Objective
The objective of ExCellENT-HIT is the exploitation of the cellular pathways responsible for the nuclear export of unprocessed HIV-1 transcripts, as a novel anti-HIV therapeutic strategy. Our approach is innovative, the objectives are very clear and focused, and achievable within two years. Combination therapies with drugs targeting viral proteins are the current standard of care for HIV-1 infections. However, drug resistant strains emerge, resulting in therapeutic failure. Consequently, new anti-HIV drugs are needed, which should represent novel chemical entities targeting new steps of the HIV replication cycle. Viruses need the host cellular metabolism in order to generate a progeny. By targeting cellular co-factors essential for HIV replication and whose inhibition is not harming the uninfected cells, drug resistance is less likely to occur.
Nuclear export of unspliced viral RNAs is an essential step of the HIV life cycle, regulated by the viral protein Rev. Compelling experimental evidence recently identified the cellular DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX3 as an essential cofactor for viral mRNA export. Therefore, we seek to inhibit the nuclear export of unspliced viral RNAs activity by a 'two hit strategy' targeting the cellular enzyme DDX3 and the viral protein Rev, thereby minimizing the appearance of drug resistance HIV mutants. Basic science, biotechnology and provocative chemistry, will integrate with the ultimate goal of targeting the Rev/DDX3 axis by the identification of molecular decoys that inhibit DDX3 helicase activity, Rev/DDX3 nuclear export and protein-protein interaction required for Rev/DDX3 function. The knowledge and technology generated in this project on therapeutic targeting of nuclear export, protein-protein interaction and helicase activity is likely to cumulate in hit discovery and will have a wide applicability in the pharmaceutical industry.'
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
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins proteomics
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology virology
- medical and health sciences health sciences infectious diseases RNA viruses HIV
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug resistance
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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.
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.
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.
FP6-2005-LIFESCIHEALTH-6
See other projects for this call
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.
Coordinator
LEUVEN
Belgium
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.