small-molecule antivirals, T-cell vaccines, trained immunity, next-generation interferon-like molecules and siRNA or ASO antivirals. Delivery platforms for the upper and lower respiratory tract are also wanted. Other credible ideas are welcome.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
