VIZIER:The SILVER project started.

WHY SILVER?

RNA virus infections kill millions of humans annually, largely due to the lack of suitable vaccines and drugs to control them. The SILVER (Small-molecule Inhibitor Leads Versus Emerging and neglected RNA viruses) project is a global consortium arising from the coordination of Europe’s and Asia’s leading molecular virologists, structural biologists, medicinal chemists and bioinformaticians. The ultimate aim of SILVER is to generate a state-of-the-art drug design programme to face new and emerging diseases caused by RNA viruses.

THE OBJECTIVES

The project will focus its activities on three priority virus groups, responsible of major human viral diseases for which the development of drugs is considered essential: flaviviridae (Dengue), picornaviridae (enterovirus 71) and paramyxoviridae (RCV and hMPV). On the other hand, exploratory researches will be performed on other virus families that have the potential to cause epidemics, like the arenaviruses group, alphaviruses, bunyaviruses, coronaviruses and noroviruses .

THE STRATEGY

A pipeline strategy gathering chemistry, virology, structural genomic and biology disciplines, has been developed to identify targets and their potential inhibitors. In a further stage, hits and leads will be designed including ADME-tox studies and relevant animal models assays to reach the Proof of Concept level. Multidisciplinary studies will be organised around each group of virus allowing a high efficiency in collaboration and results-oriented performance (WAVE concept).

ROUTE-TO-MARKET

Licenses on promising compounds or compound classes will be proposed to the pharmaceutical industry. In this way, the SILVER consortium will be well placed to play a major role in contributing to the international effort to develop strategies to improve world health.