Dear Researchers,

The Novo Nordisk Foundation has an open call for research projects designed to develop novel small-molecule antivirals targeting pandemic influenza. There is a need for cheap and safe antiviral compounds that target viral/host proteins and pathways necessary for replication and pathogenesis that are clearly differentiated from currently marketed drugs for seasonal influenza. Attributes that define differentiation include improved clinical efficacy over standard of care, shorter duration of therapy, reduced dosing frequency, improved safety, lower cost of goods, higher barrier to resistance and/or novel targets/mechanism of action.

Proposals should be consistent with at least one of these 4 areas:

Direct acting antivirals with data demonstrating clear differentiation from currently marketed influenza antiviral products
Host targeted therapies with data demonstrating clear benefit over currently marketed influenza virus therapeutics
Compounds that target multiple pathways or mechanisms to reduce the likelihood of resistance emergence
Compounds demonstrating activity against drug resistant influenza variants

More information can be found here: https://novonordiskfonden.dk/en/grant/pad-antivirals-for-pandemic-influenza-request-for-proposals-2022-2023/