DARPA BTO: Protean
Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).
Executive Summary:
DARPA’s Biological Technologies Office has released DARPARA2601: Protean, a high-impact research announcement focused on developing next-generation medical countermeasures that protect critical human proteins from chemical threat agents. This program aims to create prophylactics (and optionally therapeutics) that protect protein function against chemical threat challenges over 10,000x LD50s . Abstracts are due March 12th, 2026 at 4:00pm ET.
How much funding would I receive?
Award instruments: Cooperative Agreements or Research Other Transactions (OTs)
Period of performance: 33 months total
Phase 1 (Base): 18 months
Phase 2 (Option): 15 months
Funding levels will depend on proposal quality and availability of funds.
What could I use the funding for?
Funding must support work aligned with Protean’s objective: restoring or protecting protein function against chemical threat agents at the mechanistic level .
Focus Areas (You must propose both phases)
You may propose in one or more of the following:
Nerve agents
Synthetic opioids
Ion channel toxins
Work must target DoD-relevant proteins such as:
Acetylcholinesterase
Mu Opioid Receptor
Ion channels
Phase 1 – Non-Classical Protection (18 months)
Funding may support:
Discovery of novel regulatory points in protein conformational landscapes
Identification of distal regulatory sites (>1 required by Month 6 milestone)
Structural biology and computational modeling of bound/unbound conformations
Experimental validation of novel conformational states
Mechanistic characterization of intoxication pathways
In vitro demonstration of functional rescue or protection
Demonstrating:
10-fold decrease in threat simulant binding affinity (Month 12)
10x increase in ED50 of >3 threat surrogates (Month 16)
End of Phase 1 requires in vitro evaluation by a government Test & Evaluation (T&E) partner .
Phase 2 – Countermeasure Design (15 months)
Funding may support:
Structure-based or ligand-based drug design
Optimization of non-competitive chemical matter
In vitro and in vivo efficacy improvements
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics studies
ADME validation
Safety and acute toxicity screening
In vivo rodent validation against real CWAs
Key metrics include:
1,000x increase in ED50 in vitro (Month 24)
LD50 with intervention >1000x baseline (Month 24, rodent model)
10,000x increase in ED50 in vitro (Month 30)
LD50 with intervention >10,000x baseline exposure (Month 33, rodent model)
Are there any additional benefits I would receive?
Access to government Test & Evaluation (T&E) partners for real chemical warfare agent testing
Potential use of flexible Other Transaction (OT) authority
Early technical feedback via invitation-only pre-award sessions (if selected after Gate 1)
Opportunity for DoD transition and chemical/biological defense positioning
What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?
Key Dates:
Posting Date: February 11th, 2026
Protean Virtual Proposers Day: February 20th, 2026
Question Submittal Closed: March 9th, 2026 by 4:00 PM ET
Gate 1 Due Date (Abstract): March 12th, 2026 by 4:00 PM ET
Gate 2 Due Date (Full Proposal): May 7th, 2026 by 4:00 PM ET
Gate 1 selection is required to submit a full proposal.
The program period of performance is 33 months .
Where does this funding come from?
Funding comes from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Biological Technologies Office (BTO) .
Funding Opportunity Number: DARPARA2601
NAICS Code: 541714
Who is eligible to apply?
All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs, including U.S. and non-U.S. sources, may submit proposals .
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, small businesses, small-disadvantaged businesses, and minority institutions are encouraged to apply .
Proposers must be registered in SAM and have a valid Unique Entity ID .
Proposals must be UNCLASSIFIED or CUI .
FFRDCs, UARCs, and Government entities must contact the agency POC prior to submission to discuss eligibility , competitive proposals will:
Present highly innovative, non-classical mechanistic approaches
Identify >1 novel distal regulatory site by Month 6
Demonstrate feasibility across both Phase 1 and Phase 2 metrics
Provide experimentally validated structural insights (not purely computational)
Show credible in vivo translation plans
Demonstrate strong relevance to DoD chemical and biological defense
Proposals that fail to address both phases will be deemed non-conforming .
Are there any restrictions I should know about?
Key restrictions include:
Must propose to both Phases
Must comply with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) handling requirements (NIST 800-171 compliant systems)
IP ownership or licensing must be clearly documented
Potential publication restrictions for non-fundamental research
Organizational Conflict of Interest disclosures required
No classified submissions allowed at Gate 1
How long will it take me to prepare an application?
Gate 1 is intentionally streamlined:
10-minute Video Abstract (max 5 slides)
5-page Abbreviated Technical Volume
Rough Order of Magnitude cost estimate
Most well-prepared teams should expect 3–6 weeks to develop a competitive Gate 1 submission, depending on technical maturity and team alignment.
Gate 2 preparation will require significantly more effort if invited.
How can BW&CO help?
We help founders and research teams:
Reverse-engineer DARPA evaluation criteria
Position non-classical mechanisms to align with milestone language
Translate structural biology and modeling approaches into milestone-driven narratives
Architect Phase 1 → Phase 2 transition logic
Draft Gate 1 materials that maximize selection probability
Build credible in vivo translation pathways
Our role is to make sure your science aligns exactly with DARPA’s stated metrics and exclusion criteria.
How much would BW&CO Charge?
We charge a flat $4,000 fee to submit the pre-proposal for Gate 1. We also have an hourly rate to strategize, review, and edit applications of $250.
Additional Resources
Review the solicitation here.