CARDIOMIR · Development of microRNA Medicines for Cardiac Metabolic Diseases; A Targeted European Exchange Programme

An urgent need exists for more specific treatment options to target the metabolic changes and the related inflammatory pathways during HF. Targeting microRNAs (miRNAs)-small RNAs implicated in protein regulation- represents a unique possibility to make novel medicines against HF. In view of the central role of inflammatory pathways in the metabolic syndrome, they expect inflammation miRNAs to be excellent targets to treat HF. Three partners will form a focused and natural industry-academy partnership where essential expertise in clinical and experimental miRNA biology, systems biology and drug development is exchanged. The common goal of the partners is to discover novel miRNAs implicated in the cardiac metabolic disease, to develop medicines targeting these miRNAs, and finally test these innovative miRNA medicines in the metabolic risk induced HF.The project team proposes to support 10 experienced and 1 early stage researchers under the current IAPP Programme. Two of the experience researchers will be recruited for the project. All the researchers will undergo intersectorial movement, either from academia to industry or vice versa.The CardiomiR project aims:•To identify miRNAs that are implicated in adverse cardiac inflammation and metabolic changes resulting in HF, and treat HF using LNA-antimiR therapeutics targeting these miRNAs.•To exchange researchers to be able to productively combine the skills and know-how of antimiR-drug discovery and development, cardiac disease biology as well as systems biology and omics data analysis.•To achieve this, a concerted collaborative effort, exchange and training is proposed here between two academic and one industrial partner University Maastricht (UM, partner 1) , University of Liège (ULG, partner 2) and SANTARIS Pharma (SANTARIS, partner 3)This project consists of 3 RTD work package, a secondment/recruitment workpackage and will concentrate on dissemination (IPR-related) and management.