Objective Standard therapy of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is based on potent cocktails of drugs targeting viral proteins. This treatment is associated with severe side effects and is almost unaffordable for the patients living in sub-Saharan Africa. Incomplete suppression of HIV replication results in drug-resistance. Therefore, a continued research effort is required to develop more potent, cheaper and less toxic antivirals. The insight has grown that HIV requires cellular proteins to serve as co-factors for viral replication. Our over-all objective is to develop novel drugs by targeting co-factors required for HIV replication. The virus will find it difficult to develop antiviral resistance against drugs targeting interaction between invariable cellular proteins and conserved viral protein domains. We will focus on the cellular proteins that mediate HIV trafficking, nuclear import and integration, such as Lens Epithelium Derived Growth Factor (LEDGF/p75), a novel cofactor of HIV-1 integration. THINC is composed of 3 virologists, 2 medicinal chemists, 1 virologist from South Africa, 1 structural biologist, 1 pharmaceutical company. Our first objective is to identify and validate novel co-factors of HIV trafficking, nuclear import and integration as novel targets for anti-HIV therapy. The second objective is to develop new drugs against the validated cellular target LEDGF/p75. The third objective is to perform this work in the perspective of those who will benefit most: the HIV infected people all over the world. The initial steps of target validation and hit identification will mainly be taken by academic groups, while optimization and (pre)clinical development of drugs requires the participation of Tibotec, a European company devoted to the development of antiviral drugs. The project will also increase our generic understanding of protein-protein interactions (PPI). Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsproteomicsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyvirologymedical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA virusesHIVmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug resistancemultidrug resistancemedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsantivirals Keywords AIDS HIV LEDGF/p75 antiviral drugs co-factors import integration protein protein interaction resistance Programme(s) FP7-HEALTH - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Health Topic(s) HEALTH-2007-2.3.2-1 - HIV/AIDS Drug Discovery and Preclinical Development Call for proposal FP7-HEALTH-2007-A See other projects for this call Funding Scheme CP-FP - Small or medium-scale focused research project Coordinator KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN EU contribution € 894 733,72 Address OUDE MARKT 13 3000 Leuven Belgium See on map Region Vlaams Gewest Prov. Vlaams-Brabant Arr. Leuven Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Marleen Verlinden (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (10) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all SCUOLA NORMALE SUPERIORE Participation ended Italy EU contribution € 228 549,95 Address PIAZZA DEI CAVALIERI 7 56126 Pisa See on map Region Centro (IT) Toscana Pisa Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Beatrice Semzaconi (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI SIENA Italy EU contribution € 352 002,00 Address VIA BANCHI DI SOTTO 55 53100 Siena See on map Region Centro (IT) Toscana Siena Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Massimo Ferri (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI MESSINA Italy EU contribution € 285 200,00 Address PIAZZA PUGLIATTI 1 98122 Messina See on map Region Isole Sicilia Messina Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Maria Antonella Cocchiara (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data TIBOTECH PHARMACEUTICALS LTD Participation ended Ireland EU contribution No data Address East Gate Village - LITTLE ISLAND - CORK See on map Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Leo Versteynen (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL South Africa EU contribution € 226 505,00 Address University Road, Chiltern Hills 3630 Westville See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Paulina Motshehoa Mokotedi (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data USTAV ORGANICKE CHEMIE A BIOCHEMIE, AV CR, V.V.I. Czechia EU contribution € 227 600,00 Address FLEMINGOVO NAM. 542/2 16610 Praha 6 See on map Region Česko Praha Hlavní město Praha Activity type Research Organisations Administrative Contact Renata Sroglova (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITE DE GENEVE Switzerland EU contribution € 404 600,00 Address RUE DU GENERAL DUFOUR 24 1211 Geneve See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Région lémanique Genève Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Alex Waehry (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PERUGIA Italy EU contribution € 66 000,00 Address PIAZZA DELL UNIVERSITA 1 06123 Perugia See on map Region Centro (IT) Umbria Perugia Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Francesco Bistoni (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data JANSSEN INFECTIOUS DISEASES DIAGNOSTICS BVBA Participation ended Belgium EU contribution € 72 881,44 Address TURNHOUTSEWEG 30 2340 BEERSE See on map Region Vlaams Gewest Prov. Antwerpen Arr. Turnhout Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Leo Versteynen (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TRENTO Italy EU contribution € 181 599,89 Address VIA CALEPINA 14 38122 Trento See on map Region Nord-Est Provincia Autonoma di Trento Trento Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Vanessa Ravagni (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data