Two New NIH Research Opportunity Announcements for Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC) Initiative

Here is the information from the NIH:

"The NIH has issued two Research Opportunity Announcements for the Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC) Initiative.

• PASC Initiative: SARS-CoV-2 Recovery Cohort Studies OTA-21-015B

The NIH is soliciting applications in support of the goals of the Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2Infection (PASC) Initiative and Investigator Consortium. This Research Opportunity Announcement (ROA)OTA-21-015B focuses on three research study areas: Clinical Recovery Cohort Studies, Autopsy CohortStudies, and EHR- and Other Real-World Data-based Studies. Applicants may apply for one, two, or all three of these components as described in this ROA.

• PASC Initiative: Clinical Science Core, Data Resource Core, and PASC Biorepository Core OTA-21-015A

The NIH is also soliciting applications under a companion ROA OTA-21-015A that focuses on the Clinical Science Core, the Data Resource Core, and the PASC Biorepository Core.

Recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection is extremely variable with many recovering quickly while for other patients there are important postacute sequelae. Reported symptoms among persons who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 range from mild to incapacitating, may persist after recovery from acute disease, may involve multiple organs and systems, and can adversely affect overall quality of life. In some cases, new symptoms and findings are reported that appear linked to the timing of acute infection but emerge subsequently and evolve over time. The magnitude of the public health impact of these sequelae is currently unknown but potentially large given the numbers of individuals across the age spectrum who have been and will be infected with SARS-CoV-2. It is a public health priority that we better understand and develop strategies to prevent and treat the post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) and that these strategies enable rapid innovation, evolution, and adaptation as more is learned about PASC and its potential impact on public health.

The goal of the trans-NIH PASC Initiative is to rapidly improve understanding of recovery after SARS-CoV-2 infection and to prevent and treat PASC. Toward these ends, the Initiative is designed to address these fundamental scientific questions:

• What are the clinical spectrum of and biology underlying recovery from acute SARS-CoV-2 infection over time?

• For those patients who do not fully recover, what is the incidence/prevalence, natural history, clinical spectrum, and underlying biology of this condition? Are there distinct phenotypes of patients who have prolonged symptoms or other sequelae?

• Does SARS-CoV-2 infection initiate or promote the pathogenesis of conditions or findings that evolve over time to cause organ dysfunction or increase the risk of developing other disorders?

The Initiative is designed to be a collaborative and inclusive approach for rapidly advancing our understanding of the recovery process and the epidemiology (including incidence/prevalence) and natural history (including duration) of PASC. Studies conducted will characterize: the clinical spectrum of recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection, including the subset of patients who have symptoms of disease beyond the standard course; the individual, clinical, and contextual factors that contribute to the duration, types of symptoms, and severity of disease; phenotypes of patients who have prolonged symptoms or other sequelae; the impact of treatments for acute COVID-19 or for post-acute symptoms on the duration and severity of symptoms; and factors that impact the outcomes in patients infected by SARS-CoV-2. 

Submission and Contact Information

Proposals should be submitted by the proposing entity’s business official via eRA ASSIST not later than March 23rd by 5 PM EDT.

If applicants are not registered in eRA or experience difficulty with submission please contact NHLBI_OTA@mail.nih.gov for assistance. Inquiries can also be submitted to NHLBI_OTA@mail.nih.gov. Financial and administrative questions should be addressed to Benjamin Sakovich, NHLBI Agreements Officer. Questions about the scientific scope of the studies should reference in the subject line the OTA number and specific research study component(s) in question to help route the inquiry as appropriate.

Applicants are encouraged to register for the Technical Assistance Workshop to learn more about this important research opportunity.

Technical Assistance Workshop will be held on Mar 1, 2021 5 pm Eastern Time"

Source and More Information: 

1. https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/who-we-are/nih-director/statements/nih-launches-new-initiative-study-long-covid

2. https://covid19.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/PASC-ROA-OTA-Recovery-Cohort-Studies.pdf

3. https://covid19.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/PASC-ROA-OTA-Recovery-Cohort-Studies.pdf