Innovation pipeline: support from the DARRI and GO

By Marion Le Foll, Responsible Communication Innovation and Shauna Katz, Project Manager Innovation GO-DARRI

Arboviruses, a major risk for epidemic outbreaks 

Mosquito-borne arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya, Zika and West Nile virus infect more than 400 million people each year, and because of climate change they are now also found in European regions. 

Given the high risk of an epidemic over the next few years, and since there are no effective vaccines or treatments for most arboviruses, Carla Saleh from the Viruses and RNA Interference Unit has developed a novel vector control method for arboviruses that tackles the main arbovirus vectors, Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. 

Initial internal funding to support an original methodology 

In 2020, Carla Saleh presented her innovative methodology, based on the use of extrachromosomal circular viral DNA (eccvDNA) to strengthen the antiviral response of mosquitoes, to the Technology Transfer and Industrial Partnership Department (DARRI). Her project was selected in the DARRI/Carnot Emergence call for proposals (see below) as a promising strategy to limit arboviruses. 

The method involves "vaccinating" mosquitoes against arboviruses by using synthetic circular viral DNA carrying viral sequences. It has several advantages: it does not lead to mosquito sterilization or fitness costs and is theoretically applicable to all types of RNA viruses, individually or combined. 

CATRIEM (France 2030) funding to validate proof of concept 

As the preliminary data obtained via the internal funding was particularly promising, the Grant Office, the DARRI and the scientific team worked together to identify a suitable call for proposals to fund the next stages of the project, and it was duly selected for funding. 

The funding body is the Acceleration and Transfer Consortium for Responses to Emerging Infections and Threats (CATRIEM), which was successful in the France 2030 Maturation-Prematuration call for proposals. The aim of the consortium, coordinated by SATT Pulsalys and Inserm Transfert, is to select and co-fund innovative projects aimed at developing therapeutic agents, biomarkers, vaccines, vector control agents, antibodies, etc. to tackle a list of priority pathogens. 

The funding of €120,000 over 18 months will enable the recruitment of a postdoctoral fellow to coordinate the proof of concept testing and optimize the vector control method. This work will be essential to advance the project along the innovation pipeline and attract the interest of industry with a view to future development.