Osteoarthritis is the fastest growing cause of disability worldwide. Still, there is currently no drug available that targets the underlying pathophysiology of osteoarthritis. Clinical trials testing disease-modifying drug candidates consistently fail. This is because osteoarthritis is a complex disease and currently used drug development tools completely disregard patient variability. Consequently, such non-personalised drugs fail to reach high enough response rates in highly variable osteoarthritis patient populations. O-POINTED is the first tool to enable pharma and biotech companies to personalise the osteoarthritis drug development process. O-POINTED is a cellular test system based on personalised and expandable cell lines generated from a cohort of more than 50 osteoarthritis patients. It represents osteoarthritis patient variability including all the main disease phenotypes (bone-, cartilage-, synovium-driven). Compared to conventional test systems, it is easier to use and more relevant, with the unique benefit of representing osteoarthritis patient variability. The combined O-POINTED business model includes a double one-off revenue (product plus consumables) and recurring revenue (milestone-based payments). We estimate that O-POINTED will create €2.9 million revenue and 15 new jobs, 3 years after commercial launch. We have a key customer already testing a minimal viable product of O-POINTED and seek Phase 1 support to evaluate the feasibility of scaling up to a European and Global dimension.

The ISIDORe consortium, made of the capacities of European ESFRI infrastructures and coordinated networks, proposes to assemble the largest and most diverse research and service providing instrument to study infectious diseases in Europe, from structural biology to clinical trials. Giving scientists access to the whole extent of our state of the art facilities, cutting edge services, advanced equipment and expertise, in an integrated way and with a common goal, will enable or accelerate the generation of new knowledge and intervention tools to ultimately help control SARS CoV 2 in particular, and epidemic prone pathogens in general, while avoiding fragmentation and duplication among European initiatives. Such a global and interdisciplinary approach is meant to allow the implementation of user projects that are larger, more ambitious and more impactful than the EU supported transnational activities that the consortium is used to run. Our proposition is ambitious but achievable in a timely fashion due to the relevance and previous experience of the partners that we have gathered and that have complementary fields of expertise, which addresses the need for an interdisciplinary effort. Leveraging all these existing strengths to develop synergies will create an additional value and enhance Europe capacity for controlling emerging or re emerging and epidemic infectious diseases, starting with the COVID 19 pandemic. Such a global and coordinated approach is consistent with the recommendations of the One Health concept and necessary to make significant contributions to solving complex societal problems like epidemics and pandemics.

VetBioNet seeks to complement and strengthen the present European capacity and competence to meet the challenges of (re)emerging infectious diseases by establishing a comprehensive network of pre-eminent European BSL3 infrastructures, international organisations, and industry partners that is dedicated to advance research on epizootic and zoonotic diseases and to promote technological developments. To reach this overall objective VetBioNet will: -Promote and facilitate Transnational Access (TNA) to the infrastructure resources of the network, including BSL3 animal experimental facilities and laboratories, technological platforms, and sample collections. -Promote technological development by involving private partners in the Integrating Activity of the network and by providing a communication platform for bidirectional exchange with industry stakeholders. -Enhance the preparedness of the major European BSL3 research infrastructures to accelerate the respond to (re)emerging epizootic and zoonotic threats by sharing capacities beyond the infrastructures. -Harmonise Best Practices and promote the use of global standards in European BSL3 infrastructures. -Forge cooperative relationships with non-European BSL3 infrastructures, research institutes, industrial partners, international organisations, and policy makers. -Ensure high ethical standards and clarify the social impact of VetBioNet research work. -Develop and implement a Sustainability Plan for the network to continue beyond the five-year term of funding. -Carry out Joint Research Activities (JRAs) designed to improve the scientific and technological standards of the integrated services provided by the network infrastructures. The establishment of this network and the realisation of the proposed work programme will help to advance the efficiency of European research on emerging epizootic and zoonotic diseases, which in turn will lead to the development of adequate and robust prevention and control measures.