Descrizione del progetto
Sviluppo di un farmaco universale per colpire le co-infezioni virali nel sistema nervoso
Zika, dengue, chikungunya, HIV e morbillo provocano migliaia di vittime ogni anno. Queste infezioni virali del sistema nervoso centrale causano una compromissione neurologica. I virus Zika, dengue e chikungunya sono diffusi principalmente dalle zanzare del genere Aedes. Il virus Zika può attraversare la barriera emato-placentare e quindi la barriera emato-encefalica del feto in via di sviluppo, provocando microcefalia neonatale e disturbi neurologici. Le attuali strategie di sviluppo di farmaci trascurano completamente la realtà della co-infezione per questi virus. Il progetto NOVIRUSES2BRAIN, finanziato dall’UE, identificherà e selezionerà farmaci candidati universali che attraversino le barriere emato-placentare e emato-encefalica per colpire questi virus, anche durante la gravidanza. Questo progetto ha portata internazionale e comprende esperti in chimica farmaceutica, biochimica, virologia e sviluppo di farmaci. NOVIRUSES2BRAIN mira a creare un farmaco che elimini simultaneamente tutte le specie virali dal cervello.
Obiettivo
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.
Campo scientifico
- 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
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Invito a presentare proposte
Vedi altri progetti per questo bandoBando secondario
H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2019-2020-01
Meccanismo di finanziamento
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinatore
1649 028 Lisboa
Portogallo