# NIH NIDDK Awards Grant to SignaBlok

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to SignaBlok, Inc. on September 17, 2026. This grant supports the development of a novel TREM-1 antagonist drug aimed at treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), enabling preclinical in vivo testing of a peptide-based therapeutic with potential for improved safety and efficacy. This funding represents a significant opportunity for small biotech firms specializing in innovative therapeutics to engage with federal biomedical research funding programs.

- **Why this matters:** The SBIR grant highlights NIH's continued investment in early-stage drug development targeting chronic diseases, signaling opportunities for biotech contractors to secure federal R&D funding.
- SignaBlok's focus on a first-in-class TREM-1 antagonist may open pathways for future procurement of clinical trial services and manufacturing partnerships.
- Procurement professionals should note the emphasis on innovative peptide therapeutics in NIH funding priorities, which may influence upcoming solicitations.
- Companies interested in NIH grants can leverage this example to align proposals with NIDDK's disease focus areas and therapeutic innovation criteria.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Healthcare
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** September 17, 2026

### Government Entities
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)

### Vendors
- SignaBlok, Inc. (awardee)

### Sources
- [SignaBlok Awarded NIH NIDDK Grant to Develop Novel TREM-1 Antagonist Drug for Inflammatory Bowel Disease | FinancialContent](https://www.financialcontent.com/article/prlog-2026-9-17-signablok-awarded-nih-niddk-grant-to-develop-novel-trem-1-antagonist-drug-for-inflammatory-bowel-disease) - FinancialContent