Objective
The recent emergence of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza now circulating in Asia, EU and Africa has increased concerns that a new, and devastating, influenza pandemic may be imminent. Antiviral drugs represent the first line of defence for pandemic outbreaks, and governments are currently stockpiling the influenza neuraminidase inhibitors Relenza® (Zanamivir) and Tamiflu® (Oseltamivir) in preparedness. These neuraminidase inhibitors are highly potent and specific inhibitors against all known influenza A and B strains, including the avian H5N1 virus. There are, however, several problems associated with Relenza and Tamiflu. Unfortunately, as Relenza is only delivered to the respiratory tract, its usefulness is limited if the pandemic influenza strain spreads to other organs, and, more alarmingly, drug-induced resistance to Tamiflu has already been observed in clinical isolates from H5N1 infected patients. As such, there is an urgent need to develop new and improved classes of anti-virals for the treatment of influenza. Dr Watts has recently filed a provisional patent application for the use of fluorinated sialic acid analogues as ‘mechanism-based’ neuraminidase inhibitors for the treatment of influenza. These novel compounds are known to covalently inhibit influenza neuraminidases by specifically targeting amino acid residues essential for catalytic activity and, as such, drug-induced resistance is less likely to evolve in response to these compounds. We propose to synthesise a series of modified fluoro-sialic acids as ‘mechanism-based’ inhibitors of influenza neuraminidases, incorporating structural features designed to improve the pharmacokinetic properties and inhibitory activities of the original inhibitors. We will then perform detailed kinetic analyses of their inhibitory activity against purified influenza neuraminidases, and potent inhibitors will then be tested for efficacy towards a panel of wild-type and drug-resistant influenza viruses.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology virology
- medical and health sciences health sciences public health epidemiology pandemics
- medical and health sciences health sciences infectious diseases RNA viruses influenza
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry amines
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs antivirals
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
BA2 7AY BATH
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.