Community
BACKGROUND
In 2013, the European Commission launched the 7th Framework Program. Four projects were selected:
A-ParaDDisE, KINDReD, NMTrypI and PDE4NPD.
As part of the negotiation process, the European Commission called for strong cooperation and synergy
amongst the four projects to maximize the impact of the EU funds received.
The representatives of the four Consortia met on December 5th, 2013, in Paris, France, on the occasion of
the DNDi meeting: 10 years of research in neglected infectious diseases. This meeting provided an opportunity
for members of the projects to come together and discuss potential areas of synergies.
All of the four Consortia have representatives of GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) in their Scientific Advisory Board (SAB),
and three of them (PDE4NPD, NMTrypI and KINDReD) share Dr. Eric Chatelain, Head of DNDi, as their SAB Member, too.
The four Consortia met again on September 17th, 2014, on the occasion of the NMTrypI and KINDReD Consortium meetings
in Porto, Portugal, and concrete Synergy activities were planned. The EC Project Officer, Dr. Hannu Laang, and SAB members
also joined this meeting.
In addition, the Coordinators of the "Synergy projects" met every three months via teleconference to ensure the further
development of the synergy activities.
SCOPE OF SYNERGIES
AREAS OF SYNERGIES
KINDReD:
Kinetoplastid Drug Development
Scientific Coordinator: Dr. Jane MacDougall
The KINDReD consortium has been drawn together from academia and industry
to strengthen and advance the current drug development pipeline against Trypanosomatid diseases,
Leishmaniasis, Human African trypanosomiasis and Chagas disease. KINDReD ambition is to bring
much needed new drug candidates through the preclinical development process with the ultimate
aim of gaining regulatory approval for initial phase I clinical trials for each of the three
major trypanosomatid diseases.
A-ParaDDisE:
Anti-Parasite Drug Discovery
in Epigenetics
Scientific Coordinator: Dr. Raymond J. Pierce
The overall objective of the A-ParaDDisE project is to develop epigenetic
inhibitors for further testing and optimization as drug candidates against the four parasites
studied (S. mansoni, Leishmania, T. cruzi and Plasmodium sp.).
The Consortium will employ a target-based strategy for the development of novel drug leads against
epigenetic targets in schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and malaria, focusing on
key histone modifying enzymes, in particular those involved in acetylation/deacetylation
and methylation/demethylation.
PDE4NPD
Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors
for Neglected Parasitic Diseases
Scientific Coordinator: Dr. Rob Leurs
The PDE4NPD Consortium was established to jointly find drugs for Neglected Parasitic Diseases (NPDs), targeting
phosphodiesterases, to find and develop selective inhibitors. The Consortium focuses
on three kinetoplastid diseases: Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), leishmaniasis
and Chagas disease, and one major helminth disease: schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia or
snail fever). In order to optimally exploit the generated data, there will be a strong focus
on developing an open, innovative model for data sharing.
Libra project
IIT - D3 PharmaChemistry
Compound database of the Italian Institute of Technology in Genova (IIT).