Objective
RNA virus infections kill millions of humans annually, largely due to the lack of suitable vaccines and drugs to control them. This problem is addressed in this FP7 call and in response a consortium of Europe’s and Asia’s leading molecular virologists, structural biologists, medicinal chemists and bioinformaticians has been brought together to generate a state-of-the-art drug discovery and design programme. The project aims to identify Small molecule Inhibitor Leads Versus Emerging and neglected RNA viruses (SILVER). It will focus its activities on selected medically important RNA viruses for which the development of drugs is considered essential (Dengue-, entero- and paramyxoviruses), whereas other relatively neglected and/or emerging RNA viruses will be explored to identify the most promising viral protein targets and antiviral compounds. A pipeline strategy has been developed to enable the inclusion in SILVER of viruses at all levels of existing knowledge. Targets for potential drugs include infectious virus, structurally characterised viral enzymes and other proteins. Leads for currently available antiviral drugs have been identified by screening compound libraries in virus-infected cell culture systems and in vitro assays using purified viral enzymes. Selective inhibitors of viral replication have also been (and are being) derived using detailed structural knowledge of viral proteins and structure-based drug design. Hits will be assayed using individual viral protein targets and replicative proteins in complex with viral RNA. The potential protective activity of the most potent inhibitors, that have a favourable (in vitro) ADME-tox profile, will be assessed in relevant infection models in animals. Licenses on promising compounds or compound classes will be presented to the interested pharmaceutical industry. The SILVER consortium will be well placed to play a major role in contributing to the international effort to develop strategies to improve world health.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug discovery
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyvirology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinemedicinal chemistry
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA virusescoronaviruses
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsantivirals
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
FP7-HEALTH-2010-single-stage
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Funding Scheme
CP-IP - Large-scale integrating projectCoordinator
13284 Marseille
France
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Participants (23)
23562 Lubeck
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3000 Leuven
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2333 ZA Leiden
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3015 GD Rotterdam
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75724 Paris
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69120 Heidelberg
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Participation ended
6525 XZ Nijmegen
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Participation ended
01445 RADEBEUL
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OX1 2JD Oxford
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75794 Paris
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28006 Madrid
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CB2 8AL CAMBRIDGE
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Participation ended
CH-8005 ZUERICH
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6020 Innsbruck
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20148 HAMBURG
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201203 SHANGHAI
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305606 DAEJEON
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320 Jhongli
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20122 Milano
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Participation ended
04109 Leipzig
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3001 Heverlee
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3584 CS Utrecht
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14195 Berlin
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