Objective
"This ERC Proof of Concept proposal develops ""Nano-BITE,"" a multifunctional nanoparticle platform addressing limitations of current cancer immunotherapy. Existing bispecific antibodies like blinatumomab suffer from rapid kidney clearance due to small molecular size, requiring continuous intravenous infusion for weeks and showing poor efficacy in solid tumors. The Nano-BITE platform uses PLGA nanoparticles as scaffolds incorporating four integrated features: modular E3/K3 peptide chemistry enabling rapid attachment of nanobodies targeting NK cells and tumor antigens, extended circulation achieving greater than 24-hour half-life versus 7 hours for conventional engagers, localized IL-15 delivery for sustained NK cell activation within tumors without systemic toxicity, and integrated radioisotope chelators enabling PET imaging to track drug distribution and predict response. The platform's innovative ""plug-and-play"" design allows rapid adaptation to different cancers by swapping targeting modules within hours rather than 18-24 months required for new drug development. When imaging reveals antigen switching, subsequent doses can target different antigens using the same nanoparticle backbone. The 18-month validation plan includes optimizing formulation and demonstrating superior NK cell activation in vitro, followed by proving therapeutic efficacy in humanized mouse models of HER2-positive breast cancer. This approach could transform cancer immunotherapy from static treatments to dynamic platforms adapting to disease evolution, potentially capturing markets exceeding fifty billion dollars versus one to five billion for individual bispecifics."
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 basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug discovery
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine radiology nuclear medicine
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology breast cancer
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology immunotherapy
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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-2026-POC
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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.
94805 Villejuif
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.