Project description
New tech to inhibit influenza neuraminidase
Anti-influenza drugs, such as Oseltamivir and Zanamivir, target influenza neuraminidases. New compounds, N-acyl Oseltamivir aziridines (Aziflus), covalently inhibit these enzymes, blocking viral growth more permanently and selectively. They may be more effective than current treatments and useful for prevention and later disease stages. The ERC-funded AziFlu project aims to develop a technology to inhibit influenza neuraminidase and establish a start-up company to market it. The project will optimise compounds through synthesis and biochemical evaluations, design a route for large-scale production, and develop assays to assess target inhibition and viral response. To support the spin-out biotech company’s establishment, it will enhance its intellectual property position and analyse the anti-influenza drug market, facilitating the IP transfer to the new entity.
Objective
Influenza neuraminidases are the primary target for anti-influenza small molecule drugs and are retaining glycosidases that form a transient covalent intermediate during substrate hydrolysis. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and Zanamivir (Relenza), the two small-molecule anti-influenza drugs used primarily for early onset treatment of flu infections, inhibit influenza neuraminidases competitively (and thus reversibly). The AziFlu ERC PoC proposal is rooted in our finding that N-acyl Oseltamivir aziridines, or Aziflus, inhibit influenza neuraminidase covalently. They block viral outgrowth in an infected cell model. Our compounds are at least as potent as Oseltamivir. Rather than temporarily disabling influenza neuraminidases, our technology acts in an irreversible, permanent, manner. Our drug candidates are selective for influenza neuraminidases over human neuraminidases, and we propose they may be more effective than existing drugs and may also find use as prophylactics and to treat later disease stages. The AziFlu program will develop our mechanism-based influenza neuraminidase inhibition technology and take the first steps to create a start-up company for bringing the technology to market. To strengthen our scientific case (experimental development, A), we will (A-I) optimise our leads by the synthesis and biochemical evaluation of comprehensive sets of focused analogues; (A-II) design a synthetic route to prepare gram-scale quantities of selected leads; and (A-III) develop assays for in vitro and in vivo target inhibition efficacy, target engagement, and viral outgrowth studies. To prepare for the establishment of a spin-out biotech company (business development, B) to take our leads towards the clinic we will (B-IV) strengthen our intellectual property (IP) position; (B-V) analyse the anti-influenza drug market; and (B-VI) create a start-up biotech company to which the IP will be transferred.
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 infectious diseases RNA viruses influenza
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs antivirals
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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)
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Topic(s)
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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-2025-POC
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2311 EZ Leiden
Netherlands
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