Date: 2015-02-11
Type of information: Grant
Company: Galapagos (Belgium)
Investors: Flemish Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT) (Belgium)
Amount: €1.6 million
Funding type: grant
Planned used: The grant will support the development of new antiviral therapies against hepatitis B, in a collaboration project with Prof. Johan Neyts of the Rega Institute of the University of Leuven and Prof. Stephan Urban of the University Hospital in Heidelberg. The goal of the project is to identify novel compounds and targets with the potential to cure chronic hepatitis B infection, allowing patients to come off current life-long therapy. Research will focus on compounds against viral protein targets and on inhibitors of host cell proteins. Galapagos will use its proprietary target and drug discovery platform to identify novel modes of action and screen for candidate drugs. The Rega and Heidelberg sites will contribute to the development of assays, perform analysis of the mechanism of action of drug candidates, and bring in expertise of the virus and its life cycle to accelerate the progression of drug development.
Others: * On February 11, 2015, Galapagos announced that the Flemish Agency for Innovation through Science and Technology (IWT) has awarded a €1.6 million grant to support the development of new antiviral therapies against hepatitis B, in a collaboration project with Prof. Johan Neyts of the Rega Institute of the University of Leuven and Prof. Stephan Urban of the University Hospital in Heidelberg.
Therapeutic area: Infectious diseases
