Project description
Biased agonist of GPR84 as a novel anti-inflammatory drug
Dysregulation of the innate immune system might result in chronic inflammation, which is linked to multiple degenerative diseases. GPR84 is a member of the immunometabolic G protein-coupled receptor family and is involved in the inflammatory response. Biased agonism (the ability of a receptor to differentially activate downstream signalling pathways) is well-known for G protein-coupled receptor signalling. Scientists of the EU-funded GPR84 project recently discovered a biased agonist of GPR84 which stimulates pro-repair response phagocytosis in macrophages without the induction of pro-inflammatory chemotaxis. The aim of the project is to develop this promising but metabolically unstable small molecule into a viable lead candidate and carry out key proof-of-concept experiments on animal models of inflammation.
Objective
Elevated local and systemic inflammation has been shown to play a central role in multiple diseases. An important cellular mechanism leading to chronic increased inflammation is dysregulation of the innate immune system. A drug that modulates macrophage function, suppressing the pro-inflammatory response while maintaining pro-repair function would represent a major breakthrough in the treatment of multiple degenerative diseases.
Our host group very recently identified a biased agonist of an immunometabolic receptor, GPR84, which failed to induce chemotaxis (pro-inflammatory response) while stimulating phagocytosis (pro-repair response) in both murine and human macrophage (ACS Chem. Biol. 2019). This is an important discovery of a small molecule along with a defined molecular target and cellular mechanism which, for the first time, is capable of blocking a pro-inflammatory response while stimulating a pre-repair response in both mouse and human macrophage.
These results are extremely exciting and demonstrate the translational potential of our approach, but the small molecule they identified, while a useful in vitro tool which we have shared with the scientific community, cannot be progressed to in vivo proof-of-concept experiments because it is too metabolically unstable. We are therefore applying to the MSCA IF to seek medicinal chemistry support to drive a hit-to-lead project to evolve our small molecule hit into a lead candidate with appropriate properties for progression in vivo to carry out key proof-of-concept experiments in animal models of inflammation. This in vivo efficacy data will be pivotal to underpin a future funding application to support drug discovery and development campaigns.
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: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug discovery
- medical and health sciences basic medicine medicinal chemistry
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
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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.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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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.
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.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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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.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
OX1 2JD Oxford
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.