NOPERSIST · Novel strategies for the prevention and control of persistent infections

Persistent infections such as HIV, tuberculosis´(TB) in humans and para-tuberculosis (ParaTB)-, mycoplasma- and Haemophilus-infections in farm animals are global health problems of immense social and economic importance . HIV-1 affects about 40 million people and M. tuberculosis infection is even higher world-wide. Co-infection with M. tuberculosis is estimated in about one-third of HIV-1 infected subjects. Globally, there are more than 14 million persons dually infected with TB and HIV. Drug resistance to HIV-treatment and appearance of multiple-drug resistance (MDR) and off late of Extra-Drug Resistance (XDR) strains of M. tuberculosis , the causative agent of human TB is steadily leading to a hopeless situation as far as therapy is concerned. To make things worse, there is no effective vaccine available against the persistent infections addresses in this proposal. The four SME members of this consortium with complimentary areas of research and business activities, LIONEX (in TB), Prionics (in ParaTB) , Vichem (in HIV) and IVD (in pig infections) are dedicated to solving the problems of the persistent infections mentioned above by employing novel strategies of product development for diagnosis, prevention and control of these global diseases by outsourcing demanding but feasible work to internationally known research organisations (RTDP) with highly positive track record. The SMEs alone cannot perform the outsourced work but shall validate and exploit the results provided by the RTDPs. Our novel but realistic objectives are: 1. To develop new drug candidates for drug resistant persistent infections (HIV and TB) 2. To identify and isolate novel antigens for the diagnosis of TB, ParaTB and infections in pigs 3. To identify antigens suitable for vaccine development for these persistent infections 4. To develop marketable, improved diagnostic products within a period of three years