Alkermes Expanded Medical Research Grant Program

The company has added narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia to its funding criteria for early-career researchers.

Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Alzheimer’s

Isometric editorial illustration showing a laboratory microscope and a circular molecular structure, representing the expansion of medical research grant fields. — Alkermes plc has expanded its annual medical research grant program to include narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia, providing up to $100,000 for early-career investigators. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Alkermes plc has broadened its annual research grant program to include narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia as eligible fields of study. The program now enters its ninth cycle, offering up to $100,000 to qualified early-career investigators.

Why it matters

The program aims to support early-career investigators in their efforts to improve the understanding of complex psychiatric and neurological conditions. By expanding its focus, the company seeks to encourage more research into sleep and circadian disturbances.

The grant program provides individual awards of up to $100,000 per project for early-career investigators. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has distributed $2.9 million in funding to 29 researchers.

The players

Alkermes plc

This is a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the development of innovative medicines for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

The details

Applicants for the grant must be early-career investigators who hold an MD, PhD, or equivalent degree and are affiliated with a research institution in the US. Candidates are selected through a two-stage process involving a letter of intent and a formal application reviewed by an independent committee with expertise in neurology and psychiatry.

The grant program was first launched in 2018.
The stage one letter of intent submission period began on September 11, 2026.
The stage one submission period ends on October 16, 2026.
The full application phase runs from November 15, 2026, through January 5, 2027.

Deeper Dive

This story details the latest funding cycle for the Alkermes research grant program, which has provided millions to neuroscientists since 2018. The inclusion of sleep-related disorders marks the ninth annual iteration of the program and updates the research areas supported by the grant.

This expansion increases the volume of academic research into sleep disorders, potentially leading to new clinical understandings or future treatment pathways for patients. While the program targets researchers, the resulting studies may eventually influence diagnostic and therapeutic standards in medical practice.

The takeaway

Early-career scientists working in sleep medicine should prepare their proposals ahead of the upcoming submission deadlines to compete for the available grant funding. This program provides a pathway for academic researchers to secure financial support for their neuroscience projects.