Expanding the therapeutic landscape of CCR5 blockade and CCL5 engineering

Faculty Development Competitive Research Grant Program 2021-2023

Overall, this project is highly innovative as it comprises the use of potent anti-HIV-1 CCL5 derivatives and their reposition towards a wealth of different pathologies (e.g., IBD, cancer and S. aureus LukED). In parallel, the design and production of sophisticated 3D-based CCL5 mutants will add new players in the CCR5 blockade scenario. The use of CCL5 5p12 5m (and potentiated variants) against CCR5-driven tumors has the potential to show a significant activity, bringing about the possibility to envisage preclinical and clinical studies. Furthermore, this project has the intrinsic potential to generate relevant intellectual property and thus patentability.