New Technologies for Translational Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences /NETPHARM

Project annotation:

The project synergistically links major basic and translational research institutions and multidisciplinary teams using modern pharmaceutical science approaches with strong application potential. The aim of the project is excellent research and development of advanced therapeutics, (nano)formulations and drug delivery systems, using innovative technologies, the latest approaches and experimental models of translational drug development within the network of excellent R&D centres (CU, UCT, CEITEC/MU, IOCB and IMC CAS CZ).

NETPHARM R&D centre in Czech Republic:

Charles University (CU) – Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové (FoP CU), Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové (FoM HK), University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague (UCT), Masaryk University (MU) – Central European Institute of Technology Masaryk university (CEITEC), Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic (IOCB CAS CZ) and Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic (IMC CAS CZ).

Project NETPHARM objectives:

The NETPHARM project aims to create an integrated network of collaborating R&D centres of excellence involved in the translational development of advanced therapies and drug delivery systems. They will develop and apply state-of-the-art research approaches, innovative technologies and advanced models in pharmaceutical, biomedical and complementary sciences, including the use of bioinformatics and AI tools, based on synergies between leading R&D universities and the Czech Academy of Sciences. New advanced pharmaceuticals or drug delivery systems/formulations based on lipid or polymeric nanoparticles, nanotechnologies and biotechnologies applied in new models of translational medicine or diagnostic devices will have the highest application and therapeutic potential. The research particularly targets vulnerable sub-populations of patients such as pregnant women, drug resistant, obese, steatotic, geriatric patients or patients with failure of protective barriers. The research plan consists of 5 WP requiring a high degree of interdisciplinarity. Through KA 1-6 it will strengthen the competitiveness of the multidisciplinary research team internationally and the potential to produce results applicable in the long term. Research performance will be increased by producing publication outputs with a preference for top quality Q1, patent applications protecting e.g. new potential drugs, drug delivery systems, diagnostic markers/probes, experimental methods or technologies, collaboration with major pharmaceutical companies will be established. The capacity of the research teams will be developed through the continuous involvement of excellent, key, international staff, JR, SR, TW, PhD students who will work with the upgraded instrumentation infrastructure. International scientific cooperation with prestigious foreign institutions will be developed through exchange of knowledge, joint publications, mobility of researchers or involvement in international projects and consortia. The professional and administrative management of the project will be set up and implemented.

NETPHARM international and interdisciplinary research team to be consisted of 5 Work Packages:

WP1 Pharmaceutical and analytical chemistry

• Principal research team manager: Prof. Kateřina Vávrová, approx. 56 members.
• Research interest: Researchers from FoP CU, UCT and IOCB will explore the power of organic, computational, physical and analytical chemistry in identifying and specifically targeting vulnerable patient subpopulations in close collaboration with WP2, WP3, WP4 and WP5.

WP2 Pharmacology and toxicology

• Principal research team manager: Prof. František Štaud, approx. 35 members.
• Research interest: Researchers from FoP CU and FoM HK will focus on establishing innovative experimental approaches to investigate pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic properties of successful drug candidates derived from WP1. In close collaboration with WP1, WP3 and WP5, WP2 will search, define and validate novel druggable target proteins (receptors, enzymes, transporters, ion channels, etc) and/or potential drug candidates. In addition, pharmacological properties and drug-drug interactions of clinically used drugs will be explored.

WP3 Novel drug delivery systems and formulations

• Principal research team manager: Doc. Martin Hrubý, approx. 42 members.
• Research interest: The aim of the WP3 is the development of cutting-edge advanced nanoformulations and targeted (nano)delivery systems in collaboration with work packages WP1, WP2 and WP5.

WP4 Geriatric clinical pharmacy and new technologies for individualization of drug schemes in older patients

• Principal research team manager: Doc. Daniela Fialová, approx. 17 members.
• Research interest: WP4 plans to investigate, test and summarize novel recommendations for better individualization of drug regimens in older patients with respect to various stages of geriatric frailty and cardio-hepato-renal syndrome. These principles and recommendations will be developed for acute and ambulatory care and transformed into IT algorithms and e-health software technology supporting applicability of research outputs in e-healthcare. Novel recommendations will be published also as interdisciplinary clinical guideline.

WP5 Advanced in vitro and in silico approaches in drug development

• Principal research team manager: dr. Tomáš Smutný, approx. 22 members.
• Research interest: The aim of the WP5 is to use advanced and up-to-date in vitro and in silico approaches to support the development of advanced therapies in other work packages WP1, WP2 and WP3.

International Scientific Advisory board (ISAB) is represented by 9 excellent scientists:

Prof. Maria da Conceição Montenegro, University of Porto, Portugal; Prof. Michael Lämmerhofer, University of Tübingen, Germany; Prof. Kevin A. Schug, University of Texas at Arlington, USA; Prof. Julio Flavio Fiore, University, Canada; Petr Jansa Ph.D., Thelium Therapeutics in San Carlos, USA; Prof. Henry Kopeček, University of Utah, USA; Prof. Igor Lacík, Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia; Prof. Søren Bak, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Prof. Francisco A. Macías, Universidad de Cádiz, Spain.

Totally approx. 172 members of the NETPHARM project involving foreign experts and other senior and junior researchers, postdocs, technicians and administrative staff included.

Support for the NETPHARM project was expressed in the form of a Letter of Intent (LoI) or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in a total number of 43 supporting statements from various institutions from different countries around the world.

Aims:

• The NETPHARM project aims to create an integrated network of collaborating R&D centres of excellence involved in the translational development of advanced therapies and drug delivery systems.
• Improving the competitiveness of the R&D centre internationally.
• Supporting the development of the R&D centre’s research teams.
• Upgrading research infrastructure – new modern facilities enabling top level of research.
• Close international cooperation with foreign research organisations, creating conditions for obtaining international grants. Participation in collaboration on European research projects such as Horizon Europe and others.
• Publishing results in high-impact international journals.

Outputs:

• Interdisciplinary research team
• Upgrade of research infrastructure – 13 new instruments in total 37 518 756,33 CZK (approx. EUR 1,513 million) – 5 modernised R&D workplaces
• 218 publications (192 publications published in the first quartile of the most influential journals in the field; 192 publications in the first quartile publications according to industry-standard citation rate, 108 publications with foreign co-authored by supported entities; 22 publications co-authored research organisations and enterprises)
• 44 submitted national grants and 24 submitted international grants type of Horizon Europe
• 32 supported R&D collaborations
• 17 outgoing mobilities (no. of departures) and 13 incoming mobilities (no. of arrivals)
• 195 contributions to professional events
• 11 international patent application (PCT)
• 1 novel clinical guideline

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• NETPHARM project logo

The potential areas of cooperation:

1. Development of internationalization – strengthening the international dimension and intensive scientific cooperation for research and knowledge dissemination abroad,
2. Joint participation of selected research team members of the Parties in international programs such as the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation - Horizon Europe etc.,
3. Engagement in the preparation of scientific publications written by domestic and foreign researchers as co-authors (e.g. article, book, book chapter, letter, review etc.),
4. Exchange of scientific information, organisation of seminars, colloquia and symposia,
5. Other activities that the Parties may agree to cooperate on.

NETPHARM 2nd Annual Conference

• Invitation to the 2nd Annual Conference of the NETPHARM project

Press releases

• New type of steroid FXR antagonists/TGR5 agonists shows potential for treating hyperglycemia
• New NETPHARM Project Website Launched
• Successful Gathering of Leading Scientists: The First Annual International NETPHARM Conference Showcased Scientific Excellence and Strong Inter-Institutional Collaboration
• Advancing Placental Research: Highlights from the European Placenta Group Conference 2024
• Projekt Nové technologie pro translační výzkum ve farmaceutických vědách /NETPHARM na Farmaceutické fakultě UK slavnostně zahájen (cuni.cz)
• Projekt NETPHARM byl na Farmaceutické fakultě UK zahájen | Farmaceutická fakulta Univerzity Karlovy (cuni.cz)
• Bezmála půl miliardy na špičkový výzkum léčiv pod vedením Farmaceutické fakulty UK v Hradci Králové | Farmaceutická fakulta Univerzity Karlovy (cuni.cz)
• Špičkový výzkum: UK povede tři excelentní projekty, v dalších třinácti je partnerem | Farmaceutická fakulta Univerzity Karlovy (cuni.cz)

The project New Technologies for Translational Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences /NETPHARM, project ID CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004607, is co-funded by the European Union.