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Army of scientists redeployed in search for COVID-19 treatments

University of Edinburgh

The team at the University of Edinburgh believe new therapies could be discovered before a vaccine becomes available

19 Apr 2020
Diane Li
Assistant Editor

Industry news

Up to 150 researchers at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Inflammation Research are being redeployed to work on a project that aims to test existing and experimental drugs to find a treatment for COVID-19.

The team believe new therapies could be discovered and implemented before a vaccine becomes widely available by repurposing medicines for other conditions that are already in clinical use or are currently being tested.

The new project – STOPCOVID – will focus on the inflammatory pathways that lead directly to lung injury, which is associated with the most severe aspects of COVID-19.

Inflammation is important in fighting infection but in the case of COVID-19 excessive inflammation is causing the lungs to fail, leading to death.

Researchers will test drugs to see if they can block this and other damaging types of inflammation in the early stages of the disease to change the course of infection and prevent the need of a ventilator.

STOPCOVID has secured £2 million funding from LifeArc, a medical research charity, with its Centre for Diagnostics Development based at Edinburgh BioQuarter. Baillie Gifford, an investment firm, has also agreed to provide funding for the project.

The team aims to raise a total of £15 million from the private sector. Discussions are continuing with other potential partners.

The team are collaborating with pharmaceutical companies from across the world and have already identified key drugs and mechanisms that are currently in development or are being used for other diseases.

Experts are working in partnership with researchers from the University of Bath to use fibre-based technology that can deliver drugs into the body and provide real time images of the effects deep in the lungs. The technology could also be used to take samples of lung fluid for analysis.

The project draws upon more than 30 years’ experience from the University’s Centre for Inflammation Research.

STOPCOVID will be based at Edinburgh BioQuarter, which will unite interdisciplinary scientists from the Centre for Inflammation Research, clinical research teams in NHS Lothian and University of Edinburgh, regulatory teams, and clinical trial networks.

Such proximity will allow close and immediate collaboration, researchers say. Drug manufacturing facilities on site will allow for quick testing of potential treatments.

The team will work closely with regulatory experts to fast track any potentially successful work while following due diligence. Any drugs that provide positive early results will be fast tracked into national and international clinical trials.

This approach could have a beneficial impact on millions of people who are affected worldwide, experts say. It could be a significant boost for low and middle income countries where people do not have access to intensive care and ventilation facilities.

Funding for the project will cover trial and clinical costs, data analyses and scaling up testing of drugs that show promise.

Professor Kev Dhaliwal, STOPCOVID lead and Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said: “COVID-19 is the biggest global challenge of a generation. By rapidly testing therapies that stop the inflammatory cascade associated with the most severe aspect of the disease – leading ultimately to respiratory failure – we can urgently discover ways to prevent the need for a ventilator. We must unite together, across sectors, across disciplines, across continents to tackle the devastating effects of this virus as fast as possible.”

Dr Catriona Crombie, Associate Director, Technology Transfer, LifeArc, said: “The work of Professor Dhaliwal and his team aligns to LifeArc’s focus on translational medical research and accelerating the development of promising ideas that address patient need. We are pleased to support STOPCOVID and be part of the collective effort in the rapid and effective testing of any promising medicines that could potentially provide a treatment option for COVID-19 patients at this crucial period.”

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Immunologists use equipment such as flow Cytometers, plate readers, plate washers and fluorescent microscopes.Biopharmaceutical AdvancesBiopharmaceutical advances follow the development of pharmaceuticals derived from biotechnology, also known as biotechnology medicines. Biopharmaceuticals may be produced from cell lines, plants, or microbial cells. Important considerations of biopharmaceutical use include application, cost, production process and purification.Clinical TrialsClinical Trials, an essential part of drug discovery process, assess the safety and effectiveness of a new medication or device in the pharmaceutical industry. Clinical Trials are a phased process (Phase 0, Phase I, Phase II, Phase III and Phase IV) which begins after initial preclinical testing.Clinical ChemistryBiochemistry (or clinical chemistry) involves the analysis of bodily fluids using chemical tests. Techniques used include HPLC, chromatography, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, immunochemical, electrophoresis, turbidometric / spectrophotometric assay, MRI and ISE analysis. Tests are often carried out on plasma or serum but urine (urinalysis) and fecal specimens are also processed.Clinical MicrobiologyMicrobiology is the study of microorganisms including protists, prokaryotes, fungi, and, often, viruses. Microorganisms are a useful research tool as genetic vectors and, in immunology, for antibiotic susceptibility testing, cellular biology and genetics. Microorganisms commonly grow readily in incubators with microbial culture media; this can contain chromogenic supplements to differentiate between cell lines. Estimate your culture’s density of microorganisms with colony counters, or screen and select colonies for desirable clones with automated colony pickers. 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Drug DeliveryDrug Delivery refers to dosage form, route of administration, formulations, technologies, and systems for transporting a pharmaceutical compound in the body as needed to safely achieve its desired therapeutic effect. Drug delivery is often approached via the biopharmaceutical or small molecule drug's formulation, but it may also involve medical devices or drug-device combination products. Considerations include instrumentation, software and services. Drug TestingIt is essential to test the efficacy and toxicity of drugs at every stage of their development to ensure that a pharmaceutical product is fit for purpose and safe for use before reaching the stage of mass production and distribution.Drug DiscoveryDrug discovery is the process of identifying potential new medications, involving stages such as target identification, compound screening, and preclinical development. 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Army of scientists redeployed in search for COVID-19 treatments