A national effort to speed approval of medicines for sheep and goats
Official title: Animal and Veterinary Innovation Center for Minor Ruminant Drug Development: A Feasibility Assessment and Regulatory Science Framework for a National Minor Ruminant Drug Approval Partnership (MRDAP)
Funded at University of California at Davis · NIH-11569784 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, focused project in veterinary science seeks to make it easier and faster to bring safe medicines to sheep and goats.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $483,368 |
| NIH project number | 1U18FD008962-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11569784 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are farms and clinics involved with sheep and goat health who could benefit from faster access to approved therapeutics.
✕Less likely to help
Farm operations not focused on minor ruminants or those not involved in drug development discussions may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project at UC Davis aims to build a national partnership that streamlines how medicines for minor food-animal species are developed and approved. It will gather input from regulators, veterinarians, producers, and researchers to identify priority therapies and regulatory hurdles. The team will map existing data sources and evidence needed to support future drug approvals and create a regulatory science framework. The work includes stakeholder surveys, interviews, and a structured consensus process to chart the path forward. The goal is to lay the groundwork for easier access to effective medicines for small ruminants while protecting animal health and food safety.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this effort could speed the availability of safe and effective medicines for sheep and goats, improving animal welfare and farm sustainability.
How similar studies have gone: This is a foundational, regulatory-science project rather than a traditional clinical trial, with limited prior direct translational work in this exact area.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California at Davis
Davis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Busch, Roselle — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Busch, Roselle
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.