ON-TRACT focuses on advancing oligonucleotides (ONs) in medicinal chemistry to tackle urgent challenges in treating lung cancer, Bcell malignancies, and chronic inflammation. ONs are powerful tools for gene-specific therapy, yet their clinical use is hindered by challenges such as limited stability, inefficient delivery, and off-target effects. Since 2000, more than a dozen Nobel Prizes related to oligonucleotides in Chemistry or Medicine/Physiology, such as CRISPR-CAS9, telomers, DNA replication, RNA vaccines or micro-RNAs, highlight their transformative potential, but further innovation is essential to realise their full impact.
Our consortium, consisting of 10 academic research groups, 4 companies, 1 hospital, and 1 non-profit organisation, will address these limitations through an interdisciplinary approach. Key objectives include developing sustainable chemical synthesis methods to reduce environmental impact, advancing delivery technologies such as monoclonal antibodies, dendrimers, and inhalers for targeted and efficient delivery, and employing organoids as ethical, human-relevant alternatives to animal models for testing.
By integrating expertise in chemistry, biology, advanced delivery systems and medicine, the project aims to create a robust framework for oligonucleotide-based therapies. This holistic strategy will not only advance the development of innovative treatments for severe diseases but also set new standards for sustainability and ethical testing in medicinal chemistry. In addition, we will train 13 highly skilled researchers, ready to take on Europe’s challenges in the life sciences sector; our interdisciplinary and intersectoral training programme will give all ON-TRACT researchers the skills needed for a successful career in any sector.
