BARDA MucInn Mucosal Influenza Vaccine Awards

Executive summary

BARDA's DRIVe program, through VITAL Hub, funds preclinical mucosal influenza vaccine development with milestone-based, fixed-price contracts of up to $2.5M each over about 24 months. Startups, companies, nonprofits and universities may apply, including applicants outside the U.S. Pre-proposals are due November 9, 2026.

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Awards go to vaccine programs, not standalone tools. Delivery systems and adjuvants must be combined with an antigen, every work plan must include ferret efficacy studies, and the data should support progress toward an IND-enabling program. Candidates already in clinical development are out of scope.

Solicitation at a glance

• Agency: Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Division of Research, Innovation, and Ventures (DRIVe)
• Opportunity: Mucosal Immunity Innovation (MucInn), run through VITAL Hub (START2 Group with ACI and BioLabs)
• Award vehicle: Milestone-based, fixed-price contracts
• Funding: Up to $2.5M per award, including direct and indirect costs. The number of awards is not predetermined. Larger projects may be proposed with cost share.
• Period of performance: About 24 months
• Technology maturity: Preclinical. Feasibility data is expected; proposals without it are generally treated as non-responsive.
• Due date: Pre-proposals November 9, 2026. Invited full proposals January 19, 2027.

Think your company qualifies? Talk with BW&CO before the November 9 deadline.

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What is MucInn?

MucInn is a BARDA DRIVe program for preclinical mucosal influenza vaccines. It funds novel formulations, delivery systems, mucosal adjuvants, antigen-adjuvant co-delivery and enabling platforms, with the goal of moving candidates toward an IND-enabling program.

What problem is BARDA trying to solve?

BARDA wants influenza vaccines that build mucosal immunity and can advance toward an IND-enabling program.

Priority capability areas: what BARDA is looking for

• Delivery: intranasal, aerosol and oral delivery. Oral approaches need a mucosal-targeting rationale.
• Adjuvants: mucosal adjuvants, including short nucleic acid oligos used as adjuvants
• Co-delivery: antigen and adjuvant delivered together
• Formulation: novel formulations and enabling platforms paired with an antigen

Funding and award terms

• Ceiling: up to $2.5M per award, direct and indirect costs combined
• Structure: milestone-based, fixed-price contracts over about 24 months
• Required studies: ferret efficacy studies in the work plan
• Out of scope: standalone adjuvant or delivery technology with no antigen, mRNA and nucleic acid vaccines, and candidates already in clinical development

Eligibility

Academic innovators, nonprofits, and for-profit startups and companies of any size can apply. Applicants based outside the U.S. are eligible, and a U.S. prime applicant may subcontract to labs abroad.

How to apply

• Read the solicitation and scope notes on the VITAL Hub MucInn page.
• Submit a pre-proposal by November 9, 2026.
• Line up feasibility data and a ferret study plan before the full proposal stage.

What happens after you submit?

• December 7, 2026: full proposal invitations
• January 19, 2027: full proposals due
• March 2027: award selection and project kickoff

Is this opportunity a good fit for your company?

It fits a team with an antigen-paired mucosal influenza vaccine approach, early feasibility data, and a plan to run ferret efficacy studies. It does not fit mRNA or nucleic acid vaccines, clinical-stage candidates, or a delivery or adjuvant platform with no antigen.

How BW&CO can help

BW&CO has helped deep-tech and dual-use founders secure more than $350M in non-dilutive funding. For BARDA programs like MucInn, we help you:

• Check scope against the MucInn exclusions before you write
• Frame the antigen, delivery and adjuvant story for reviewers
• Build a milestone plan that fits a fixed-price contract
• Write a pre-proposal that leads with feasibility data
• Plan the full proposal and budget if invited

Plan your MucInn pre-proposal

Frequently asked questions

Who funds MucInn?

BARDA's Division of Research, Innovation, and Ventures (DRIVe). VITAL Hub, managed by START2 Group with ACI and BioLabs, runs the solicitation.

How much can one award be?

Up to $2.5M, including direct and indirect costs, over about 24 months. Larger projects may be proposed with cost share.

When are pre-proposals due?

November 9, 2026. Invited full proposals are due January 19, 2027.

Can companies outside the U.S. apply?

Yes. Applicants outside the U.S. are eligible, and a U.S. prime may subcontract to labs abroad.

Are mRNA vaccines in scope?

No. mRNA and nucleic acid vaccines are out of scope. Short nucleic acid oligos used as adjuvants are in scope.

Can I propose a delivery platform on its own?

No. Standalone adjuvant or delivery technologies must be combined with an antigen.

Do I need animal data?

Feasibility data is expected, and the work plan must include ferret efficacy studies.

What kind of award is it?

A milestone-based, fixed-price contract.

Can BW&CO help with a MucInn submission?

Yes. We help teams check scope, frame the vaccine approach and write a pre-proposal that leads with data. Book a call with our team.

Source: VITAL Hub: Mucosal Immunity Innovation (MucInn)