Project description
Improving effectiveness of peptide-based vaccines
Peptides have significant potential for use in vaccines, enhancing T-cell responses against pathogens and cancer by delivering antigenic peptides with MHC class I and II epitopes. These peptides are taken up by dendritic cells (DCs), where they are processed and presented to T cells. However, despite demonstrating immunogenicity in preclinical studies, peptide-based vaccines often lack efficacy in clinical trials, partly due to insufficient epitope presentation on MHC molecules. Improving intracellular processing to enhance MHC presentation by DCs could boost the effectiveness of these vaccines. The ERC-funded PhosPepPres project aims to improve cross-presentation efficiency, conduct pre-commercialisation studies to protect intellectual property, and define a commercialisation strategy. It seeks to promote this strategy as numerous pharmaceutical companies develop peptide-based vaccines.
Objective
Peptides have great potential for vaccines. Peptide-based vaccines aim to increase the population and activity of pathogen/cancer-recognizing T cells by administering antigenic peptides carrying epitopes for major histocompatibility (MHC) class I and II. These peptides are endocytosed by dendritic cells (DCs), followed by intracellular proteolytic processing to release the epitopes, the loading of the epitopes on MHC, and finally the presentation to antigen-specific T cells. Despite numerous studies showing immunogenicity in preclinical settings, peptide-based vaccines have failed to show efficacy in clinical trials. One reason for this limited efficacy is that too low amounts of epitopes are presented on MHC. Thus, one way to improve peptide-based vaccines is to improve their intracellular processing for MHC presentation by DCs. In this project, we will explore a novel approach for increasing the cross-presentation efficiency. Moreover, we will perform pre-commercialization studies aimed at protecting the intellectual property, defining the commercialization strategy, and enhancing our industrial network. We expect that our strategy will raise interest, as many pharmaceutical companies are developing peptide-based vaccines.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs vaccines
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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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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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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) ERC-2022-POC2
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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.
9712CP Groningen
Netherlands
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.