Pandemic Antiviral Discovery - RFP for Henipavirus Research

The PAD initiative aims to help researchers worldwide identify and develop phase 2-ready antiviral drug candidates targeting pandemic threat viruses. The proposal request focuses on henipavirus, a subfamily of paramyxovirus that includes the Nipah virus. A total of $10 million has been allocated to support projects over one to three years that seek to elucidate the molecular determinants of henipavirus replication, pathogenesis, and transmission to develop therapeutic discovery programs targeting virus and/or host-specific targets important for virus replication. Projects can be of both novel and exploratory nature and later-stage validation/developmental nature.

Specific areas of interest include:

• biomarkers of henipavirus pathogenesis in humans to facilitate drug discovery programs and clinical evaluation of antiviral therapies,
• identification and validation of virus and/or host targets necessary for henipavirus replication that could serve as starting points for therapeutic discovery,
• inhibitors of virus and/or host targets that are broadly active across paramyxoviruses with a preference for henipaviruses,
• novel tools and assays for studying henipavirus replication and pathogenesis that do not require BSL-4 containment, and
• target-based approaches for henipavirus antiviral discovery and development. Projects on vaccines, antibody therapy, and epidemiology will not be considered for funding.

Eligible applicants must be established investigators with their line of research.