This project will develop an innovative therapeutic approach for the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis (CF). This condition originates from the defective function of the CFTR protein, a chloride and bicarbonate permeable transmembrane channel. This project will evaluate small molecules capable of facilitating the transmembrane transport of anions such as chloride and bicarbonate and will thus enable CF treatment by replacing the missing CFTR anion permeation activity. This represents an unexplored path in the treatment of CF and a paradigm shift with respect to current strategies searching for a cure for CF. Instead of focusing on the development of mutation-specific treatments, we plan to develop a therapy applicable to CF patients, regardless of the type of mutation they harbor. Thus, this therapeutic approach overcomes the limitation of current mutation-specific treatments and is applicable to CF patients in general. To achieve this goal we have set up a comprehensive program to validate a research concept and complete the preclinical development of a new lead compound, making it ready for early clinical development. A rmultidisciplinary team of qualified researchers have been assembled to bring to conclusion a truly translational project from the synthesis of new compounds to validation on animal models. Cystic Fibrosis affects more people than any other rare disease. Therefore, it could be said, at least in quantitative terms, that CF qualifies as the main target of the topic. This project aims to complete the preclinical development of novel, innovative drugs based on a radically new concept in Cystic Fibrosis therapies. This result fully addresses the expected impact set out in the work programme of advancing the development of new therapeutic options for patients living with rare diseases as well as contributing to reach the IRDiRC objective to deliver 200 new therapies for rare diseases by 2020.

High-risk neuroblastoma accounts for 15% of cancer related-deaths in children. Half of the >1500 patients yearly diagnosed with neuroblastoma in the EU have high-risk disease, which will relapse or progress in half these cases after first-line treatment. Relapsed neuroblastoma is aggressive and often therapy-resistant. Monitoring for disease relapse and therapy response is crucial for the survival chance of these patients. The current standard-of-care for monitoring are imaging technologies and bone marrow assessment, which are costly, invasive and a burden for children, who often require anesthesia. These drawbacks limit how often is monitored. More sensitive, less invasive and less toxic monitoring techniques are needed. The mutational spectrum often changes in recurring tumors, which may explain therapy resistance and provide additional druggable targets. Imaging, however, provides no information about molecular characteristics. Liquid biopsy tests are minimally invasive, allow frequent sampling and sensitively detect tumor molecular markers in tumor-derived DNA and messenger RNA circulating in peripheral blood. MONALISA aims to close existing gaps and establish liquid biopsies as standard-of-care to monitor relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma, as a blueprint for other pediatric cancers. Reliable, early assessment of molecular progression or relapse is the main aim of the pragmatic randomized clinical trial proposed in MONALISA. We develop a digital decision support tool to help oncologists use the new monitoring and apply patient-reported outcomes to integrate patient viewpoints and assess the effect of minimally invasive, liquid biopsy diagnostics on quality of life. We will establish whether events can be detected earlier using liquid biopsy monitoring, and whether better overall survival is enabled by earlier diagnosis and treatment interventions. This essential step towards personalized medicine will support reliable disease monitoring under treatment. “This action is part of the Cancer Mission cluster of projects on ‘‘Diagnostics and Treatment (diagnostics).”