Descrizione del progetto
Progettazione di farmaci assistita da computer per la COVID-19
La progettazione avanzata dei farmaci assistita dal computer (CADD, Computer-Sided Drug Design) ha rivoluzionato la scoperta di farmaci e, in combinazione con lo screening biochimico e fenotipico ad alte prestazioni, consente la rapida valutazione di nuovi farmaci. Gli scienziati del progetto EXSCALATE4CoV, finanziato dall’UE, utilizzeranno la piattaforma EXSCALATE contenente i farmaci commercializzati più promettenti sicuri per l’uomo per individuare specifici inibitori contro la COVID-19. La strategia prevede l’allineamento computazionale di questi farmaci rispetto ai modelli 3D per le proteine virali, seguito da test biochimici e screening fenotipico dei candidati più promettenti. Le molecole in grado di bloccare la replicazione del virus saranno inviate per lo sviluppo e la registrazione.
Obiettivo
The EXSCALATE4CoV (E4C) project aims to exploit the most powerful computing resources currently based in Europe to empower smart in-silico drug design. Advanced Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD) in combination with the high throughput biochemical and phenotypic screening will allow the rapid evaluation of the simulations results and the reduction of time for the discovery of new drugs. Against a pandemic crisis, the immediate identification of effective treatments have a paramount importance. First, E4C will select through the EXSCALATE platform, the most promising commercialized and developing drugs safe in man. Second, select from >500 billion molecules new pan coronavirus inhibitors. The huge computational resource, therefore the activities will be supported and empowered by three of the most powerful computer centers in Europe: CINECA, BSC and JÜLICH. The Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB) will provide the homology 3D models for the viral proteins. The Fraunhofer IME will provide the BROAD Repurposing Library and biochemical assays. Phenotypic screenings will be run by KU LUEVEN to identify molecules capable of blocking virus replication in in vitro models. IIMCB and ELECTRA will determine the crystal structure of at least one coronavirus functional proteins to evaluate the structural similarities with other viral proteins. EXSCALATE4CoV consortium will identify safe in man drugs repurposed as 2019-nCoV antiviral and will propose to the EMA innovation task force (ITF) to define a preliminary development strategy and a proposal for a registration path. The E4C project will share promptly its scientific outcomes with the research community by using established channels: ChEMBL portal for the biochemical data, the SWISS-MODEL portal for the homology models of viral proteins WT and mutants, the Protein Data Bank for the experimentally resolved protein structures, the EUDAT for the data generated by in-silico simulations and the E4C project website.
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Meccanismo di finanziamento
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinatore
20122 Milano
Italia