Objective
Onchocerciasis (river blindness) is a vector-borne, filarial nematode neglected tropical disease (NTD), affecting an estimated 21 million individuals, 99% of which reside within 31 Sub-Saharan African countries. Approximately 14.6 million onchocerciasis infected individuals suffer skin disease and 1.15 million are visually impaired.
Onchocerciasis is prioritized for elimination as a public health problem by The World Health Organisation with ambitious targets set as part of the NTDs Roadmap to 2030. To enable elimination targets from 2030 onwards, WHO and major stakeholders, including funders and product development partners, recognize that a new short-course curative (macrofilaricide) treatment is required (or a short-course agent which permanently blocks parasite reproduction and transmission), as well as a safe alternative strategy to eliminate onchocerciasis where the related filaria, Loa loa is co-endemic in Central Africa.
We have pre-clinical data from efficacy screens and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling that positions the registered antibiotic, fusidic acid (FA) at the late laboratory validation stage as a potential seven day macrofilaricide drug cure, via targeting the Onchocerca filarial symbiont, Wolbachia.
We propose to advance FA into clinical testing. We will undertake dose ranging to assess FA systemic exposures and safety in a Cameroonian onchocerciasis target population aligned with acceptable delivery (once, or twice daily dosing, maximum 14 days). We will establish exploratory efficacy proof-of-concept utilising early endpoint indicators of Wolbachia depletions within female O. volvulus and impact on embryogenesis compared against a 4-week doxycycline gold-standard treatment comparator, six months post-treatment.
The major output of FAME will be to develop a development plan of clinical safety, pharmacology, pilot efficacy and market access scoping for entry into phase II trials on a pathway toward registering a new onchocerciasis cure.
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 health sciences tropical medicine
- medical and health sciences health sciences public health
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy
You need to log in or register to use this function
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.
-
HORIZON.2.1 - Health
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
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-JU-RIA - HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2024-01-two-stage
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
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.
L3 5QA LIVERPOOL 3
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.