Project

Complementary research action to support SARS-related diagnostic tests, therapeutic interventions and vaccine development – SARS-DTV

Completed · 2004 until 2007

Type
Fundamental Research
Range
Multicentric, KSSG as participating partner
Units
Status
Completed
Start Date
2004
End Date
2007
Financing
EU
Study Design
experimental
Keywords
SARS coronavirus
Brief description/objective

The overall objective of the SARS-DTV network is to contribute to the development of candidate anti-SARS-CoV drugs, vaccines and diagnostic assays, by collaborative and complementary research divided into four Work packages. Molecular targets for anti-SARS-CoV therapy will be identified and characterised in terms of structure and function. (Bio)chemical approaches will identify “lead compounds” (candidate antiviral agents). The correlates of the humoral and cellular protective anti-SARS-CoV immune response will be defined and the role of immunopathology in SARS will be addressed. The Model Systems work package aims to develop SARS-CoV reverse genetic systems as research tools and apply these to automated drug testing in the form of a bio-safe, cell culture-based screening system. This should lead to a European Centralized Facility for the design, synthesis and screening of anti-SARS-CoV compounds. An important spin-off of the program will be a large collection of SARS-CoV-related reagents, assays, structural information, and protocols, which will be used both for fundamental research and for the development of rapid and reliable diagnostic assays.