CONCO

Venomous animals represent a major source of highly selective and efficient bioactive compounds that have already led to the development of several new drugs. The latest FDA-approved example is Prialt ®, a peptide originating from the venom of a cone snail (Conus magus).

CONCO is an innovative post-genomic project dedicated to the discovery and development of novel biopharmaceuticals generated by the broad biodiversity of cone snails. The project aims at characterising from the genomic up to potential therapeutic properties all putative bioactive compounds that can be synthesised by a cone snail species.

The genome and transcriptome of Conus consors will be exhaustively studied. Large amounts of venom will be fractionated and submitted to proteomic studies to generate a biochemically characterised "natural library" of compounds. Large scale synthesis of each identified candidate will be achieved to form a "synthetic library" of compounds. The biological activity of these two libraries will be investigated on a panel of physiological targets that are recognised of therapeutic value. Selected hits will be optimised and validated in vivo. A publicly accessible web-based database will be developed and annotated to integrate and share all the knowledge generated by the project.

One lead compound XEP-018 has already been identified in the venom of Conus consors and has recently been patented by applicants with in vivo proof-of-concept of its valuable therapeutic properties. During the project XEP-018 will be moved through pre-clinical to phase-I clinical trials for pain control and local anaesthesia.

In CONCO highly competitive European and US researchers join forces to investigate the application of post-genomics using the most advanced methods of functional genomics (venomics) and bioinformatics for the high-throughput screening of new drugs. Our approach will lay the foundations for a new generation of cost-effective biopharmaceuticals for unmet medical needs.

- Picture by J-J. Soin -