[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 37 (Monday, February 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 12832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-04248]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Request for Information: Public-Private Collaborations in Pain 
Research

AGENCY: Office of Research and Development, VA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) publishes this Request 
for Information (RFI) on public-private collaborations in pain 
research, seeking to connect the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) 
Office of Research and Development (ORD) with commercial organizations 
that are conducting, or have an interest in conducting, pain research 
through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). The 
CRADA is to develop public-private collaborations in pain research with 
the intent of developing novel therapies that will benefit Veterans 
suffering from chronic pain conditions.

DATES: This notice will remain open indefinitely to accept inquiries 
and responses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested parties should contact 
Audrey Kusiak, Ph.D., Scientific Program Manager, at (202) 443-5770 or 
by email at [email protected]. Please use the subject line: ``VHA CO 
ORD PAIN PUBLIC PRIVATE COLLABORATIONS.'' You may also write to 
Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development 
(10P9R), 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420. When responding, 
please provide the name of your organization, the main area of research 
interest, your name and title, and contact information (including 
mailing address, email address, and phone number). Do not include 
proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in your 
response.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA is seeking to identify commercial 
organizations that are interested in the development and translation of 
novel therapies for chronic pain. Collaboration will be made via a 
CRADA under the authority of the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 
1986 (FTTA), Public Law 99-502, October 20, 1986, codified at 15 U.S.C. 
3710a. Under the FTTA, VA and the private party may exchange personnel, 
services, facilities, equipment, intellectual property, or other 
resources. No Federal funds may be provided to the collaborator, but 
the VA laboratory is authorized to accept Federal funds. VA may grant 
to the collaborating party a license or an assignment to inventions 
made under the CRADA. VA will select collaborators based on a mutually 
beneficial relationship that is fair and equitable, with the goal of 
alleviating pain in the Veteran population.
    Under the CRADA, VA's duties will include connecting industry 
collaborators with appropriate VA investigators conducting pain 
research. Further, VA will provide expertise in the development and 
implementation of pre-clinical testing (e.g., good laboratory practice) 
of viable therapies to investigational new drugs; design and 
implementation of clinical trials; and development of a data-sharing 
plan.
    This RFI invites feedback from private entities that are interested 
in conducting public-private collaborations with VA that is focused on 
translational research of chronic pain. Area(s) of interest to VA 
include, but are not limited to, the following:
    (a) Building on the clinical usefulness of animal models and 
outcome measures;
    (b) Capitalizing on the heterogeneity and complexity of the VA pain 
population;
    (c) Developing relevant therapeutic strategies for the treatment of 
polytrauma associated pain, including phantom limb, neuropathic pain, 
headaches, complex regional pain syndrome, burns, chronic back pain, 
arthritic (joint) pain, etc.;
    (d) Conditions co-existing with chronic pain such as Post-traumatic 
Stress Disorder, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic 
fatigue syndrome, and how these conditions contribute to pain 
perception;
    (e) Understanding the mechanisms in the development of acute to 
chronic pain and how to modulate them; and
    (f) Safety and the abusive nature of opioid medication.
    VA will evaluate submissions, and selected candidates will be 
requested to enter into a CRADA with VA. Special consideration will be 
given to small business firms and consortia involving small business 
firms. Preference will also be given to businesses located in the 
United States, which agree that those products embodying inventions 
made under the CRADA will be manufactured substantially in the United 
States as provided for in 15 U.S.C. 3710a(c)(4).
    This RFI does not obligate VA to enter into a CRADA with any 
respondents. VA reserves the right to establish a CRADA based on 
scientific analysis and capabilities found by way of this announcement 
or other searches, if determined to be in the best interest of the 
government.

    Approved: February 14, 2013.
John R. Gingrich,
Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2013-04248 Filed 2-22-13; 8:45 am]
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