Drug discovery, diagnostics, assays, devices; formulation testing, lab automation, validation protocols.
Estimate your credit →Life sciences work sits squarely in the credit's wheelhouse: drug discovery, diagnostic development, assay design, and medical-device engineering are inherently experimental. Formulation testing, validation protocol development, and lab-automation engineering also qualify.
Because clinical and pre-clinical work spans long timelines, careful business-component definition and time tracking matter — each program or assay is typically its own component.
Wages for time these roles spend on qualified research may count toward your credit.
Illustrative example using sample figures. Your actual credit depends on your facts; see Form 6765 and consult a tax professional.
The IRS requires qualifying research to satisfy four tests. Here's how each typically maps in this industry:
The activity aims at developing a new diagnostic assay.
The work relies on biology, chemistry, and biochemistry.
Unknown whether an assay will achieve target sensitivity/specificity.
Teams use iterative formulation and validation testing.
Find out how much your Life Sciences / Biotech company could claim — at no cost, no commitment.
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