Projektbeschreibung
Neuer universeller Wirkstoff gegen virale Koinfektionen des Nervensystems
Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya, HIV und Masern sind Virusinfektionen, an denen jährlich Tausende von Menschen sterben. Dabei wird das Zentralnervensystem angegriffen, was letztlich neurologische Beeinträchtigungen verursachen kann. Zika-, Dengue- und Chikungunya-Viren werden hauptsächlich von Stechmücken der Gattung Aedes übertragen. Das Zika-Virus überwindet hierzu die Plazentaschranke und die beim Fötus noch nicht vollständig ausgebildete Blut-Hirn-Schranke, was beim Neugeborenen zu Mikrozephalie und neurologischen Störungen führt. Derzeitige Strategien der Wirkstoffentwicklung vernachlässigen bei diesen Viren allerdings vollständig das Problem der Koinfektion. Das EU-finanzierte Projekt NOVIRUSES2BRAIN forscht daher an universellen Wirkstoffkandidaten, die die Plazenta- und Blut-Hirn-Schranke durchdringen und die Viren sogar während der Schwangerschaft bekämpfen können. Das internationale Projekt NOVIRUSES2BRAIN führt Expertise aus der medizinische Chemie, Biochemie, Virologie und Arzneimittelentwicklung zusammen und forscht an einem Medikament, das alle Virusarten aus dem Gehirn gleichzeitig eliminiert.
Ziel
Viruses that infect the brain and other parts of the central nervous system are a worldwide threat of terrible dimensions. Viruses such as Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya, HIV or measles, for instance, and more recently the Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are responsible for thousands of victims severely impaired at neurological level each year in the world. One of the most recent large scale threats in this domain was a Zika virus outbreak in South America. Zika virus, like Dengue virus or Chikungunya virus, is spread mainly by mosquitos of the genus Aedes. While Dengue and Chikungunya viruses, as many others, might causes diseases with severe neurological disorders, Zika virus is much more dreadful in this regard. When a pregnant woman is infected, the virus is able to translocate the blood-placental barrier and then the developing blood-brain barrier of the foetus, causing microcephaly and serious neurological disorders to newly born babies.
Although co-infections with Aedes-borne viruses, such as the above mentioned Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya viruses, are likely because several viral species coexist in the same vector, the classical drug development strategies completely overlook this striking reality. Moreover, additional co-infections with HIV, SARS-CoV-2 and measles virus, using other routes of infection, are also possible. A drug able to target a very large spectrum of viral species is urgently needed.
Importantly, this drug must be able to traverse the blood-brain barrier and reach the viruses accumulated in the brain.
NOVIRUSES2BRAIN is a project that aims at finding and selecting drug leads that are both efficacious and able to translocate the blood-placental and blood-brain barriers so that Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya and other viruses, such as the recently discovered SARS-CoV-2 can be targeted across barriers, including during pregnancy. The project gathers the expertise of medicinal chemists, biochemists, drug development specialists and virologists to create drug leads able to clear all viral species from brain simultaneously.
Wissenschaftliches Gebiet
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug discovery
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyvirology
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA virusesHIV
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA virusescoronaviruses
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurology
Schlüsselbegriffe
Programm/Programme
Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung
Andere Projekte für diesen Aufruf anzeigenUnterauftrag
H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2019-2020-01
Finanzierungsplan
RIA - Research and Innovation actionKoordinator
1649 028 Lisboa
Portugal