Summary
- Profile Type
- Research & Development Request
- POD Reference
- RDRTR20251211001
- Term of Validity
- 11 December 2025 - 11 December 2026
- Company's Country
- Turkey
- Type of partnership
- Research and development cooperation agreement
- Targeted Countries
- Austria
- Sweden
- Estonia
- South Africa
- Italy
- Canada
- Malta
- Slovakia
- France
- Finland
- Czechia
- Hungary
- Netherlands
- Switzerland
- Ireland
- Poland
- Denmark
- Germany
- Latvia
- Portugal
- Belgium
- Norway
- Moldova
- Lithuania
- Israel
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General information
- Short Summary
- Our research group has identified a potent antimicrobial peptide candidate, D-TN6, with broad-spectrum activity and strong efficacy against MDR ESKAPE pathogens. Within the OH-AMR framework, we aim to enhance its stability, extend its half-life, and optimize its therapeutic index. We are seeking a partner with access to WHO-critical MDR clinical strains to support advanced susceptibility testing and final validation and another partner who can work on ‘’in vivo’’ models.
- Full Description
-
Target Call: OH-AMR Joint transnational call 2026
Project Topic: Novel Antimicrobial Peptide Therapeutic against ESKAPE Pathogens
In response to the urgent global challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), our research group has focused on designing and developing bio-inspired antimicrobial peptides. Through extensive screening, we identified a lead candidate, D-TN6, which demonstrates exceptional broad-spectrum activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as significant antifungal efficacy.
Our unpublished data show high potency against roughly 200 multidrug-resistant clinical isolates, particularly the critical ESKAPE pathogens. Within the OHAMR framework, our goal is to further enhance peptide stability in human blood, extend its biological half-life, and optimize its therapeutic index through rational design and modification.
Related articles:
• Kocagoz, T., Temur, B. Z., Unubol, N., Elmas, M. A., Kanlidere, Z., Cilingir, S., Acar, D., Boskan, G., Deveci, S. A., Aybakan, E., Yoner, A. O., Uyar, N. Y., Serteser, M., Sahsuvar, S., Erdemgil, Y., Keles, Z. Z. Y., Demirhan, D., Sakalauskaite, S., Daugelavicius, R., . . . Can, O. (2025). Protease-Resistant, Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Peptides with High Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity. Life, 15(2), 242. https://doi.org/10.3390/life15020242
• Sahsuvar, S., Kocagoz, T., Gok, O., & Can, O. (2023). In vitro efficacy of different PEGylation designs on cathelicidin-like peptide with high antibacterial and antifungal activity. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 11213. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-38449-3 - Advantages and Innovations
-
D-TN6 shows strong advantages based on its broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antifungal activity, confirmed through extensive screening and in vivo studies. Its remarkable protease resistance allows the peptide to maintain full structural integrity and biological activity even after overnight proteinase K treatment, distinguishing it from many peptide-based candidates.
Cytotoxicity assays demonstrate that D-TN6 is non-toxic within therapeutic limits, while in vivo results indicate significant bacterial load reduction and accelerated wound healing. SEM and TEM analyses reveal a membrane-disruptive mechanism of action, which is associated with a low propensity for resistance development. - Technical Specification or Expertise Sought
-
We are seeking two complementary partners from OH-AMR call–eligible countries:
a)Clinical microbiology / AMR reference centre
-Access to a comprehensive biobank of WHO-critical priority, multi-drug resistant (MDR) clinical strains, with a particular focus on ESKAPE pathogens.
-Proven capacity to perform advanced antimicrobial susceptibility testing (phenotypic and, ideally, genomic/molecular characterisation) on diverse clinical isolates.
-Expertise and infrastructure to validate the activity of our peptide library against clinically relevant resistant pathogens and to contribute to a robust, clinically meaningful validation pipeline for novel anti-infective candidates.
b)Preclinical infection biology / pharmacology laboratory
-Infrastructure and expertise to establish and run relevant in vivo animal infection models for MDR ESKAPE pathogens.
-Capability to assess therapeutic efficacy, safety/tolerability and basic pharmacokinetic profiles of optimised peptide candidates in vivo.
-Experience in bridging in vitro and in vivo data and contributing to translational packages that support progression towards first-in-human studies, thereby helping to complete the validation pipeline for novel anti-infective therapeutics. - Stage of Development
- Under development
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Goal 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal
- IPR status
- IPR granted
- IPR notes
- IPR has already been granted.
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
-
While our current university consortium covers peptide synthesis, modification, physicochemical characterization and initial toxicity profiling, along with a partner dedicated to membrane permeability kinetics, we are seeking a strategic partner to complete the validation pipeline.
Specifically, we are looking for a partners who have:
Partner Profile 1:
• Access to a comprehensive biobank of WHO-critical priority Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) clinical strains (specifically ESKAPE pathogens).
• Ability to conduct advanced antimicrobial susceptibility testing on these diverse isolates.
• Capacity to validate the efficacy of the peptide library against clinically relevant resistant pathogens to ensure translational relevance.
• Contribution to completing the validation pipeline to ensure the translational success of the novel therapeutics
Partner Profile 2:
• Infrastructure and expertise to establish in vivo animal infection models.
• Capability to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of optimised peptides in living systems.
• Contribution to the completion of the validation pipeline, bridging the gap between in vitro results and clinical application and ensuring the translational success of novel therapeutics.
OH-AMR CALL-eligible countries:
https://ohamr.eu/calls/call-2026-new-treatments-to-tackle-amr/
Participating countries and funding organisations
There are 37 funding organisations from 28 different countries participating in this call with a total budget of over 31 million Euro.
• Austria, Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF)
• Belgium, Belgium Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS)
• Belgium, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek-Vlaanderen (FWO)
• Belgium, Service Public de Wallonie (SPW)
• Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
• Czech Republic, Ministerstvo Zdravotnictvi Ceske Republiky (MZCR)/ Agentura pro zdravotnicky vyzkum (AZVCR)
• Denmark, Innovationsfonden, Innovation Fund Denmark (IFD)
• Estonia, Sihtasutus Eesti Teadusagentuur (ETAG)
• Finland, Suomen Akatemia (AKA)
• France, Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR)
• Germany, Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR)/ Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt Projektträger (DLR-PT)
• Hungary, Nemzeti Kutatási, Fejlesztési Innovációs Hivatal (NKFIH)
• Ireland, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)
• Ireland, Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland (TÉ-RI)
• Ireland, The Health Research Board (HRB)
• Israel, Ministry Of Health – Chief Scientist Office (CSO-MOH)
• Italy, Fondazione Regionale per la Ricerca Biomedica (FRRB)
• Italy, Ministero della Salute (MOH-IT)
• Latvia, Latvijas Zinatnes Padome (LZP)
• Lithuania, Lietuvos Mokslo Taryba (LMT)
• Malta, Xjenza Malta (XM)
• Moldova, National Agency for Research and Development (NARD)
• Netherlands, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO)
• Norway, The Research Council of Norway (RCN)
• Poland, Narodowe Centrum Nauki (NCN)
• Portugal, Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT)
• Slovakia, Centrum Vedecko Technickych Informacii Slovenskej Republiky (CVTI SR)
• South Africa, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)
• Spain, Instituto Aragones de Ciencias de la Salud (IACS)
• Spain, Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI)
• Spain, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
• Sweden, Vetenskapsrådet, Swedish Research Council (SRC)
• Switzerland, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (SNSF)
• Turkiye, Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK)
• United Kingdom, Medical Research Council – United Kingdom Research and Innovation (MRC – UKRI), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
• United Kingdom, Innovate UK – United Kingdom Research and Innovation (Innovate UK – UKRI) - Type and Size of Partner
- Big company
- SME 11-49
- R&D Institution
- SME 50 - 249
- University
- Type of partnership
- Research and development cooperation agreement
Call details
- Framework program
- Horizon Europe
- Call title and identifier
-
European Partnership on One Health Antimicrobial Resistance
- Submission and evaluation scheme
-
This is a two stage call
- Anticipated project budget
-
31000000
- Coordinator required
-
No
- Deadline for EoI
- Deadline of the call
- Project duration in weeks
-
144
- Web link to the call
- https://ohamr.eu/calls/call-2026-new-treatments-to-tackle-amr/
- Project title and acronym
-
Antimicrobial peptides against MDR ESKAPE pathogens
- Horizon Europe
Dissemination
- Technology keywords
- 06001013 - Medical Technology / Biomedical Engineering
- 06002008 - Microbiology
- 06002001 - Biochemistry / Biophysics
- Market keywords
- 05001005 - Molecular diagnosis
- 05001003 - Differential diagnosis
- Sector Groups Involved
- Health
- Targeted countries
- Austria
- Sweden
- Estonia
- South Africa
- Italy
- Canada
- Malta
- Slovakia
- France
- United Kingdom
- Finland
- Czechia
- Hungary
- Netherlands
- Switzerland
- Ireland
- Poland
- Denmark
- Germany
- Latvia
- Portugal
- Belgium
- Norway
- Moldova
- Lithuania
- Israel