Objective At present more than 5 million people in the EU suffer from dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases and that number will grow as the average age of the population continues to increase. The efficacy of current medicines is limited and new therapeutic targets are sorely needed. Several independent lines of evidence have established an important role of prolyl oligopeptidase (PREP) in brain function and dysfunction. Aberrant PREP activity is involved in the progression of neurodegenerative disorders and PREP inhibitors are being developed for the treatment of memory and cognition deficits. Now a consortium of expert scientists from 8 academic institutes and 3 SME's come together for 4 years in this NEUROPRO project to boost European research aimed at 1) unravelling the biological role of PREP and PREP-like proteins in neuropathology, 2) determining the mode of action of PREP inhibitors and 3) firmly establishing their therapeutic potential. Specialists from different disciplines – cell and molecular biology, enzymology, chemistry, crystallography, biology and pharmacology – will work in a concerted and focussed way to achieve the goals using 6 work packages concentrating on PREP-regulated pathways in health and disease, PREP substrates, inhibitor target identification, drug development and validation, and generation of specific cell lines and animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. The SME’s involved are leaders in PREP inhibitor development and peptide analysis, and have in the past already brought novel therapeutics on the market. By the end of the project we expect to have proof of concept that PREP inhibition is a valid therapeutic target which will ultimately lead to new methods for the early detection, prevention or restoration of PREP-related neurodegeneration. The project also comprises instruments to translate basic research into clinical applications and will thus broaden the scope of treatments available to Europe's ageing population. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesneurobiologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesmolecular biology Keywords PREP PREP prolyl-oligopeptidase neuropeptides inhibitor memory cognition neuropeptides inhibitor neuroprotection prolyl-oligopeptidase Programme(s) FP7-HEALTH - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Health Topic(s) HEALTH-2007-2.2.1-7 - Restorative approaches for therapy of neurodegenerative diseases Call for proposal FP7-HEALTH-2007-B See other projects for this call Funding Scheme CP-FP - Small or medium-scale focused research project Coordinator KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN 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 Elke Lammertyn (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window EU contribution No data Participants (11) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all MAGYAR TUDOMANYOS AKADEMIA SZEGEDI BIOLOGIAI KOZPONT ENZIMOLOGIAI INTEZET Participation ended Hungary EU contribution € 0,00 Address Karolina ut 29-31 1113 Budapest See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Mária Wagner (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO Finland EU contribution € 439 144,00 Address Yliopistonkatu 3 00014 Helsingin yliopisto See on map Region Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Sanna-Maija Miettinen (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data UNIVERSITAET LEIPZIG Germany EU contribution € 433 334,00 Address Ritterstrasse 26 04109 Leipzig See on map Region Sachsen Leipzig Leipzig Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Sabine Herden (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data TERMESZETTUDOMANYI KUTATOKOZPONT Hungary EU contribution € 264 589,00 Address Magyar tudosok korutja 2 1117 Budapest See on map Region Közép-Magyarország Budapest Budapest Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Zoltán Szeltner (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data THE UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK United Kingdom EU contribution € 433 436,00 Address Kirby corner road - university house CV4 8UW Coventry See on map Region West Midlands (England) West Midlands Coventry Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Peter Hedges (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data TARTU ULIKOOL Estonia EU contribution € 428 070,00 Address Ulikooli 18 51005 Tartu See on map Region Eesti Eesti Lõuna-Eesti Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Alexander Zharkovsky (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN Belgium EU contribution € 419 342,00 Address Prinsstraat 13 2000 Antwerpen See on map Region Vlaams Gewest Prov. Antwerpen Arr. Antwerpen Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Anne Adams (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data PROBIODRUG AG Germany EU contribution € 344 000,00 Address Weinbergweg 22 06120 Halle See on map Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Matthias Hoffmann (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data PEPSCAN PRESTO BV Netherlands EU contribution € 494 000,00 Address Zuidersluisweg 2 8243 RC Lelystad See on map Region Oost-Nederland Flevoland Flevoland Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Nard Langendijk (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data CHARLES RIVER DISCOVERY RESEARCH SERVICES FINLAND OY Finland EU contribution € 450 200,00 Address Microkatu 1 70210 Kuopio See on map Region Manner-Suomi Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi Pohjois-Savo Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Kirsi Pohjolainen (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data ITA-SUOMEN YLIOPISTO Finland EU contribution € 349 122,00 Address Yliopistonranta 8 70211 Kuopio See on map Region Manner-Suomi Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi Pohjois-Savo Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Jaana Backman (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data
