It is now possible to apply for the tenders of theInnovation Health Iniziativa (IHI). The eleventh IHI call covers topics such as brain disorders, type 1 diabetes, links between infectious and chronic diseases and more. The total budget is €120 million, of which €57 million comes from the Horizon Europe programme, €48 million from IHI industry members and €15 million from IHI contributing partners.
Specifically, the topics covered are the following:
- A platform to uncover brain dysfunction beyond classical disease boundaries
Several very different conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, major depression, and obesity, share common symptoms involving the brain's reward/motivation and impulsivity mechanisms in subgroups of affected people. Although they currently receive different diagnoses, the biological drivers underlying the disease in people with these symptoms may be similar. The goal of this topic is to create a collaborative data platform to understand the common biological underpinnings of these symptoms and identify biomarkers and tools to measure their evolution in clinical trials. This could ultimately contribute to a change in the way these disorders are diagnosed and the development of better treatments to help people living with them.
- Understanding the links between infections and non-communicable diseases
A wide range of diseases, including neurodegenerative, cardiometabolic, and autoimmune diseases, as well as some types of cancer, are known or suspected to be linked to viral infections. The goal of this topic is to explore precisely how viruses trigger noncommunicable diseases and to identify biomarkers that could help identify people at risk of developing a noncommunicable disease following a viral infection. The topic focuses in particular on neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's) and cardiometabolic diseases (e.g., coronary artery disease). In the long term, this could help advance efforts to prevent and treat these diseases.
- Using AI to detect safety signals
Pharmacovigilance refers to the identification and analysis of potential side effects of a medicine once it has been approved for use. Currently, spontaneous reporting systems and, to a lesser extent, electronic health records are the main sources of “safety reports”, but these systems can be slow and inefficient. The aim of this topic is to assess how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to detect safety reports more quickly and accurately by analyzing diverse and unexplored data sources. This would contribute to greater patient safety.
- Towards a cure for type 1 diabetes
Around 2,5 million people in Europe live with type 1 diabetes (T1D), an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the beta cells in the pancreas that produce the hormone insulin. Insulin controls blood sugar levels, and people with T1D must constantly monitor their blood sugar levels and regularly inject insulin to manage their condition. This has a huge impact on patients' daily lives, work, education and mental health. Beta-cell therapy offers hope for a cure for type 1 diabetes, but challenges stand in the way of its wider use. The aim of this topic is to accelerate the development of beta-cell therapies for diabetes and their integration into care.
- Creation of ambulatory surgical centers in Europe
Ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) provide same-day surgical care to patients who do not require an overnight hospital stay. As such, they offer patients the prospect of more convenient care, a lower risk of nosocomial infections, and the ability to recover at home. For health systems, they could significantly reduce costs. This topic aims to provide the resources, training materials, and frameworks needed to establish ASCs in two areas: orthopedic joint replacement (knee and hip) and cardiac ablation (a treatment for cardiac arrhythmias).
Deadline (double-stage): 9 October 2025; 29 April 2026.
For more information: info@iniziativa.cc
