GHIT Fund Request for Proposals: Hit-to-Lead Platform (HTLP)
The Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT) Fund Request is requesting proposals for the Hit-to-Lead Platform (HTLP).
The HTLP is designed to leverage medicinal chemistry expertise in Japan and facilitate access to Japanese companies or academic organizations’ relevant and diverse compounds for drugs development to address malaria, tuberculosis, chagas disease, and visceral leishmaniasis.
There is an urgent need to bring forward new drugs for diseases that disproportionately affect the poor. Many compounds are in early- and later-stage development for drugs against malaria, tuberculosis, chagas, and visceral leishmaniasis. However, there is still a need to expand the drug pipeline for these diseases by bringing forward compounds that have not been previously screened or that are known to target mechanisms of action in a novel manner.
Eligibility:
Proposals must meet the following criteria:
Cellular potency consistent with potential to deliver lead series (typically Plasmodium spp. IC50 <1μM, T. cruzi intracellular IC 50 <10 μM, L. donovani intracellular IC 50 <10μM, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis MIC
<10μM)
● Compounds originated/derived from Japan
● Novel hit structures confirmed
● Primary results validated on hit compounds (>90% pure)
● Acceptable in vitro concentration-response curves
● Preliminary SAR with existing analogues
● Progressable chemotypes
● >10-fold selectivity for cytotoxicity using a mammalian cell line (e.g. HepG2)
● Adequate selectivity in counter assay(s)
● No blocking intellectual property (IP)
● No major synthesis or formulation issues anticipated
Read more here
Important dates
- Intent to Apply deadline – February 13, 2024
- Submission deadline – March 13, 2024
