Originally posted by Fingers 25/2.Program Guidelines (Round1)SARS-CoV-2Antiviral and Antiseptic Screening Program
collaboration betweenCSIRO Australian AnimalHealth Laboratory (AAHL), Geelong, Australia
and The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection andImmunology, Melbourne, Australia
1. About the SARS-CoV-2 Antiviral and Antiseptic ScreeningProgram
1.1 Program Purpose
Candidate compounds will be firstly divided into twocategories for assessment: either as an antiviral or antiseptic. An assessmentpanel will assess each application based on Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs)and other program criteria. Applications to the program will be assigned to oneof three prioritised groupings. At this stage, only candidate compoundsassessed in prioritised Grouping 1 will be eligible to move ontolaboratory-based screening studies.
The SARS-CoV-2 Antiviral and Antiseptic Screening Program isbeing undertaken as a collaboration between the CSIRO Australian Animal HealthLaboratory (AAHL) and The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunology(Doherty Institute).
1.2 How to apply
Candidate compounds for the Antiviral and AntisepticScreening Program will be identified through two means:
1. Internally nominated: Identification of candidate compounds by theScreening Program project team (CSIRO and the Doherty Institute), identifiedthrough industry knowledge, field expert and publication review.
2. Externally nominated: candidate compounds that have been presented forconsideration by their representative organisation.
Externally nominated candidate compounds are required tocomplete the SARS-CoV-2 Antiviral and Antiseptic Screening Application Form tobe eligible for assessment.
The applicant is required to select which category bestapplies to their candidate compound: antiviral or antiseptic.
The applicant then completes a self-assessment of the TechnologyReadiness Levels (TRLs) ofthe candidate compound (Appendix 1). TRLs are a method for estimating the maturity of technologies during the acquisition phase of aprogram, thereby enabling consistent, uniform discussions of technicalmaturity. In the case of antiviral or antiseptic compounds, the TRL relates tothe stages of development and testing that the compound has undergone, throughto being formally approved for use.
You need to complete a separate application and TRLassessment for each compound that you are nominating.
When you complete the TRL assessment you need to assess thecompound in the context of the use of the candidate compound as either anantiviral or antiseptic.
Only submissions received on the Application Form templatewill be accepted.
2. Assessment Criteria
A prioritised system for the laboratory testing component ofthe Screening Program will be implemented in order to direct limited virusstocks, laboratory availability and scientific staff time to the most likelycandidates for antiviral or antiseptic activity against SARS-CoV-2. Theassessment process is based on the best information that is available to theproject team at the time.
All external and internal nominations for antiviral andantiseptic screening will be reviewed by a Scientific Selection Panel, chairedby a representative independent to the study team.
Candidate compounds will be competitively assessed (i.eassessed relative to each other) against the following program criteria:
1. The Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) of the compoundcandidate - A TRL assessment is an evaluation of the maturity ofcritical elements of a product’s technologies. Applicant will have completed aself-assessment of TRL level, which will either be validated or adjusted by theScience Selection Panel.
2. Availability of the candidate compound
3. Likely efficacy
4. Practicality and cost-effectiveness.
Assessmentwill classify candidate compounds into three prioritised groupings based ontheir potential and likelihood for success:
1. Grouping 1: highest or strong likelihood of antiviral or antiseptic efficacy –Compounds in this grouping will be eligible for stage 1 laboratory screeningtrials.
2. Grouping 2: moderate likelihood as a successfulantiviral or antiseptic – Compounds in this grouping are shortlisted (inwaiting) if subsequent laboratory trials are scheduled.
Please Note manyfactors influence the scheduling of further laboratory trials such as, researchfindings by other laboratories, performance of Grouping 1 compounds, virusstocks or laboratory/staffing availability. CSIRO and the Doherty Institute canmake no commitment to performing laboratory screening trials on candidatecompounds assigned to this grouping.
3. Grouping 3: low or indeterminate likelihood ofsuccess as an antiviral or antiseptic. Compound eligible for testing via acommercial, “user pays” system at the request of the applicant.
Please note that CSIRO AAHL is unlikely to have the capacityto undertake commercial testing on compounds assigned to Grouping 3 until atleast the latter half of 2020. We apologise for this delay, but at this stageour resources have been committed to other research priorities. CSIRO and theDoherty Institute can make no commitment to performing laboratory screeningtrials on candidate compounds assigned to this grouping
It's not a great leap to believe that Biotron and its library would have been selected in the round 1 group.
Especially as BIT has proven itself with other previous respiratory infections such as SARS.
Additionally, Sharon Lewin (Doherty Institute) has been involved with Biotron and is well aware of the Biotron compounds.
Biotron have already stated publicly that they will be testing their compounds on Covid-19
and lastly - this also ties in with the article previously posted referring to Vasan (CSIRO) and working with Biotron compounds.
IMO I think it would be ignorant to think they are not working with CSIRO!
