Analysing Horizon Europe Health 2025 proposal submissions – trends and takeaways
3rd October 2025 at 11:13 am
The Horizon Europe Health Cluster (CL1) closed its single-stage and stage-1 calls on 16 September 2025. With budgets totalling over €789 million across topics ranging from phage therapy to digital twins in healthcare, the competition was fierce. Submission statistics now show not only the scale of interest but also the hotspots where researchers and companies are focusing their energy. For consortia preparing for the 2026 calls, these trends are highly instructive. To know which areas are oversubscribed can help you position your next proposal more strategically.
Horizon Europe 2025 submissions – digging into the numbers
The Horizon Europe Health calls closed on 16 September 2025 with strong interest across all six Destinations. In total, 1,444 proposals were submitted: 749 to single-stage call topics, and 695 to stage 1 of two-stage call topics. The tables below capture the full picture: how much funding is on the table, how many projects the Commission plans to support and how many proposals were submitted. The estimated success rates span from 1.7% for the overly subscribed HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-CARE-01 call topic, to 40% in HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-TOOL-05, with variable estimated success rates within the destinations.
Destination 1: Staying healthy in a rapidly changing society
| Call topic | Budget (EUR million) |
Budget/ project (EUR million) |
Indicative number of grants | Submitted proposals | Success rate |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-STAYHLTH-01-two-stage: Improving the quality of life of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families (RIA) |
40.00 | 6.00 to 8.00 | 5 | 128 | 3.9% |
Destination 2: Living and working in a health-promoting environment
| Call topic | Budget (EUR million) |
Budget/ project (EUR million) |
Indicative number of grants | Submitted proposals | Success rate |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-ENVHLTH-01-two-stage: The impact of pollution on the development and progression of brain diseases and disorders (RIA) | 40.00 | 6.00 to 7.00 | 6 | 102 | 5.9% |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-ENVHLTH-02-two-stage: Advancing knowledge on the impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on human health (RIA) | 40.00 | 7.00 to 8.00 | 5 | 120 | 4.2% |
Destination 3: Tackling diseases and reducing disease burden
| Call topic | Budget (EUR million) |
Budget/ project (EUR million) |
Indicative number of grants | Submitted proposals | Success rate |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-01: Testing safety and efficacy of phage therapy for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections (RIA) |
45.00 | Around 15.00 | 3 | 30 | 10.0% |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-DISEASE-02-two-stage: Advancing innovative interventions for mental, behavioural and neurodevelopmental disorders (RIA) | 50.00 | 6.00 to 8.00 | 5 | 190 | 2.6% |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-03: Development of antibodies and antibody-derived proteins for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases with epidemic potential (RIA) | 50.00 | Around 10.00 | 5 | 15 | 33.3% |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-04: Leveraging artificial intelligence for pandemic preparedness and response (RIA) | 35.00 | 6.00 to 8.00 | 5 | 76 | 6.6% |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-05: Support for the functioning of the Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness (GloPID-R) (CSA) | 2.00 | Around 2.00 | 1 | 7 | 14.3% |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-06: Implementation research addressing strategies to strengthen health systems for equitable high-quality care and health outcomes in the context of non-communicable diseases (GACD) (RIA) | 20.00 | 3.00 to 4.00 | 5 | 158 | 3.2% |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-07: Tackling high-burden for patients and under-researched medical conditions (RIA) | 30.00 | Around 6.00 | 5 | 83 | 6.0% |
Destination 4: Ensuring equal access to innovative, sustainable, and high-quality healthcare
| Call topic | Budget (EUR million) |
Budget/ project (EUR million) |
Indicative number of grants | Submitted proposals | Success rate |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-CARE-01: End user-driven application of Generative Artificial Intelligence models in healthcare (GenAI4EU) (RIA) |
40.00 | 15.00 to 20.00 | 2 | 118 | 1.7% |
Destination 5: Developing and using new tools, technologies and digital solutions for a healthy society
| Call topic | Budget (EUR million) |
Budget/ project (EUR million) |
Indicative number of grants | Submitted proposals | Success rate |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-TOOL-01: Enhancing cell therapies with genomic techniques (RIA) | 50.00 | 8.00 to 10.00 | 5 | 57 | 8.8% |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-TOOL-02: Advancing cell secretome-based therapies (RIA) | 40.00 | 9.00 to 13.00 | 3 | 35 | 8.6% |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-TOOL-03: Leveraging multimodal data to advance Generative Artificial Intelligence applicability in biomedical research (GenAI4EU) (RIA) | 50.00 | 15.00 to 17.00 | 3 | 82 | 3.7% |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-TOOL-05: Boosting the translation of biotech research into innovative health therapies (RIA) | 80.00 | 4.00 to 8.00 | 10 | 25 | 40% |
Destination 6: Maintaining an innovative, sustainable, and competitive EU health industry
| Call topic | Budget (EUR million) |
Budget/ project (EUR million) |
Indicative number of grants | Submitted proposals | Success rate |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-IND-01: Optimising the manufacturing of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) (IA) | 40.00 | 6.00 to 8.00 | 5 | 58 | 8.6% |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-IND-02: Digitalisation of conformity assessment procedures of medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices (CSA) | 4.00 | Around 4.00 | 1 | 5 | 20% |
| HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-IND-03-two-stage: Facilitating the conduct of multinational clinical studies of orphan devices and/or of highly innovative (“breakthrough”) devices (RIA) |
40.00 | 6.00 to 8.00 | 5 | 155 | 3.2% |
The European Commission is expected to inform applicants of the evaluation results no earlier than 21 January 2026 and by 16 February 2026, i.e. 5 months after the deadline at the latest. Looking ahead, the draft Horizon Europe Health Work Programme 2026-2027 is already available. It outlines the next set of research and innovation priorities, building on the lessons and momentum of the 2025 calls. While still subject to final adoption, the draft provides applicants with early insights into upcoming topics, budgets and deadlines. For those considering a submission in 2026, now is the time to review the draft text and start shaping partnerships and project concepts in line with the Commission’s forthcoming priorities.
Horizon Europe health initiatives – our team helps you turn your ideas into projects
At accelopment, we have extensive experience in securing EU funding for research and innovation projects, with a strong track record in Horizon Europe Health projects. Our team of experts supports researchers, companies and institutions throughout the entire funding process – from strategic grant planning, to proposal writing, project management and communication and dissemination. With deep knowledge of Pillar II Health funding opportunities, we help our partners maximise their chances of success in securing European health research grants and are currently involved in several significant health projects, including EDiHTA, EU PAL-COPD, GENEGUT and more. With the 2025 numbers now clear, the race is already on for the 2026 calls, and we are here to support you.
Dr. Jeanette Müller
Research & Innovation Manager
Dr. Eva Avilla Royo
Research & Innovation Project Manager