What CDMRP does

CDMRP (Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs) is a U.S. Department of Defense research funding administration program established in 1992 and operated under the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command within the Defense Health Agency, headquartered at Fort Detrick, Maryland. The organization manages 36 distinct congressionally funded research programs spanning cancer (breast, prostate, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, kidney, melanoma, rare cancers, peer-reviewed cancer), neurological conditions (Alzheimer's, ALS, Parkinson's, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis), military-relevant health areas (Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health, Spinal Cord Injury, Military Burn, Orthopaedic, Hearing Restoration, Combat Readiness-Medical, Reconstructive Transplant, Toxic Exposures, Tick-Borne Disease, Joint Warfighter Medical), and other disease areas (Lupus, Arthritis, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Bone Marrow Failure, Autism, Kidney Cancer, Vision). CDMRP's core function is competitive grant administration: it receives annual Congressional appropriations and distributes funds to eligible research institutions through a two-tier review process combining peer review (scientific merit) with programmatic review (relevance and portfolio balance), actively incorporating consumer (patient) reviewers to ensure funded research addresses critical gaps.

The underlying technology platform is the eBRAP (electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal), which manages pre-applications, technical reports, award documents, and program subscriptions. CDMRP integrates with NIH and VA for data sharing and portfolio coordination, and publishes award records through the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). The organization's business model is government appropriations: it does not sell products or services, but rather obligates Congressional funding to research institutions and investigators. CDMRP obligated nearly 100% (only 1.3% unobligated) of its FY2021 $1.5 billion in appropriations per a GAO assessment. Notable track-record outcomes include FDA approval of a Neurofibromatosis treatment from CDMRP-funded research, Presidential Early Career Awards for CDMRP-funded researchers, and facilitation of over 274 prostate cancer clinical trials enrolling 14,000+ patients through the PCCTC consortium created with PCRP investment.

Name

CDMRP

Legal name

Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs

Website

https://cdmrp.health.mil

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CDMRP is a U.S. Department of Defense program that administers 36 congressionally funded biomedical research programs through competitive grants, distributing approximately $1.5 billion annually to academic investigators and research institutions via a two-tier peer and programmatic review process.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Medical Research Funding

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Companion Diagnostics (CDx) Development & Trial Testing Support (HLAGAEAJ)

Keywords

• Medical research funding
• Biomedical research grants
• Government research programs
• Congressional appropriations
• Peer reviewed grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Derrick City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Congressional Appropriations: CDMRP receives annual appropriations from Congress to fund medical research in targeted disease areas. The program obligated nearly 100% of its appropriations with only 1.3% unobligated.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CDMRP administers 36 congressionally funded medical research programs, awarding competitive grants to universities, research hospitals, and qualified investigators across diverse disease areas including cancer, neurological disorders, and military-relevant health conditions. The organization manages the full grant lifecycle, from pre-application through two-tier peer and programmatic review, to award management and outcomes reporting. It also facilitates consumer (patient) reviewer participation in funding decisions and maintains publicly accessible databases of funded research awards and publications.

Product overview

CDMRP (Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs) is a U.S. Department of Defense research funding administration program that manages 36 research programs focused on various diseases and medical conditions. The organization does not offer commercial products but rather provides research funding program management services including: administering congressional appropriations for medical research, managing a two-tier peer review process for grant applications, facilitating consumer (patient) involvement in research prioritization, and maintaining publicly accessible databases of funded research awards and publications. Key service offerings include program funding opportunities across multiple disease-specific research programs (such as Lupus, Prostate Cancer, Lung Cancer, Melanoma, Multiple Sclerosis, Neurofibromatosis, and others), consumer reviewer programs, programmatic panels, and research resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders Research Program Competitive grant program funding biomedical research on alcohol and substance use disorders, managed by CDMRP and awarded to eligible research institutions and investigators.
• Alzheimer's Research Program Competitive grant program funding research on Alzheimer's disease, awarded to qualified investigators through CDMRP's two-tier review process.
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Program Competitive grant program funding research on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), awarded through CDMRP's competitive peer and programmatic review.
• Arthritis Research Program Competitive grant program funding arthritis research, with open FY26 funding opportunities, awarded to eligible institutions and investigators.
• Autism Research Program Competitive grant program funding autism research, with open FY26 funding opportunities, awarded to qualified investigators.
• Bone Marrow Failure Research Program Competitive grant program funding research on bone marrow failure diseases, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Breast Cancer Research Program Competitive grant program funding breast cancer research, awarded to qualified investigators through CDMRP's review process.
• Combat Readiness-Medical Research Program Competitive grant program funding research to improve combat readiness medical capabilities, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Program Competitive grant program funding research on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Epilepsy Research Program Competitive grant program funding epilepsy research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Hearing Restoration Research Program Competitive grant program funding hearing restoration research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program Competitive grant program funding medical research projects of relevance to joint warfighter medical needs, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Kidney Cancer Research Program Competitive grant program funding kidney cancer research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Lung Cancer Research Program Competitive grant program funding lung cancer research for risk assessment, prevention, early detection, diagnosis, management, and treatment. Has received $245.5 million from FY09 to FY24, with $20 million for FY24.
• Lupus Research Program Competitive grant program funding innovative and impactful lupus research addressing gaps in lupus diagnosis, treatment, and understanding. Has received $65 million through FY24 and made 100 awards to support lupus research.
• Melanoma Research Program Competitive grant program funding melanoma research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Military Burn Research Program Competitive grant program funding research on military burn injuries, awarded to qualified investigators through CDMRP's review process.
• Multiple Sclerosis Research Program Competitive grant program funding multiple sclerosis research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Neurofibromatosis Research Program Competitive grant program funding neurofibromatosis research. CDMRP-funded research contributed to FDA approval of a new treatment for Neurofibromatosis.
• Orthopaedic Research Program Competitive grant program funding orthopaedic research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Ovarian Cancer Research Program Competitive grant program funding ovarian cancer research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Pancreatic Cancer Research Program Competitive grant program funding pancreatic cancer research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Parkinson's Research Program Competitive grant program funding Parkinson's disease research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program Competitive grant program funding peer-reviewed cancer research across multiple cancer types, awarded to qualified investigators.
• Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program Competitive grant program funding peer-reviewed medical research across multiple disease areas, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Prostate Cancer Research Program Competitive grant program funding prostate cancer research to eliminate death and suffering from prostate cancer for Service Members, Veterans, and the public. Has received $2.445 billion in total appropriations from FY97 to FY25, with $75 million annual appropriations and 3,947 awards funded through FY24.
• Rare Cancers Research Program Competitive grant program funding research on rare cancers, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Reconstructive Transplant Research Program Competitive grant program funding reconstructive transplant research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Spinal Cord Injury Research Program Competitive grant program funding spinal cord injury research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Tick-Borne Disease Research Program Competitive grant program funding tick-borne disease research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Toxic Exposures Research Program Competitive grant program funding research on toxic exposures, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health Research Program Competitive grant program funding traumatic brain injury and psychological health research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Research Program Competitive grant program funding tuberous sclerosis complex research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• Vision Research Program Competitive grant program funding vision research, with open FY26 funding opportunities.
• eBRAP (electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal) Web-based portal for pre-application submissions, technical reports, award documents, and program subscription services for CDMRP funding opportunities.
• Consumer Reviewer Program Program enabling patients, survivors, and patient advocates to participate as Consumer Reviewers in CDMRP's two-tier peer and programmatic review process, integrating patient perspectives into funding decisions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 100% obligation rate of Congressional appropriations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDMRP coordinates with NIH for research program planning and project selection. The programs leverage shared data to identify potential overlap and collaborate on biomedical research initiatives. CDMRP has developed robust data sharing capabilities with NIH for research applications.
• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDMRP coordinates with VA for research program planning and project selection. The partnership includes data sharing to identify potential overlap in research portfolios. The programs work together to synergize biomedical funding and maximize research outcomes.
• Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Consortium (PCCTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2005, PCRP invested $11.1M to create the PCCTC, comprised of 12 PCRP-funded and more than 100 affiliate clinical research sites. The consortium facilitates collaboration between investigators, clinical research sites, and industry partners. The PCCTC facilitated 274 clinical trials with more than 14,000 prostate cancer patients.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• National Cancer Institute (NCI): The largest NIH institute, dedicated to cancer research funding. Comparable as a federal entity that funds cancer-specific research through competitive grants, overlapping significantly with CDMRP's Prostate, Breast, Lung, Ovarian, Pancreatic, Kidney, and other cancer research programs.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH): The primary federal agency funding biomedical research in the United States. Directly comparable to CDMRP as the other major federal biomedical research funding entity, with CDMRP explicitly coordinating with NIH to avoid portfolio duplication.
• Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development: Federal program funding medical research relevant to Veterans' health. Directly comparable to CDMRP as a fellow federal research funding entity, with active data-sharing and coordination partnership already established.

Broad incumbents

• National Science Foundation (NSF): Independent federal agency supporting fundamental research across all fields. Comparable as a major federal research funding entity using competitive grant mechanisms and peer review, though with broader scope beyond biomedical research.
• Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA): Department of Defense agency funding high-risk, high-reward research. Comparable as a DoD-affiliated research funding entity operating under similar federal appropriation mechanisms, though focused on broader defense technology rather than biomedical research specifically.

Regional players

• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR): Canadian federal agency funding health research. Comparable as a government-funded health research funding entity with similar grant administration model.
• European Research Council (ERC): Pan-European funding body for frontier research. Comparable as a publicly funded research grantmaking organization with peer-review-based competitive awards, serving as an international analog to CDMRP's funding model.
• UK Medical Research Council (MRC): UK government-funded body responsible for biomedical research funding. Comparable as a government-funded biomedical research funding organization using peer review, providing an international peer model.

Others

• Wellcome Trust: Global charitable foundation supporting health research. Comparable as a major biomedical research funder providing grants to researchers, though operating as a private foundation rather than federal program.
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI): Large private biomedical research organization supporting investigator-initiated research. Comparable as a major biomedical research funder though operating via private philanthropy rather than Congressional appropriations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCDMRP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/defense-health-agency
• Instagraminstagram.com/usamrdc
• Xx.com/CDMRP

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CDMRP