Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7)

Following previous editions, FP7 is subdivided in four specific programmes, namely:

• Cooperation (collaboration between academia and industry in key technology areas),
• Ideas (focus on frontier science),
• People (mobility and career development of researchers),
• and Capacities (research and innovation capacities).

A brief summary of the topics for the first and second calls particularly mentioning medicinal chemistry efforts is provided next. Those interested in knowing more about the rest of the calls in the specific programmes mentioned are welcome to visit the FP7 site at http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/.

The specific programme on Cooperation is subdivided in ten different themes. The theme that is perhaps closer to the research areas of interest to both synthetic and computational medicinal chemists is the one labelled as Health (http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/cooperation/health_en.html). The topics within Health that mention specifically some of the medicinal chemistry areas in their description are listed below:

First call, deadline 19 April 2007:

• HEALTH-2007-1.3-1: Novel alternative testing strategies for use in pharmaceutical discovery and development. Alternatives to determine the toxicology profiles of compounds in the late-discovery phase and in the early development phase. The aim is to develop new alternative testing strategies for more effective and faster development of pharmaceuticals that substantially decrease laboratory animal use. The following topics will be considered: reproductive toxicology, CNS toxicity, toxicogenomics, toxicokinetics, physiology based kinetic, high-throughput testing, cocktail effects and modelling.
• HEALTH-2007-1.3-3: Promotion, development, validation, acceptance and implementation of QSARs (quantitative structure-activity relationship) for toxicology. To develop tools to explore the full range of toxicological and phenotypic responses of biological systems to chemicals, in order to create a robust basis for predictive capabilities. The objective will be to deliver platform technologies for applications in heath and other sectors. The work will involve the coordination of and provision of input to activities involving partners at the EU and OECD levels. This action is launched in cooperation which the Environment theme in a joint effort on Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of Animal Testing.
• HEALTH-2007-1.3-5: In silico modelling for ADMET outcomes. The purpose of this topic is to develop and validate, in comparison to existing methodologies, in silico simulation models for pharmaceutical compounds so as to predict ADMET outcomes, including rate and extent of absorption, bioavailability, blood-brain barrier penetration, volume of distribution, renal/hepatic clearance and half-life and toxicity profiling. Physiological based models need to be developed to model new ADMET endpoints.
• HEALTH-2007-2.4.1-1: Translating the knowledge on non-coding RNAs linked to the aetiology of cancer into novel diagnosis and therapy strategies. The successful program should focus on the identification and role of non-coding RNAs in cancerogenesis and on aberrant expression patterns of genes causally involved in the aetiology and/or progression of human cancers. Collaborative efforts should include the development and preclinical validation of new diagnostic and prognostic tools and spur preclinical research into the discovery, design, development and testing of novel anti-cancer compounds based on non-coding RNAs.

Second call, deadline 18 September 2007:

• HEALTH-2007-2.3.1-1: Novel targets for drugs against Gram negative bacteria. The objective is to identify and validate novel drug targets in order to select lead compounds, which may be derived from natural resource or from synthetic compounds, for future development of a new class of anti-infective drugs against Gram negarive bacteria.
• HEALTH-2007-2.4.3-6: Nutritional signals and the development of new diabetes/obesity therapeutic agents. This project will focus on the effects of alternative compounds which improve carbohydrate/lipid metabolism or modify body weight, and could be used in the development of new therapeutics in the treatment of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia.

By Jordi Mestres

For a more detailed list, please see also the time table at http://www.efmc.info/medchemwatch/data/grant_alert_table.doc