Project Grant R43DK143897

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases awarded $356,328 to Celdara Medical, LLC on September 1, 2026, under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) to develop a novel allogeneic cell therapy for difficult-to-treat inflammatory bowel disease.

Celdara will develop cell-based therapeutic candidates targeting the dysregulated immune response in IBD patients who fail multiple lines of conventional therapy or experience refractory disease. The work focuses on addressing the pro-inflammatory cytokine profile (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17, IL-23) and deficiency in regulatory cytokines (IL-10, TGF-β) that characterize IBD pathogenesis, particularly in the 10–20 percent of IBD sufferers classified as difficult-to-treat.

The award period runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027. Work is performed in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Celdara is a self-certified small disadvantaged business focused on cell-based and protein-engineering therapeutics across multiple therapeutic areas including cancer immunotherapy, neurological disorders, and metabolic conditions. The recipient operates exclusively as a prime on federal research grants and maintains a small federal services contract portfolio through the Small Business Administration.