Created in BioRender. Diederich, S. (2025) https://BioRender.com/ v76m970 The EU research consortium VIGILANT is developing broad-spectrum drugs targeting viruses with pandemic potential. Coordinated by the German Primate Center – Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, the project is funded by the EU with approximately 7.5 million euros over four years.
The goal of VIGILANT is to develop compounds that are effective against a wide range of viruses and thus contribute to combating future pandemic threats. These compounds are designed to specifically block the transport of viral envelope proteins into the endoplasmic reticulum of infected cells, as well as their subsequent activation by host cell enzymes. The efficacy and safety of the candidate compounds will be tested in cell culture models and animal studies. The VIGILANT concept in scrolly telling format - click here.
Funded by the EU - Horizon Europe Grant no. 101191811.
Announcement
VIGILANT Symposium in Helsinki, 13-14th April, 2027!
The dates for our Symposium have been set. For more information, see Events below.
Work Packages
Work Package 1 - Inhibitors of the Sec61 translocon
The goal is to identify Sec61 inhibitors that effectively prevent infection of cells by emerging viruses. In addition, the project aims to investigate the basis of the virus-specific activity of these inhibitors and whether viruses can develop resistance to them.
Lead Researcher: Prof. Dr. Ville Paavilainen
Work Package 2 - Protease usage, cleavage sites and mechanism
The goal is to elucidate the activation of filovirus glycoproteins by host cell proteases, with a particular focus on proprotein convertases. In addition, the influence of Sec61 channel components on glycoprotein cleavage will be analyzed.
Lead Researcher: Prof. Dr. Stefan Pöhlmann
Work Package 3 - Design, synthesis and optimization of protease inhibitors
The goal is to produce and comprehensively characterize new and existing inhibitors of Furin, SKI-1, and Cathepsin B/L. In addition, recombinant SKI-1 will be crystallized to use the structural information for the targeted optimization of inhibitors.
Lead Researcher: Prof. Dr. Torsten Steinmetzer
Work Package 4 - Preclinical models: Cell line, organoid and rodent models
The goal is to investigate the antiviral efficacy of Sec61 and protease inhibitors in cell lines and to analyze potential resistance development. In addition, the antiviral activity of these inhibitors will be evaluated in organoid and rodent models.
Lead Researcher: Dr. Sandra Diederich
Publications List
- Publication
Lange RW, Boller C, Loresch M, Bloch K, Böttcher-Friebertshäuser E, Brandstetter H, Dahms SO, Steinmetzer T. Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of Dichlorobiphenyl-Derived Inhibitors of the Proprotein Convertase Furin. J Med Chem. 2025 Dec 11;68(23):25157-25170. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c02157. PMID: 41319212
- Publication
Zhang L, Chen N, Eichmann A, Nehlmeier I, Hisner R, Happle C, Behrens GMN, Hoffmann M, Pöhlmann S. The conserved QTQTX motif in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is dispensable for cleavage and lung cell entry of the emerging variant BA.3.2. J Virol 2026 5:e0069126. doi:10.1128/jvi.00691-26 PMID: 42554467
- Publication
Hoffmann M, Shandheep A, Pavlou A et al. Pseudovirus-based analysis of host cell entry and vaccine-induced neutralisation of Bundibugyo virus. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2026; 26, e330-e331. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(26)00407-X
- Publication
Zhang L, Hoffmann M, Pöhlmann S.2026. Lock out: targeting TMPRSS2 to block influenza and coronaviruses. J Virol 2026 100(6):e0080725. doi:10.1128/jvi.00807-25 PMID: 42080553
- Preprint
Decker KE, Werner AD, Hoffmann M, Hofmann-Winkler H, Chen QY, Zhang L, Stomberg P, Gärtner S, Kempf A, Nehlmeier I, Luesch H, Steinmetzer T, Böttcher-Friebertshäuser E, Seidah NG, Pöhlmann S, Winkler M. Proteolytic processing of the Marburg virus glycoprotein depends on Sec61β and is required for cell entry. BioRxIV Preprint server for Biology bioRxiv 2025.06.26.660697; doi: 10.1101/2025.06.26.660697
Public Deliverables
D7.1 - Press release
A press release announcing the project launch has been published.
This can be found under https://www.dpz.eu/en/public-engagement/news/article/neues-eu-forschungsprojekt-entwickelt-breitbandmedikamente-gegen-viren.
D7.3 - Social media
Set up of social media accounts like X (Twitter), BlueSky, LinkedIn.
This accounts have been created and can be found under the links above.
D7.4 - Scrollytelling
Interactive, web-based, laylanguage, multimedia information to public. Click here for VIGILANT scrollytelling.
Events and Messages
Announcement: VIGILANT Symposium in Helsinki, 13-14th April 2027
VIGILANT has set its dates and will be issuing invitations for its second annual meeting and combined symposium in Helsinki from 13-14th April, 2027. We will be partnering with the Finnish Virology Days meeting group, who will be meeting 15-16th April and we highly encourage attendees to visit both events.
We look forward to seeing you in Helsinki!
Announcement: Online Meeting October 2026
Our next internal online meeting will take place on Tuesday, 20th October, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. (CET). We will discuss the current situation of each WP, clarify open questions and plan the next steps. All members are cordially invited to participate and contribute their input.
Announcement: Great Success in Ljubljana
We are pleased to announce the success of our first annual meeting, which took place in April 2026 in Ljubljana. We brought together members of all partner institutes, students, our scientific advisory board and even local journalists for an engaging and productive exchange of knowledge, ideas, and perspectives.
We would like to thank all participants and contributors, especially our SAB, for their active engagement and for making the event a success.
We look forward to seeing everyone in Helsinki in 2027!
Past Messages
Online Meeting August 2026
Our next internal online meeting will take place on Thursday, 27th August, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. (CET). We will discuss the current situation of each WP, clarify open questions and plan the next steps. All members are cordially invited to participate and contribute their input.
In-person Meeting Ljubljana 2026
Our next in-person meeting will take place on Friday, 17th April, 2026. We have a full day of activities planned, including working group discussions, lab presentations and keynote speeches. All project team members, including PIs, doctoral students and lab students, are invited to attend.
Online Meeting February 2026
Our next internal online meeting will take place on Wednesday, 25th February 2026, at 3:00 p.m. (CET). We will discuss the current situation of each WP, clarify open questions and plan the next steps. All members are cordially invited to participate and contribute their input.
Online Meeting December 2025
Our next internal online meeting will take place on Monday, 15th December, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. (CET). We will discuss the current situation of each WP, clarify open questions and plan the next steps. All members are cordially invited to participate and contribute their input.
Online Meeting "October" in November 2025
Our next internal online meeting will take place on Fridaz, 7th November, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. (CET). We will discuss the current situation of each WP, clarify open questions and plan the next steps. All members are cordially invited to participate and contribute their input.
Online Meeting August 2025
Our next internal online meeting will take place on Wednesday, 13th August 2025, at 3:00 p.m. (CET). We will discuss the current situation of each WP, clarify open questions and plan the next steps. All members are cordially invited to participate and contribute their input.
Karin Tilch 
Karin Tilch - (left row): Prof. Gerald McInerney, Prof. Ville Paavilainen, Dr. Nadine Krüger, Prof. Torsten Steinmetzer, Dr. Markus Hoffmann
- (back row): Dr. Julia Holzerland, Prof. Eva Friebertshaeuser, Dr. Natasa Lindic, Dr. Johan van Es, Prof. Dusan Turk
- (right row): Dr. Robert Teepe (partially hidden), Dr. Wolfgang Knecht, Dr. Alexander Whillier, Dr. Björg Pauling (partially hidden), Prof. Stefan Pöhlmann
Kick-Off Meeting
The kick-off meeting on Friday, March 7, 2025, was a great success. Scientific partners from all participating institutions across the EU traveled to Göttingen, joined by a partner from the USA who participated online, for an afternoon of introductions and scientific exchange.
Links
- Virtual conference organised by our partners - Nucleophilic proteases: structure, function, regulation and disease
- Lund University Press Release - [External Link] LP3 Collaborates with New EU Research Project - VIGILANT
- UF scientists join European effort to develop antiviral drugs for future pandemics
- VIGILANT X/Twitter Account
- VIGILANT BlueSky Account
- VIGILANT LinkedIn Account
- VIGILANT Partner Torsten Steinmetzer Lecture: From peptidic to new non-peptidic inhibitors of the proprotein convertase furin as potential broad-spectrum antiviral agents
- University of Lund Press Release - [External Link] New theme aims to create a network of scientists with ability to leverage X-ray and neutron techniques to combat large virus and pandemic outbreaks
- VIGILANT Scrollytelling Page - From outbreak to prevention: A New Way to Fight Viruses
- Marburg University Press Release - [External Link, German] EU-Forschungsprojekt „Vigilant“ entwickelt Breitbandmedikamente gegen Viren
- Ljubljana Press - [External Link, Slovenian] Na strokovnem srečanju tudi o vplivu proteina koronavirusa na črevesne celice
![[Translate to Englisch:] Logo: Funded by the European Union](/fileadmin/_processed_/d/4/csm_EN_FundedbytheEU_RGB_POS_bf26c8c5e2.png)
Funded by the EU: Horizon Europe Grant no. 101191811.