AVITHRAPID at SCA/HPCAsia 2026: HPC-accelerated virtual screening in focus
At SCA/HPCAsia 2026 in Japan, AVITHRAPID was represented through a poster showcasing how high-performance computing infrastructures can enable scalable and user-oriented virtual screening workflows for drug discovery.The poster, presented by Paulo Silva from IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center, illustrates an integrated approach combining: federated access to European HPC resources; workflow orchestration through the LEXIS Platform and an ergonomic interface simplifying large-scale virtual screening execution and monitoring. This work, developed and presented within the AVITHRAPID framework, highlights how advanced digital infrastructures can support computational readiness for antiviral research in a pandemic preparedness context.We also acknowledge the contribution of Paulo Silva, whose work presented in this poster demonstrates how HPC workflow orchestration can effectively support scalable, data-intensive virtual screening pipelines in collaborative European research. Click here to open poster
New deliverable on exploitation of results
Within the scope of AVITHRAPID, the consortium aims to go beyond the traditional dissemination of project results and foster the creation of a precompetitive collaboration area — a shared space where partners and external stakeholders can interact, exchange know-how, and align strategic priorities before entering competitive or proprietary development phases. This initiative stems from a shared understanding: accelerating antiviral innovation requires collective intelligence, data transparency, and interoperability across disciplines. The precompetitive area acts as a bridge between research and exploitation, ensuring that project outcomes evolve into a sustainable ecosystem of shared assets, ready to fuel new collaborations and industrial spin-offs beyond the life of the project. As expected by the Grant Agreement signed with the European Commission and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, a dedicated deliverable was issued by end of last year to address these key objectives and provide partners with thoughtful guidance for leveraging project activities and outcomes
AVITHRAPID introduced at SC25 exhibition
The AVITHRAPID consortium had a great opportunity to present its ambitious objectives and results during the International Conference for High Performance computing, networking, storage, and analysis in St. Louis, US, on November 17th-21st. SC is an unparalleled mix of thousands of scientists, engineers, researchers, educators, programmers, and developers who intermingle to learn, share, and grow. A worldwide event to meet and interact with industry, research organizations, universities, and startups joining together from across the globe. 16,500 attendees and 559 exhibitors met during the 4-days event. IT4Innovations at VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, partner of AVITHRAPID, presented project’s activities, findings and milestones to a passionate scientific audience and showcased a digital presentation to the public. Our partner reported 383 unique attendees of the IT4I booth. Net
AVITHRAPID met evaluators for the interim review
The Avithrapid consortium successfully passed the interim review after an in-depth interview with the evaluators in September. In the consolidated report, the reviewers acknowledged that “the project has achieved most of its objectives and milestones for the period, with relatively minor deviations” and “has delivered significant results in evaluating antiviral compounds, identifying promising candidates against dengue and SARS-CoV-2 viruses”. It is contributing to “the development of peptide–porphyrin conjugates and an innovative AI/ML platform for drug discovery“. As a result, the development of rapid antiviralworkflow “may increase preparedness capabilities for future outbreaks“. In parallel and as added value, the consortium “has carried out outstanding dissemination and outreach activities through various channels, promoting public engagement”. This positive outcome marks an important milestone — validating AVITHRAPID’s approach and motivating all partners to accelerate the next phase of implementation.
European Researchers’ Night at Frascati Scienza
Frascati Scienza celebrated 20 years of science, passion, and curiosity with the 2025 edition of the European Researchers’ Night. The event filled squares, schools, museums, and institutions throughout Italy with a week packed with events dedicated to scientific dissemination: a journey through STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics – culminating on September 26, 2025, with the European Researchers’ Night. The European Researchers’ Night was the opportunity to introduce the AVITHRAPID project to the research community and the general public. It brought its results to researchers closer to the public, attracting over 30.000 visitors to all events, while increasing the interest of young people in science and research careers and showing how researchers’ work affects our daily lives. Francesca Ceccherini Silberstein with her team from University of Rome Tor Vergata distributed and illustrated some dissemination material prepared for this specific event. Poster
AREVIR Meeting in Cologne
The 25th AREVIR Meeting featured a special joint session dedicated to AVITHRAPID projectThis session also included presentations by the lead scientists from different projects, covering preliminary activities, current findings, and future steps to address evolving challenges. EuResist, member of AVITHRAPID consortium, presented the project to an audience of more than 100 people (infectious diseases specialists, virologists, AI researchers), as part of the international meeting that has been held in Cologne for over 15 years. Francesca Incardona’s talk highlighted AVITHRAPID’s rapid-response approach to future pandemics, leveraging high-performance computing and real-world collaboration across disciplines. The session also featured contributions from leading scientists on data-driven surveillance, WGS-based severity prediction, and cross-national health data integration. Program
AVITHRAPID and Area Science Park Join Forces to Drive Antiviral Innovation
AVITHRAPID has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Area Science Park, a leading Italian research hub, to accelerate innovation in antiviral therapeutics and preventive strategies. This agreement marks a significant step forward in strengthening Europe’s ability to anticipate, prevent, and respond to future infectious disease threats. At its core lies a shared ambition: to build a sustainable infrastructure for pandemic preparedness and promote the 100-Day Response Framework—a model designed to identify effective clinical candidates against emerging pathogens within the first 100 days of an outbreak. Building on Three Pillars The 100-Day Response Framework is based on: Rapid pathogen characterization High-throughput screening of compound libraries to explore drug repurposing opportunities Acceleration of translational pipelines to move promising candidates quickly toward the clinic Advanced Platforms and Joint Opportunities Through its PRP@CERIC infrastructure, Area Science Park contributes advanced technological platforms and innovative strategies to the collaboration, strengthening Europe’s capacity to counter viral infections. Beyond scientific cooperation, the MoU also opens the door to: European joint funding initiatives Science communication and public engagement around pandemic response and infectious diseases These efforts aim not only to empower the scientific community, but also to foster a better-informed society and a more resilient healthcare ecosystem. The Market Case for Antivirals While vaccines play a crucial role in public health, they are often not available during the critical early window of a viral outbreak. Antiviral molecules, by contrast, can provide immediate therapeutic options—helping reduce severity, transmission, and pressure on healthcare systems. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of small-molecule antivirals which significantly reduced hospitalizations and deaths. Yet the antiviral market remains underdeveloped compared to vaccines, largely due to fragmented investment, long development cycles, and limited commercial incentives. This gap represents both a risk and an opportunity: Risk, because without a diversified antiviral pipeline, the world remains vulnerable to novel and re-emerging pathogens. Opportunity, because advancing broad-spectrum and repurposed molecules can open a new strategic market for rapid-response therapeutics, complementing vaccines and strengthening global health security. By investing in antiviral discovery and development, AVITHRAPID and its partners are not only driving scientific innovation but also reshaping the preparedness market—where speed, adaptability, and accessibility will define the healthcare responses of tomorrow.
AVITHRAPID in Berlin
On 16 and 17 of June, members of our consortium from across Europe came together for a dedicated two-day general meeting focused on shaping the future of antiviral development. This exclusive meeting was designed to foster strategic dialogue, operational alignment, and scientific exchange among project partners, creating space for deeper collaboration and forward-looking vision. Throughout the event, we monitored and evaluate the current status of the project, examining achievements to date, unresolved challenges, and next steps. This meeting provided also the opportunity to connect more closely with fellow consortium members, strengthen the coherence of our multi-disciplinary efforts, and identify new synergies that can shape the second phase of the project. Communication, dissemination, and the broader societal impact of AVITHRAPID was at the heart of the discussions, ensuring that our scientific progress is aligned with the real-world needs we aim to address.
AVITHRAPID Seminar Series: Advancing European Collaboration on Broad-Spectrum Antivirals
On May 19, 2025, AVITHRAPID held the second event in its official seminar series, strengthening ties with a key Horizon Europe sibling initiative: the NAVIPP Consortium (New Antivirals Against Infections with Pandemic Potential). This encounter reflects a shared vision—to accelerate the discovery and development of broad-spectrum antiviral solutions to better prepare Europe for future epidemic and pandemic threats. Over 35 participants from all around Europe have taken part in the online event. Strengthening Synergies Between Leading EU ConsortiaAVITHRAPID and NAVIP both operate under the same Horizon Europe framework and are united in their mission to boost Europe’s capabilities to detect, test, and advance new antiviral candidates. The seminar created space for each consortium to share updates on scientific progress, showcase technological strengths, and reflect on future possibilities for collaboration. The session featured insightful presentations from both consortia, emphasizing their complementary approaches and scientific strategies. Following these, a dynamic discussion explored shared priorities such as: NAVIPP: A Consortium with Deep Containment ExpertiseThe NAVIPP consortium, coordinated by ERINHA, benefits from an extensive network of high-biosafety laboratories across Europe and includes public research institutions, academic centers, and private sector innovators. Their work focuses on prioritized viral families, including flaviviruses and filoviruses, with promising results already emerging from their high-throughput screening efforts. These are now moving forward into validation using sophisticated in vitro and ex vivo models. AVITHRAPID: Building a Rapid-Response Antiviral PipelineAVITHRAPID, coordinated by Fraunhofer with contributions from 18 partners across eight countries, is assembling an integrated antiviral R&D pipeline. Its research activities span from hit identification and lead optimization to formulation, delivery, and clinical readiness—underpinned by in silico tools such as the Exscalate platform and reinforced by BSL3/4 laboratory capacity. The consortium is currently progressing a diverse portfolio of compounds, including: A Positive Outlook for Future CollaborationThe seminar confirmed a strong alignment between NAVIP and AVITHRAPID—not only in scientific focus but also in commitment to open collaboration. Both consortia expressed interest in: Conclusion: A Shared Commitment to Europe’s Health SecurityBy bringing together complementary strengths, this seminar marked a step forward in building a collaborative, agile, and innovation-driven antiviral research ecosystem in Europe. Through regular dialogue and aligned scientific strategies, projects like AVITHRAPID and NAVIP are showing how Europe can lead the way in preparing for the infectious disease challenges of tomorrow. Stay connected as AVITHRAPID continues to build bridges and deliver results across the European research landscape.
Halicin: A Dual-Action Molecule Against COVID-19 – New Findings from AVITHRAPID
AVITHRAPID scientists uncover how a repurposed antibiotic disrupts the core of the coronavirus replication machinery – opening new doors for broad-spectrum antiviral development. A Strategic Target: The Viral Protease 3CLpro SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19, uses a specific enzyme, the 3C-like protease (3CLpro), to process its polyproteins. After infecting a cell, the virus synthesizes large protein chains that must be cut into smaller, functional pieces. This cutting task is performed by 3CLpro, a molecular scissor that is absolutely essential for viral replication. Without this function, the virus cannot reproduce. This makes 3CLpro one of the most promising targets for antiviral drugs. Medicines like Paxlovid work by inhibiting this enzyme, preventing the virus from completing its replication cycle. What makes 3CLpro even more interesting is that it is highly conserved among coronaviruses, meaning that drugs targeting this enzyme could be effective not only against SARS-CoV-2, but also other existing and future coronaviruses. Halicin: A Drug with Many Lives Halicin is not a traditional antiviral. In fact, it was first studied as a treatment for diabetes but failed in clinical development. Years later, it was rediscovered through artificial intelligence as a powerful antibiotic capable of killing multi-drug-resistant bacteria. Halicin works in a novel way by disrupting how bacteria maintain internal energy balance. Because of this, it bypasses many traditional resistance mechanisms. But halicin’s story didn’t stop there. Its unique chemical structure, particularly its reactivity with cysteine residues, has now attracted the attention of antiviral researchers. Could halicin, originally an AI-discovered antibiotic, also inhibit viral proteins? AVITHRAPID’s Discovery: Dual Binding to 3CLpro In a recent study published in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, AVITHRAPID scientists investigated halicin’s effect on the SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro enzyme. What they found was surprising and highly promising: halicin binds not just to the enzyme’s catalytic site, but also to a second, previously underappreciated site. Mass spectrometry and crystallography showed that halicin covalently attaches to Cys145, the critical residue in the enzyme’s active site. This kind of binding directly blocks the protease’s ability to process viral proteins. But more interestingly, halicin also binds to another cysteine: Cys44. To test how important Cys44 is, the researchers created a mutant version of 3CLpro, replacing Cys44 with alanine. The results were clear. This mutation significantly weakened the enzyme’s stability and reduced its ability to function. Further thermal stability assays confirmed that removing or modifying Cys44 disrupts the structural integrity of the entire protease. This means halicin is working in two ways: it directly inhibits the protease’s cutting function and simultaneously destabilizes the enzyme’s structure. It’s a dual-action mechanism that could make drug resistance more difficult and inhibition more effective. Implications for Future Antiviral Strategies The AVITHRAPID findings suggest that halicin – and potentially other molecules with similar reactivity – could be developed into broad-spectrum antivirals. By targeting multiple sites on a viral enzyme, especially those important for structure and function, drugs can become more robust and less vulnerable to resistance mutations. Importantly, halicin was not designed to be an antiviral. Its discovery as a 3CLpro inhibitor underscores the value of drug repurposing – one of the core goals of the AVITHRAPID initiative. Identifying hidden potential in known compounds can dramatically shorten development timelines in a health emergency. In addition, since 3CLpro is highly conserved across coronaviruses, halicin-like inhibitors may provide protection against future coronavirus outbreaks, making them valuable tools for pandemic preparedness. AVITHRAPID’s Role in Accelerating Antiviral Innovation AVITHRAPID is a European project dedicated to discovering and advancing broad-spectrum antiviral candidates through smart repurposing and high-throughput technologies. The halicin study exemplifies this mission by showing how computational prediction, structural biology, and biochemical testing can come together to reveal new therapeutic strategies. By exploring molecules that affect multiple viral mechanisms simultaneously, AVITHRAPID contributes not just to fighting current diseases, but to building resilience against future viral threats. The identification of Cys44 as a novel vulnerability in the viral protease adds a valuable new piece to the antiviral research puzzle. Conclusion Halicin’s dual targeting of 3CLpro represents a breakthrough in understanding how repurposed drugs can be used to combat viruses in ways not previously imagined. The research by AVITHRAPID scientists not only validates the approach of multi-target inhibition, but also brings attention to new structural weak points in the viral machinery. In a world where speed, scalability, and scientific creativity are crucial for pandemic response, discoveries like this shine a light on how strategic science can lead the way.