APPEAL Project: Advancing Antiviral Innovation at Goethe University
The consortium of the APPEAL project, comprising 12 partners, gathered on March 21-22, 2024, at Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany, to discuss key aspects of their collaborative work. The two-day meeting was centered on the development of new antiviral treatments aimed at addressing high-priority emerging viruses.
On March 21, the event kicked off with an introduction by Rainer König from Jena University Hospital, followed by insightful presentations from consortium partners and an engaging discussion on the APPEAL technology. The afternoon session delved into project management, financial structures, and EU requirements, with guidance from ConsulTech GmbH. This session provided a comprehensive understanding of the framework in which the project is progressing.
The focus of March 22 was a technical session that reviewed the project’s core objectives and engaged in detailed discussions of work package tasks. These included genome analysis, drug screening, and clinical trials. The primary aim of the APPEAL project is to develop a host-directed antiviral therapy pipeline, employing cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning, advanced cell cultures, and small activating RNA for the development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs.
The meeting successfully laid the foundation for the next steps in the project, paving the way for the development of innovative antiviral treatments.
Leitat, one of the key members of the consortium, highlighted its significant contributions to the project during the meeting. Leitat will be in charge of drug in vivo testing.