Federal Funding Programme for COVID-19 Medicines

The Federal Funding Programme for COVID-19 Medicines supported innovative pharmaceutical projects that make a contribution to the secure and rapid supply of COVID-19 medicines. The medicines should be available to the Swiss population by the end of 2022.

The call for proposals for this programme is now closed. More information can be found on the FOPH website.

Funding decision of the FOPH

During its session on 30 June 2021, the Federal Council mandated Innosuisse and us to implement the funding programme jointly. The call for applications started on 19 July and closed on 16 August 2021.

The nine funding applications received, with a total requested funding amount of around CHF 52 million, were evaluated by experts on behalf of Innosuisse and the FOPH.

In late 2021, the federal government signed contracts with four companies based in Switzerland for the development of drugs to treat COVID-19: media release.

What is the Federal Funding Programme for COVID-19 Medicines?

The Federal Council approved the CHF 50 million funding programme for COVID-19 medicines in May 2021. The aim of the programme is to support the research, development and manufacture of COVID-19 medicines. By contributing to a secure and rapid supply of these medicines for Switzerland, the Federal Council seeks to provide the Swiss population with access to new and innovative therapies. The programme will run for a limited period until the end of 2022.

The Federal Council’s funding criteria

The Federal Council set out the following overarching criteria to ensure its defined objectives are achieved:

  1. The funded projects should make a contribution to the secure and rapid provision of COVID-19 medicines for the Swiss population and it should be highly likely that the medicine will be available by the end of 2022.
  2. The projects should show a high level of potential for clinical innovation.
  3. The subsidiarity and necessity of the support must be guaranteed.
  4. The development plan must be robust and of high scientific quality.
  5. Applicants must demonstrate relevant expertise in pharmaceutical development projects and present a convincing business plan.
  6. The federal government must obtain pre-defined considerations in return (in particular a purchase option/right of first refusal).
  7. Applications should be assessed in a transparent and equitable manner.

Funding programme schedule

Schedule  
19  July 2021 Launch of call for applications
16 August 2021 Deadline for submission of applications
17–31 August 2021

Preliminary check of applications including possible follow-up questions to applicants

By end of October 2021 FOPH decision on funding application

Implementation of the funding programme

The Federal Council mandated the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and Innosuisse to implement the Federal Funding Programme for COVID-19 Medicines. The FOPH bears the main responsibility and will make funding decisions. Innosuisse will take care of the technical part of the call for applications on behalf of the FOPH, and will contribute technical expertise from its pool of experts, who will carry out the technical assessment of applications.

Last modification 27.05.2022

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Federal Funding Programme for COVID-19 Medicines

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The deadline expired on 16 August.

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Submit an application

Submit your application for the Funding Programme for COVID-19 Medicines via the PrivaSphere transfer platform. Applications submitted in any other way will not be considered.

https://www.innosuisse.ch/content/inno/en/home/about-us/past-funding-programmes/covid-19-medicines.html