Descrição

HORIZON-HLTH-2027-01-DISEASE-05

Expected Outcomes

This Horizon Europe funding topic supports research and innovation activities aimed at tackling diseases and reducing the burden of viral infections. Projects selected under this call are expected to deliver outcomes that:

• Enhance the understanding and accessibility of experimental antiviral therapies for the prevention and treatment of emerging or re-emerging viral infections.
• Make candidate antiviral treatments available for clinical deployment, strengthening therapeutic options in the event of epidemics or pandemics.

Scope of the Funding

Infectious diseases continue to pose a major threat to public health and health security across the EU and globally. The emergence of viral diseases is being accelerated by climate change, highlighting the need for proactive development of antiviral prophylactics and therapeutics to prepare for future outbreaks.

Projects should focus on antivirals targeting conserved viral or host mechanisms, providing critical preparedness against (re)emerging infectious diseases. Importantly, antibodies and antibody-derived proteins are excluded from this call.

Target Viruses/Groups:

Applicants must specify the virus or virus group their proposal addresses. The work must focus on one of the following:

• Junin mammarenavirus and/or Lassa mammarenavirus
• Tick-borne encephalitis virus and/or Japanese encephalitis virus
• Andes virus, Hantaan virus, and/or Sin Nombre virus
• Hendra virus
• Enterovirus D68
• Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus

While proposals must target a specific virus or group, research may also explore effects across other viruses to broaden the global antiviral research and development portfolio, reinforcing the EU’s leadership in this area.

Research Areas and Activities

Funded projects are expected to address some of the following areas:

• Discovery and selection of candidate antivirals with intra-family or variant-transcending potential.
• Optimization of candidates for potency, selectivity, pharmacokinetics, and developability using Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) studies or equivalent methodologies.
• In-vitro characterization of antiviral activity, mechanisms of action, and resistance potential across multiple strains or viruses.
• In-vivo testing in at least one animal model or advanced human organoid/organotypic models to demonstrate protective efficacy for progression to clinical trials.
• Where required, in-vivo testing in non-human primate models as a regulatory prerequisite.
• Production of GMP-compliant batches of promising antivirals.
• Early-phase human clinical safety studies, considering biological and social variables such as sex, age, ethnicity, and disability.

Participation of third countries where the targeted viruses are endemic or experiencing outbreaks is encouraged.

Additional Opportunities

The call promotes collaboration with start-ups, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to strengthen scientific and technological capabilities and explore commercial opportunities.

All funded projects are expected to engage with regulatory authorities to ensure regulatory compliance and leverage state-of-the-art research infrastructures, including those developed under the ISIDORe project. Projects should also align with the European Partnership for Pandemic Preparedness to maximize synergy and impact.

Applicants are required to submit details of any proposed clinical studies using the dedicated annex template provided in the submission system. The inclusion of clinical studies is strongly encouraged.