Date: 2011-02-21
Type of information:
Company: Cytos Biotechnology (Switzerland)
Investors: European Commission
Amount:
Funding type: EU consortium Grant
Planned used: This grant will fund work on novel vaccine approaches for emerging viral diseases.
Others: Cytos Biotechnology has received European Union funding to work in a scientific consortium with the goal of preventing and treating infections caused by emerging viral pathogens deemed to be of threat to Europe. The consortium, known as VECTORIE (Vector-borne Risks for Europe: Risk assessment and control of West Nile and Chikungunya virus), is funded by the European Commission Framework Program 7 (Grant # 261466) and will employ a multidisciplinary approach involving virology, entomology and advanced vaccinology. Cytos’ Biotechnology VLP platform has been selected to generate vaccine candidates which will be tested in disease models. VECTORIE provides for a multidisciplinary approach combining the expertise of (basic) virology, entomology and advanced vaccinology to monitor the spread of and diagnose, prevent and treat infections caused by West Nile virus and Chikungunya virus. VECTORIE therefore addresses Europe s need to prepare for these vector-borne diseases along three strands: Vector biology, Virulence & pathogenesis and Vaccination strategies. VECTORIE brings together a platform of technologies using either virus-like particles or Modified vaccinia Ankara vaccine candidates, for the development of novel mono- and bivalent vaccine candidates against West Nile virus and Chikungunya virus. VECTORIE s integrated approach will largely contribute to adequate risk assessment and risk mitigation of the emerging health threat caused by West Nile virus and Chikungunya virus infections in Europe.
Therapeutic area:
