The ERA-NET JPco-fuND was an efficient tool for creating an important piece of the ERA, with JPND aiming to set up a mini-ERA in the critical domain of ND research that addresses the insufficient funding, lack of an environment to stimulate research and exploit results, and the fragmented nature of activities and the dispersal of resources.
During the lifetime of JPco-fuND initiative 3 research calls (2015, 2017, 2018) were launched. The 21 JPco-fuND call 2015 supported projects are now completed. These projects supported the creation of interdisciplinary research teams in the field of ND and improved the integration of disciplines and research areas. Given the priority area’s, the majority of the supported projects were focussed on basic research. The JPco-fuND final symposium organised in November 2019 offered the investigators and young scientists of different JPND/JPco-fuND call 2015 supported projects the opportunity to exchange their research results. 170 people participated, representing 24 JPND and 21 JPco-fuND call 2015 supported projects (n=113).
All 3 topics under the JPco-fuND ERA-NET call, identified as immediate priority areas to implement the JPND SRA, will have medium and long term impacts on health with the prospect of:
- advancing the identification of new targets to which second generation pharmacological therapies can be directed and help to advance preventive strategies.
- Well-designed pan-European cohort studies with harmonized approaches will increase the likelihood of being able to answer ‘big research questions’ and will offer the prospect of providing platforms for prevention and intervention studies in the medium and longer term.
- Supporting the creation of novel and more predictive experimental models will respond to the needs for efficient drug discovery.
It is noteworthy that each of the above areas was identified as highly important during the JPND stakeholder workshop held with industry during 2011, the outputs of which were channelled into the JPND SRA. The outputs from each topic were therefore likely to generate strong interest from across relevant industry areas from Pharmaceutical to Diagnostics to Information Technologies.
14 out of the 21 JPco-fuND projects investigated pathways of relevance to improve our understanding of the disease origins and mechanisms, as well as to develop new disease modifying therapies. Among these, 6 projects evaluated tools to improve disease diagnosis. 4 out of 21 studied more specifically disease mechanisms and new target for treatment. 3 out of 21 studied disease mechanisms and models, to identify diagnostic markers and new treatment targets. One project was specifically addressed to identify improved treatments and tools to ameliorate health care.
All projects contributed to the understanding of the molecular basis of neurodegeneration. Exchange of bio-resources within the consortium was also significant. Some projects essentially developed basic research, with a translational potential to be exploited later. Some more clinically oriented ones developed national or transnational patient registries, databases or biobanks. In some cases, the projects led to new patents, datasets, models, clinical testings, softwares and protocols.
In the majority of the JPcofuND call 2015 supported projects public engagement activities (general, professional, scientific) took place but the number and variety of stakeholders varied between the supported projects. The research output was mainly communicated in open access peer-reviewed scientific publications (n=316 peer-reviewed articles) and at scientific congresses (n=290). These results will contribute to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of ND and Alzheimer's in particular in the medium and long term.
