Scope: Addressing the accelerated threat of infectious diseases, highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, this call stresses the need for proactive development of vaccines and inhibitors. It targets pathogens with high pandemic potential as identified by the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), focusing on:

· Hendra and Nipah virus, Lassa virus, Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, Rift Valley fever virus, Ebola and Marburg virus, Dengue virus, Yellow Fever virus, Zika virus, West Nile fever virus, and Chikungunya virus.

Research Areas: Proposals should innovate in characterizing host-pathogen interactions to inhibit viral activities and develop therapeutic antibodies and vaccines. Key areas include:

· Identifying and characterizing host cell receptors and viral surface proteins for virus docking and internalisation.

· Understanding the mechanism of viral uptake in host cells.

· Targeting receptor and ligand units for intervention.

Collaboration Opportunity: Inclusion of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) for its Nanobiotechnology laboratory, expertise, and regulatory interface is encouraged. Collaboration with JRC should be established post-approval.

Clinical Studies: Proposals including clinical studies must detail their plans using the provided template in the submission system.

Aim: The call seeks to diversify and accelerate the therapeutic R&D pipeline for viral infections, reinforcing the EU's leadership in therapeutic development and contributing to HERA's efforts.

Eligibility:

· Open to consortia that can address the call's comprehensive goals and collaborate internationally.

This funding opportunity invites ambitious projects that aim to significantly advance the prevention and treatment of viral infections with pandemic potential, ensuring the EU remains at the forefront of global health security and innovation.

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