Project description
Innovative concept for neurodegenerative diseases
Genetically engineered bacteria have been developed as a living discovery platform for short cyclic peptides that rescue pathogenic protein misfolding and aggregation. These peptides hold promise for addressing human diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), potentially leading to new drug discoveries. The ERC-funded PoC4ProMis project aims to demonstrate in vivo proof-of-concept for potential ALS treatments by developing a method to deliver cyclic peptides to the central nervous system and testing these molecules in established ALS mouse models. Furthermore, the project will pursue further patent protection for the peptides with the goal of proposing promising new drugs and delivery formulations for neurodegenerative diseases of high medicinal and commercial value.
Objective
Within the ERC Consolidator Grant ProMiDis, my team and I have developed genetically engineered bacteria that function as a stand-alone, living discovery platform for short, drug-like cyclic peptides rescuing the misfolding and aggregation of proteins associated with human diseases (protein misfolding diseases, PMDs). By applying this technology, we have discovered hundreds of new molecules-putative drugs against notorious PMDs, such as Alzheimers disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We have filed patent applications for aspects of this technology and for the first set of bioactive molecules. In PoC4ProMis, we will demonstrate in vivo proof-of-concept for the most promising molecules targeting the devastating neurodegenerative disease ALS. To achieve this, we will first develop an optimized method for efficient delivery of cyclic peptides to the central nervous system (CNS) by utilizing a novel specialized CNS delivery vehicle. Then, we will evaluate the effectiveness of our lead molecules to reverse disease phenotypes in well-established ALS mouse models. Finally, we will explore opportunities to strengthen further our IP portfolio by patent-protecting our SOD1-targeting cyclic peptides with additional claims relating to method-of-use and mode of delivery. PoC4ProMis will demonstrate in vivo PoC and will provide a general approach for efficient CNS delivery of cyclic peptide drugs targeting additional neurodegenerative diseases of high priority for drug development.
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.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesneurobiology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologydementiaalzheimer
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriology
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteins
You need to log in or register to use this function
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept GrantsHost institution
265 00 PATRA
Greece