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Public Health

NEWROAD – Open Platform for European Networking and Repurposing of Oncological Assets and Drugs


Despite advances in technology, the productivity of the pharmaceutical industry, particularly the efficacy of cancer drugs, appears to be faltering due to unsustainable long-term costs and timeframes. In response, NEWROAD seeks to streamline this process by developing an EU-wide capability for Systematic Drug Repurposing (SDR), particularly for cancer treatment.

NEWROAD will create an open, collaborative platform to repurpose drugs in oncology. The platform will be accessible via high-performance computers and the cloud, drawing upon data provided by healthcare institutions and pharmaceutical companies.

Objectives
NEWROAD's primary aims are to:

  1. develop novel therapies based on drug repurposing;
  2. facilitate sharing of clinical data among European Union entities;
  3. create an open, collaborative platform for Systematic Drug Repurposing.

Approach
NEWROAD utilises an Augmented Intelligence (AuI)-based platform for collaborative development of therapies via drug repurposing. Additionally, the platform also acts as a protocol for sharing clinical data uploaded by hospitals, universities, and research organisations. This data sharing aspect not only enhances the Artificial Intelligence’s capabilities but also marks the most innovative aspect of the project.

The final component of the platform offers an integrated in silico function that allows users to analyse and repurpose existing drugs or proprietary compounds. This unique protocol evaluates all data related to the disease of interest and available pharmacopoeia, conducting in silico testing on a rationally selected panel of oncological targets.

EU4health - Projects
  • Diagnosis and treatment
  • 27 JULY 2023
Factsheet - NEWROAD
  • 4 JUNE 2024
EU Funding & Tenders Portal - NEWROAD

Results

The NEWROAD project aims to deliver the following key results:

  1. Development of an EU-wide platform for SDR: A primary objective is to create a platform that can effectively and systematically repurpose drugs across the European Union. This platform will be able to identify new therapeutic applications for existing drugs, particularly for cancer treatment.
  2. Reduction in therapy development time and cost: By focusing on repurposing drugs that have already passed toxicity tests, the project aims to significantly reduce the time and cost involved in developing new therapies.
  3. Enhanced data sharing among European entities: The project will facilitate the sharing of clinical data among various entities in the European Union, including hospitals, research organisations, and universities. 
  4. Open and collaborative platform: NEWROAD will develop an open, collaborative platform designed to encourage researcher engagement and collaboration to advance the development of novel therapies.
  5. Creation of a novel investigation protocol: This protocol will allow comprehensive evaluation of data related to the disease of interest and the available clinical data. It will also enable in silico testing on a panel of oncological targets selected by Artificial Intelligence. 
     

Funding

Stakeholders

Coordinators

University of Salerno (UNISA )

Address
Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132 - 84084, Fisciano SA, Italy
Website
https://www.unisa.it/

Contact

Simona Concilio

Name
Simona Concilio
Organisation
University of Salerno
Email
sconcilioatunisa [dot] it
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