Dare Bioscience Inc. (NASDAQ:DARE) said it has received an updated Notice of Award from the U.S. National Institutes of Health extending support for its DARE-PTB1 intravaginal ring program through November 2026. The extension keeps the total value of the NIH grant at roughly $2 million without adding new funding.
The grant supports development of DARE-PTB1, an experimental intravaginal ring designed to deliver bio-identical progesterone continuously for up to 14 days. The product is being developed to help prevent preterm birth in women considered at high risk, a condition that currently has no FDA-approved treatment options.
According to the revised notice issued on March 11, the project timeline and budget period for the second funding tranche—approximately $1 million—have been extended through November 30, 2026. The grant will fund a Phase 1 clinical study evaluating the comparative pharmacokinetics of DARE-PTB1 in women at risk of preterm birth.
“The continued commitment of the NIH to this project validates what we have long believed about DARE-PTB1: that it has the potential to address a real, urgent, and underserved clinical need,” said Sabrina Martucci Johnson, President and CEO of Dare Bioscience.
The funding is provided by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development under Award Number R44HD101169. The original project period began on December 12, 2023.
DARE-PTB1 uses the same intravaginal ring platform as the company’s DARE-HRT1 program, which previously produced positive pharmacokinetic results in Phase 1 and Phase 1/2 clinical trials focused on hormone delivery.
Based in San Diego, Dare Bioscience develops treatments focused on women’s health and maintains a pipeline that includes products for contraception and sexual health. The company is also conducting a Regulation A offering aimed at attracting additional investor participation.