Areas of interest (AOI) & competitive research grants

We are currently accepting concepts for the following therapeutic areas. BMS periodically opens RFP Cycles across different therapeutic areas and the pre-concept submission periods will be posted below when available. We strongly encourage all applicants to begin the online application process early to allow adequate time for completion. For a submission to qualify for review, all information including any required uploads must be submitted through the application form prior to the specified end dates for the RFP Cycle.

Therapeutic Area and / or Compound AOIs Posted on BMS.com Pre-Concept Submission Period
Start Date End date
ACTioN RFP 2026 15-April-2026 15-April-2026 28-April-2026
Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) RFP#1 - 2026 4-May-2026 8-June-2026  25-June-2026
Admilparant (LPA1) RFP#1 - 2026 8-May-2026 25-May-2026 4-June-2026

Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) RFP#1 - 2026 - Areas of Interest:


In Scope​

  • Deucravacitinib Clinical Practice-Informing Studies in PsA, SLE and SjD​
    • Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)​
      • Efficacy in patients with PsA exhibiting axial involvement​
    •  Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)​
      • Efficacy in SLE patients receiving early lines of therapy​
      • Efficacy in SLE patients affected by health disparities​
    • Sjögren's Disease (SjD)​
      • Efficacy in SjD patients with positive salivary gland ultrasound findings​
      • Efficacy in SjD patients presenting with high symptomatic burden, low systemic disease activity, and SSA seronegativity (anti-SSA/Ro antibody negative)​
  • Deucravacitinib Proof-of-Concept Studies (excluding PsA, SLE and SjD)​
    • Efficacy in patients with other rheumatic diseases where pathophysiology involves TYK2-mediated cytokine signaling (e.g., IL-12, IL-23, Type I IFN pathways)​
  • Non-Interventional Studies in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Sjögren's Disease (SjD)​
    • Evaluating the limitations, clinical characteristics, disease progression, clinical impact, and unmet medical need associated with existing treatment approaches
Out of Scope​

  • Pediatric studies​​
  • Dermatology studies​​
  • Systemic sclerosis, Giant cell and Takayasu arteritis studies​​
  • Clinical studies evaluating progression of PsO to PsA ​​
  • Pre-clinical and other animal model studies​

Please note that during an open RFP submission window, clicking on a link to submit your research idea will take you to the FastTrack Investigator Portal and you will receive a message that you are leaving BMS.com. This is part of the normal process.

  • If you are a potential investigator who is interested in seeking support to conduct independent research involving  Nivolumab  in Japan, Taiwan, or Korea, click here
  • If you are a potential investigator who is interested in seeking support for independent research using Apixaban, click here.
  • If you are a potential investigator who is interested in seeking support for non-clinical research using a BMS product, click here
  • If you are a potential investigator who is interested in seeking support for independent research using one of our early pipeline assets, click here

Please click on the product name to see the Full U.S. Prescribing Information for ELIQUIS®, EMPLICITI, NULOJIX®, OPDIVO®, ORENCIA®, SPRYCEL®, YERVOY®, including Boxed WARNINGS for ELIQUIS®, NULOJIX®, and Boxed WARNING for YERVOY® regarding immune-mediated adverse reactions.

Begin a new application