Contracts for Innovation: industrial human-relevant drug models

Innovate UK is offering £2 million to develop alternatives to animal testing for new medicines. You can apply for between £80,000 and £200,000 to create non-animal methods for testing drug safety. The focus is on testing how drugs move through the body and their effects on the heart. This funding is for developing and commercialising these new testing methods. The deadline is 15 April 2026. Projects must be based in England. This is part of efforts to reduce animal testing in drug development.

This grant is for organisations working in health and medical research in England. You should be developing alternatives to animal testing for medicines. It suits research companies, biotech firms, and organisations with expertise in drug safety testing.

Organisations can apply for a share of £2 million, inclusive of VAT, to develop and commercialise non‑animal methods for assessing the pre‑clinical pharmacokinetics and cardiovascular safety of new medicines.