What did the CARE project set out to achieve?
The CARE consortium had three main goals: one, to develop therapeutics for the current COVID-19 pandemic; two, to create therapeutics to address future coronavirus outbreaks; and three, to deepen our understanding of COVID-19’s physiopathology and immune markers to improve treatment outcomes. In essence, CARE aimed to accelerate effective therapies for COVID-19 while preparing for future pandemic threats.
Was CARE successful in achieving those aims?
Overall, CARE made significant progress toward its goals, particularly in drug development. However, some aspects took longer than expected, such as the identification of potential candidate molecules, as well as working with the shifting context of ongoing virus mutation. The clinical studies initially planned couldn’t happen due to these challenges. Still, CARE succeeded in developing novel compounds (small molecules and antibodies) for future pandemic preparedness, with some partners already collaborating to take these further.
Can you give some examples of some of the tools or drug candidates that were investigated as part of CARE?
CARE’s legacy includes a solid inventory of novel drug candidates with different mechanisms of action, addressing different viral targets and with pre-clinical proof of concept that can be brought forward in a future pandemic.
One such example is a lead chemical series which has shown promising pan-coronavirus activity with low mutation and resistance risks. The University of Dundee’s Drug Discovery Unit (DDU) and the Biomedical Research Unit of Novartis have formed a partnership to enable ongoing development of a broad-spectrum antiviral compound for coronavirus pandemic preparedness, beyond CARE.
Another team’s efforts to identify a broadly active and potent patient-derived neutralising monoclonal antibody have been ongoing as the SARS-CoV-2 virus continued to evolve with greater infectivity and resistance to the humoral immune response. This is exemplified by the P4J15 mAb, which has potential as a broad-spectrum anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug for prophylactic protection of at-risk patient populations.
What kind of impact has the project had on the fight against COVID-19?
CARE has played a crucial role in advancing our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 and expanding the available therapeutic tools to address COVID-19. The consortium's work on new drug candidates and research tools and models has been vital, even though clinical studies weren’t possible. Its research has also laid the groundwork for improving preparedness for future pandemics, improving chances that another outbreak will be met more effectively.
How did working with so many partners contribute to CARE’s success?
The public-private partnership model was essential. By bringing together the expertise of academia, pharmaceutical companies, and research institutions, CARE could move faster and share resources, knowledge, and technology in ways that wouldn't have been possible working alone. This collaborative effort helped push forward the development of drug candidates, new tools and models to better fight the virus.
What’s next for the CARE consortium now that it’s coming to an end in 2025?
Although there’s no direct follow-up planned for CARE, its legacy will live on. Some partners are continuing to work on the novel compounds developed through CARE, with new collaborations underway. Additionally, the European Commission has funded a new project called PANVIPREP, which builds on CARE’s work to advance antiviral drug development and pandemic preparedness.
How will the results of CARE be shared with the broader scientific community?
CARE is committed to open science principles. All research data has been made available through open access platforms and peer-reviewed journals. Findings have also been shared at several scientific events, and data, methodologies and tools generated by the consortium are accessible through relevant channels (e.g. the website). This ensures that the work done by CARE can continue to contribute to the global effort to tackle future pandemics.
Further information and reflections on the overarching contribution of CARE towards future pandemic preparedness can be found in the full article here.
The CARE project is supported by the Innovative Medicines Initiative, a partnership between the European Union and the European pharmaceutical industry.