Project description
Preventive solutions for respiratory infections
Antiviral drugs to prevent respiratory infections are crucial in mitigating the spread and impact of viral diseases. The need for such drugs was starkly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the CD-ResVir project aims to develop a novel preventive system against respiratory pathogens. The idea is to create scaffolds and functionalise them with pathogen-targeting ligands to enhance affinity and efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses. Researchers plan to develop scaffolds using conjugates of cyclodextrins, which are cyclic oligosaccharides composed of glucose units. The long-term goal is to develop a nasal spray for widespread preventive use against respiratory infections.
Objective
The covid-19 pandemic has arisen awareness about the importance of developing tools to fight viral infection. However, there is still a lack of products to be used by the public as preventive systems against respiratory pathogens. Different systems have been developed to target SARS-CoV-2 using its affinity for different ligands. However, a multivalent presentation of these ligands is necessary to overcome their low affinity, which often implies complex structures difficult to synthesise and characterise. CD-ResVir aims to overcome those challenges. Our group has a wide experience in the exploitation of cyclodextrin (CD) conjugates to create self-assembling systems. These can be functionalised with a ligand to target a pathogen, leading to a multivalent supramolecular scaffold. The great advantage of supramolecular assemblies over covalent strategies is their structural adaptability to the target, i.e. the assembly will adopt the most stable state, the one with maximal interactions. It is also very simple to mix self-assembling components to optimise the effect. In preliminary experiments, we have obtained robust data proving that a sialic acid-functionalised CD scaffold could offer protection to cells exposed to SARS-CoV-2, which has never been proved before with a supramolecular assembly. Here, we propose to optimise the system and go beyond, expanding the scope of respiratory infections that could be addressed, targeting different respiratory viruses and bacteria. The Chemical Biology processes behind this application will be studied, from the atomic level (interactions between CD and SARS-CoV-2 receptors) to the microscopic level, (templating effect of a virus for the self-assembly of our CD system). Pursuing a groundbreaking preventive nasal spray against respiratory infections, we have established a strategic partnership with an industrial collaborator. This will facilitate the transition of our research findings from the laboratory to the industrial setting.
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 microbiology bacteriology
- 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 coronaviruses
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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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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01
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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.
75006 PARIS
France
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.