ANTIFLU

Max Planck institute for Infection Biology

Germany, Berlin
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The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science is an independent, non-profit research organisation. The Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, and specifically the Department of Molecular Biology focuses on the research of molecular processes that take place in host cells upon infection with bacterial and viral pathogens.

MPI coordinates the ANTIFLU project in close cooperation with ART. At the start of the project MPI provides a list of ~300 host cell targets involved in influenza infection which had been identified by HT RNAi screening in part within the FP6 IP project RIGHT. MPI participates in the joint research effort to develop small molecule inhibitors as well as RNAi inhibitors against most promising candidates by providing basic information on cell based and murine models of influenza infection. MPI is experienced in the successful coordination of EC and multi-national projects (RIGHT; ERA-Net) and brings in a broad knowledge of HT RNAi Screening on BSL2 and BSL3 level and its experience with in vitro and in vivo models for Influenza infection.

Thomas F. Meyer, Prof., Dr , scientific member of the Max Planck Society and founding director of the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin. Thomas F. Meyer is a basic molecular biologist with longstanding experience in infectious disease. He discovered several fundamental processes relevant to pathogenesis. EMBO member, member of the National German Academy Leopoldina. Co-founder of biotech companies. Coordinator of the EU FP6 project RIGHT and the RNAi-Net, a project in the framework of ERA-NET Pathogenomics.

Vichem Chemie Research Ltd.

Hungary, Budapest
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Vichem was founded in 1999 as a highly specialised biotechnology company in developing kinase inhibitors. Vichem provides medicinal chemistry capabilities based on its unique, in-house developed Nested Chemical Library (NCL) technology for hit and lead finding and lead optimisation against various targets. The company established partnership with various European, American and Japanese institutions and companies, participates in several Hungarian and European programs and provides research services utilizing its platform technologies.

In the ANTIFLU project Vichem will develop inhibitors against various host-cell kinases to treat influenza infection. First, the core of the NCL will be screened against CLK1 and other kinases. Then the hits will be developed to optimized lead molecules that can enter preclinical development.

Prof. György Kéri D.Sc.: György Kéri (CEO of Vichem) is a chemist by profession and got his PhD from biochemistry in 1976, and was a post doc in 1978-1979 with Prof. J. Ramachandran. He was visiting Scientist in the United States 19 times for various time periods on the bases of joint research programs with UCSF, Genetech and SUgen.

Aarhus University

Denmark, Aarhus
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The Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) at Aarhus University was established in 2002 at the University of Aarhus with active participation of 62 senior researchers, 47 junior researchers and 160 PhD students. The drug delivery activities focused on siRNA are highly competitive on the international stage. Several high impact publications and patents have arisen from this initiative that comprises of 1 professor, 1 associate professor, 2 post-docs and 7 PhDs (8-22). The iNANO interdisciplinary nature allows integration of experts in drug delivery, nanoscience and medicine into a single project for development of nanoparticle-based treatments for diseases. Prof. Jørgen Kjems and Dr Kenneth Howard have vast experience in molecular therapeutics and drug delivery where they have already led to great success in treatments in animal models for rheumatoid arthritis and radiation induced fibrosis. Their group will focus on pulmonary and systemic delivery of siRNA, microRNA mimics or antimiRs targeting human genes essential for influenza replication.

Jørgen Kjems, PhD,Professor in molecular biology and nanosciences. Expert in RNAi basic mechanism, microRNA, siRNA design and delivery. He will lead the AU team with the aim of designing the chemical composition and delivery strategy for siRNA to infected cells at pulmonary sites.

Lead Discovery Center GmbH

Germany, Dortmund
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LDC offers the full scope of drug discovery services – from target to lead – on a risk-sharing basis according to the highest industry standards. The overall aim is to transform promising and early-stage innovative projects from academia into pharmaceutical leads that reach initial proof-of-concept in animals and that meet the increasing need for novel therapeutic agents. The LDC provides tailored solutions for each project, working closely with the respective inventors to integrate their specific expertise and, where appropriate, to draw on customized research tools, solutions and materials. In addition to the LDC’s state-of-the-art facilities, a range of diverse and focused compound libraries, as well as complementary services in the fields of high throughput screening, structural biology, bio- and cheminformatics or target production, can be accessed from a broad network of premier institutions and companies, thus meeting the specific needs of individual projects at any time. LDC will provide Assay Development and High throughput Screening, Medicinal Chemistry as well as Pharmacology (ADMET, Bioanalytic) for the lead discovery and optimisation projects within the Antiflu project.

Dr Bert Klebl (managing director, CSO) : A biochemist by training, Bert Klebl has gathered many years of professional experience in drug discovery and early drug development from various positions in the life-science industry (Senior Director Discovery Biology at GPC Biotech, Axxima Pharmaceutical’s Vice President Research, project team leader, group leader and senior scientist at Hoechst Marion Roussel and Aventis.

Institut Pasteur

France, Paris
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The Institut Pasteur is a private non-profit foundation with strong links to public research organisms, universities, and hospitals The clinical research department (Pôle Integré de Recherche Clinique-PIRC) at Institut Pasteur represents the Institut Pasteur when sponsor.
The PIRC is actively involved in the preclinical and clinical development of several candidate vaccines/drugs.
Recently, the PIRC has managed as sponsor phase I and phase II trials within EU consortium project.

Dr Cécile DELVAL (Head of Clinical Research Department, Institut Pasteur): MD, Cécile Delval has gathered many years of professional experience in clinical drug development from various positions in the life-science industry (at Sanofi for 16 years) and regulatory authorities (at French Health Products Safety Agency-AFSSAPS, and National Authority for Health-HAS for 5 years).

ARTTIC

France, Paris
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Created in 1987, ARTTIC is a European provider of management services for international collaborative R&D projects. The ARTTIC group comprises several companies based in France, Belgium, Germany, UK and Israel. ARTTIC's total staff adds up toabout 50 persons, all specialised in the provision of advice and practical assistance in all aspects of international R&D collaboration projects. In FP6, ARTTIC has been in charge of numerous IPs, STREPS and NoEs. In the FP7 Health programme, ARTTIC is in charge of project management in ESNATS (Embryonic Stem cell based Novel Alternative Testing Strategies), Metafight (Understanding and fighting metastasis via dissection of the Core Invasive Machinery), ENCITE (Imaging and technology methods for cellular therapy) and Nanotryp (New diagnostic tools and treatments for Trypanosomiasis).

ARTTIC will support the consortium in the daily management and administrative tasks to ensure the collaboration is working, the project is properly monitored and decisions and actions are prepared and taken according to the project progress. An important aspect of the role of ARTTIC is also to simplify as much as possible the work of the researchers and to develop a collaborative team spirit inside the consortium.

ARTTIC will also support the information dissemination activities (WP8), by establishing planning, coordination and flowing-up of the dissemination activities, ensuring the production of dissemination tools, such as the public website and a project leaflet, and the organisation of a public workshop organised by ANTIFLU.

Sara Skogsäter, Project Manager,has a wide experience of management of complex and large projects. She has been involved in the set up and management of many EC funded projects. She successfully handles different aspects of the project management activities and provides support to various consortia with the organisation, administrative, financial and legal matters. Sara has successfully managed the ARTTIC project office for several large integrated projects in Health (RNAi research and stem cell research) and Transport (railway research). She has also participated in the set up of a number of FP6 and FP7 proposals in the Health, ICT and transport sectors.

MediTox (former BioTest)

Czech Republic, Konarovice
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Created in 1999, MediTox (former BioTest s.r.o.) is a GLP-certified CRO providing special scientific and contract-based services in the safety assessment of human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, biological , food additives, medical devices, industrial chemicals and agrochemical preparations.   BioTest participates in 9 European research projects concerning the most red-hot medical problems - oncological diseases, influenza prevention and regenerative medicine. The company is also actively involved in national projects related to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and formation of Original Drug Development Centre. The main (contract-based) activities include  comprehensive pre-clinical/toxicological service (contract-based activities) including human and veterinary pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals, food additives, medical devices (PHARMA) chemicals and agrochemicals (REACH) and breeding of  laboratory animals (non-human primates, dogs,  ferrets, rodents and minipigs).

BioTest expert team is capable to conduct and evaluate a number of experiments within in vitro and in vivo toxicology in compliance to international guidelines (OECD, EU, US FDA, US EPA and other regulatory authorities) in full compliance with GLP standards (OECD, US FDA). High scientific standard and quality of work is guaranteed by comprehensive  assurance program which covers every aspect from the initiation of the study to specimen handling, data management and reporting of the results.

BioTest strong points are namely a strong team of experts particularly for experimental work with large laboratory animals (ferrets, dogs, non-human primates, pigs), complex preclinical and toxicological program for medical drugs as well as chemical substances, close collaboration with the scientific community, ensuring the quality for competitive pricing, worldwide activities and acceptability and flexibility and strictly individual approach to the partner´s requests. 

Martin Slais, PhD: Works for BioTest more than 8 years and his position is Expert in pre-clinical toxicology. He is focused on preclinical testing of pharmaceuticals (leader of more than 50 studies) and implementation of alternative methods in toxicology. M. Slais was leading BioTest’s participation in BOVAC and FLUVACC projects within 6th FP EC,    and H5 Intranasal Vaccine within 7th FP EC.  Currently he leads two running projects – ANTIFLU within 7th FP and OSTEOGROW within 7th FP EC.

Imperial College London

United Kingdom, London
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Imperial College London is a member of the prestigious Russel Group of British unviersities with an academic record that competes well with the Oxbridge pair. Within the College, in the faculty of Medicine there is a Division of Investigative Science in which sits the Department of Virlogy. The Virology group is comprised of 7 PIs each heading an independent group of researchers whose goals are funded by external research councils and charities.

The Department of Virology contains laboratories that are fully equipped for cell manipulations, genetic manipulation and biochemical analysis. There is a central biological services unit in which experiments with influenza infected ferrets can be performed at containment level 3. The European Office of Imperial College London give full administrative support during EU-projects.

The Influenza Laboratory headed by Professor Barclay has extensive experience in the reverse genetics technique for engineering recombinant influenza viruses accumulated over the past 14 years. The main focus of research is to understand the interactions between virus and host that determine the outcome of infection and contribute to the host range barrier. This has recently involved the establishment of the ferret model for studying influenza transmission, and the exploitation of a fully differentiated model of airway epithelium. Professor Barclay interacts extensively with both animal and human influenza specialists.

Prof. Wendy S. Barclay, PhD, obtained her PhD in 1988, and trained as a postdoc in the laboratory of Dr  Peter Palese at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine New York. She was appointed as professor in influenza virology by Imperial College London in 2007. She supervises research projects on the transmission, host range and pathogenesis of influenza virus. She is a member of the Centre for Respiratory Infection Research at Imperial College London and an advisor to the UK government appointed to the JCVI subcommittee on influenza vaccines.

RiboTask

Denmark, Odense
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RiboTask is a biotech company which develops and supplies high-value RNA technologies and materials to the R&D markets. RiboTask has state-of-the-art equipment for RNA research and RNA synthesis. RiboTask will synthesize siRNA constructs for the project including optimised constructs for preclinical studies. RiboTask has IPR relating to its siUNA technology and a license to the siLNA technology, which both are appearing as most promising for siRNA drug development. RiboTask will implement these technologies together with conjugation approaches when optimising siRNA constructs within the project.

Jesper Wengel, CEO. He has extensive experience with design and synthesis and of chemically modified RNA type molecules, and he is author on more than 300 nucleic acid related scientific publications. He has broad experience within research project management, and hewas a co-founder of RiboTask in 2006 and has since been its Chairman and CSO. He will be involved in the ANTIFLU project with respect to administrative and research activities. 

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Israel, Jerusalem
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The Wolfson Centre for Applied Structural Biology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem is dedicated to the research of structural aspects and interpretation of biologically related macromolecules.  The main goal of the centre is the elucidation of the three-dimensional structures of these complex and intricate molecules at the molecular level Understanding the structural properties of proteins may provide direct insight into the molecular basis of biological and biochemical pathways, with direct implications on diseases and consequently drug design strategies. In ANTIFLU, the Wolfson Centre will produce, purify and crystallize target proteins identified by LDC VCR in combination with the lead compounds identified in the preliminary screens.

Dr Prof. Oded Livnah: Director of the Wolfson Centre. A leading crystallographer and structural biologist.  Experienced in crystallization data collection and structure determination and analysis.  His work focuses on signalling processes, drug design and optimization, and protein manipulation.  

Leibnitz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, FMP Berlin

Germany, Berlin
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The Screening Unit at the Leibnitz Institute for Molecular Pharmacology, Berlin, provides an infrastructure with large compound libraries and a routine open access screening platform. The Unit served in 108 screening projects since its start of operation in 2004. About 30 funded research projects of scientists of the Unit focused on identification of inhibitors of cytochrome p450 proteins from tuberculosis bacteria and on inhibitors of human protein-phosphatase inhibitors for disease relevant enzymes. Furthermore the Unit identified inhibitors of Wnt-signalling using different assay systems. The Unit successfully developed assays for screening, validated hits by control of concentration dependent activity of compounds, profiled compound specificity against sets of related proteins and characterized lead structures. Highlight projects resulted in identification of novel inhibitors targeting lanosterol demethylase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, novel inhibitors for bacterial gyrase (DnaAcos) and for SHP-2 in metastasis.

FMP’s role in ANTIFLU will be mainly in the processes of assay development and HTS screening but also in the areas of target identification, protein expression and purification and molecular modeling.

Dr Jens Peter von Kries: Head of the HTS technology platform (Screening Unit) of the Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie im Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FMP Berlin). Joined the laboratory of W. Birchmeier (Max-Delbrück-Center, Berlin) from 1995 to 2001 for molecular characterization of protein interactions in cancer development. Project coordinator in a pharmaceutical company for HTS and drug development.  Since 2003 set up and management of Screening Unit which served for more then 100 screening campaigns.