CHAPEL HILL — RTI International has awarded its Forethought Research Collaboration Challenge to a team led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The team will be committed to fighting the next pandemic. The team will receive $5 million in seed funding for the production of anti-virus drug. future.

This work has been carried out by the Rapid Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Program, which was co-founded by UNC-Chapel Hill scientist Nat Moorman, who led the winning team. The team represents UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University and RTI.

"From the very beginning, this challenge was aimed at establishing new partnerships between our top research institutions and stimulating investment and growth in the research triangle," said Dr. Christy Shaffer, Chair of the University Research Cooperation Committee. Member of the RTI Board of Directors, and Dr. Peter Lange, Vice Chairman of URCC. "The proposal can achieve these goals and more, including potential global impact, which is why it stands out in the committee."

Forethought, launched earlier this year, seeks bold, far-sighted advice to solve critical social problems, especially in the research triangle.

"The support from the RTI Forethought Challenge will allow READDI to expand existing partnerships and establish new partnerships to leverage Triangle's cutting-edge capabilities to develop the drugs we need to prepare for future pandemics," said Moorman, associate professor of microbiology . UNC-Immunology of Chapel Hill.

"This is an important step in realizing the vision of READDI created by the founders and supported by the Eshelman Institute."

In order to prevent the next pandemic, scientists are looking for broad-spectrum antiviral drugs that can block multiple viruses at the same time. These new drugs can help the healthcare system respond effectively and maintain economic stability.

URCC is composed of RTI's board of directors to oversee the challenge, and last week listened to the introduction of the finalists before selecting the winner.

Dr. Jacqueline M. Olich, Vice President of RTI University Collaboration, said: "I am really happy to see how this group uses RTI seed funding to support a project that may become a transformational project." The quality and quantity remind us why the research triangle has been a model of world-class research for more than 60 years. We sincerely thank all the teams that submitted applications."

The challenge received 136 initial applications, of which 8 teams submitted complete proposals in advance, and 5 finalists delivered speeches to URCC in advance.

Don Hobart, UNC-Chapel Hill’s vice-principal for research, said: “UNC-Chapel Hill led Triangle to participate in this competition, and we have first-class teams participating. “Of the 8 teams selected to submit complete proposals, 5 From UNC. "

In addition to the READDI proposal, the UNC finalists who submitted complete proposals include:

The Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative (READDI) is a non-profit drug development organization composed of the UNC School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Gillings School of Global Public Health, the Eshelman School of Pharmacy, and the Eshelman Institute for Innovation. READDI uses the expertise of global partners to transform the drug discovery process and create antiviral drug solutions for the future.

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