ULB, CHU Saint-Pierre, Hôpital Erasme, ULiège - FNRS

" The project investigates the immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans. Cohorts of patients and contacts are recruited and followed-up during several months following infection. Using systems serology and systems biology approaches, the quality and dynamics of antibody and cellular responses are analysed to identify correlates of protection against severe disease and to determine the duration of natural immunity to the virus. The project should provide insight in the host response to SARS-CoV-2 and should help define deconfinement strategies and develop prophylactic and therapeutic interventions against COVID-19. "
Funding: COVID 19 - ULB
Contact: Arnaud Marchant: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Stanislas Goriely: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

OSIVAX
" OSIVAX is using its proven vaccination approach in Influenza (OVX836 currently in phase 2a clinical trial) to develop a broadly protective coronavirus vaccine triggering CD8 T-cell responses against the Nucleocapsid. This approach is based on evidence that CD8 T-cell responses against Nucleocapsid are protective in animals and humans. OSIVAX is currently down-selecting Nucleocapsid sequences with the aim to produce first lab-scale batches in the coming weeks. "
Funding: OSIVAX is currently seeking funding from European institutions supporting the development of vaccines against COVID-19.
Contact: Alexandre Le VERT This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ULB
" Developing a platform for systems serology analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Sarra Ait Djebbara and Pascale Deblandre are contributing to this project developped by Prof. Arnaud Marchant (IMI - ULB) "
Funding: FNRS
Contact: Lab of Parasitology - Faculty of Medicine - ULB Erasmus Campus

FARAH - ULiège 
" We are describing the evolution of the respiratory function after infection using whole-body plethysmography in a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Although the tropism of the virus for the upper respiratory tract is well documented, little is known about the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the impairment of the respiratory function and the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in some patients. There is a critical need for the development of noninvasive evaluation tools of the respiratory function over the disease course in order to develop therapeutic strategies aiming at specifically improving this function. Plethysmography is a noninvasive method allowing the quantitative evaluation of the lung volume and function. The selected plethysmographic parameters will allow a noninvasive monitoring of the lung function and lesions in the hamster model, permitting the screening of therapeutic molecules aiming at alleviating the...

Read more: Daniel Desmecht, Professor - Mutien Garigliany, Professor

FARAH - ULiège 
" We recently showed that domestic cats can be spontaneously infected by SARS-CoV-2 and develop transient, yet severe, pneumonia. Similar reports in other countries confirmed the susceptibility of cats, ferrets, lions and tigers to the infection. Dogs can get infected but, apparenlty, subclinically. Beside the importance of these findings for veterinarians and animal health, a series of domestic or wild animal species might constitute a reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 and dramatically complicate the "uncontainment" process. Domestic cats, minks, ferrets, hamsters, dogs, tigers and lions were all shown to be naturally or (for some species) experimentally susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, cats, minks, ferrets and hamsters were shown to be able to efficiently transmit the virus to in-contact animals. Little is known about the actual host range of the virus. It is critically needed to determine which domestic, peri-domestic (especially rodents) and wild animals can...

Read more: Daniel Desmecht, Professor - Mutien Garigliany, Professor

Diagenode SA
" CE marked of Covid assay by RT-QPCR "
Contact: didier. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ULB - FNRS
" During the Covid-19 crisis, I participated in a multidisciplinary research group (biology, medicine, economy) whose objective was to define a deconfinement strategy taking into account public health and economic requirements. We have published several articles for policy makers (VOX-EU), scientists (Nature medicine) and the general public (The Conversation). "
Publication References: Rapidly identifying workers who are immune to COVID-19 and virus-free is a priority for restarting the Economy. Dewatripont, M., Muraille, E., Platteau, J.-P., Goldman, M. VOX-CE, 23 March 2020. https://voxeu.org/article/rapidly-identifying-workers-who-are-immune-covid-19-and-virus-free-priority-restarting-economy Preparing for a responsible lockdown exit strategy. Gilbert, M., Dewatripont, M., Muraille, E., Platteau, J.-P., Goldman, M. Nature Médicine, 2020. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0871-y Covid-19 : comment une stratégie de doubles tests permettrait de sortir du...

Read more: Eric Muraille, Docteur en Science, FNRS Senior Research Associate

UCLouvain/IREC/MBLG
" The objective of this project is to perform SARS CoV-2 infection of cells from Vero E6 line. With a view to -Study the information of the infection on the immune activation pathways and the metabolic pathways within the cells - Perform virus viability assays in different environments and analyze the effectiveness of the hygiene measures taken to prevent transmission of the virus into the environment. - Study the neutralization and the cytopathogenic effect by antibodies from clinical samples "
Funding: own funding
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Professor UCLouvain/Cliniques universitaires St-Luc This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., PhD UCLouvain

ULiège, CHU - FNRS
" We aim to define the clinical characteristics associated with the production and the level of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) in COVID19 recovered patients. In particular, we will investigate whether the development of a strong and persistent humoral immune response takes place in severely affected, individuals with mild symptoms or asymptomatic individuals. We will also study the study the persistence of NAbs overtime. "
Funding: Fonds Léon Frédéricq FNRS
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

UCLouvain
" Thanks to high-throughput sequencing of the strains collected for the diagnosis, we document the viral spread within health care facilities. A better understanding of the virus transmission chains are key to evaluate the efficacy of hygiene measures that were implemented to avoid cross-contamination between patients and health care workers. A secondary objective is the analysis of clinical data related to the patients, in order to search genotypic differences that may possibly explain divergent pathogenic courses. "
Funding: Own funding, submitted calls.
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., PhD Chercheur qualifié at UCLouvain/IREC/MBLG This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Clinical biologist at Cliniques universitaires St-Luc This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Professor UCLouvain/Cliniques universitaires St-Luc

UCLouvain - FNRS
" In collaboration with the University of Rwanda, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines will be measured in the plasma of COVID-19 patients and their level will be correlated with the severity of the disease. "
Funding: ARES-CCD
Publication References: Ndoricyimpaye EL, Tuyishimire J, Vanwambeke S, Mutesa L, Nyandwi E, Rujeni N, Coutelier J-P. L'épidémie de SARS-CoV-2 en Afrique sub-Saharienne, questions, craintes et espoirs. Louvain Médical, submitted.
Contact: Prof. J.-P. Coutelier de Duve Institute Universite Catholique de Louvain SSS/DDUV - ICP Av. Hippocrate 75, bte B1.74.05 1200 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgique tel 32 2 764 7437 fax 32 2 764 7430 e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

UCLouvain - FNRS
" In collaboration with the Central University of Ecuador, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines will be measured in the plasma of COVID-19 patients and immunology pathways markers will be analysed by PCR. These results will be correlated with the severity of the disease. "
Funding: Requested to FNRS
Contact: Prof. J.-P. Coutelier de Duve Institute Universite Catholique de Louvain SSS/DDUV - ICP Av. Hippocrate 75, bte B1.74.05 1200 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert Belgique tel 32 2 764 7437 fax 32 2 764 7430 e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Comment: This project is pending

ULiège
" The first objectives of our approach was to strongly increase the testing capacity for virus by using protocols that are as effective as possible and above all not very dependent on the external sources of consumables and reagents whose supply is threatened. The ULiege testing platform can analyse more than 3000 samples per day and is member on the National testing platform. "
Contact: Prof Fabrice BUREAU Vice-Recteur à la Recherche, Université de Liège Place du 20-Août, 7 B-4000, Liège Belgique Tél: +32 4 366 32 14 Prof Laurent GILLET Université de Liège Quartier Vallée, 2 Avenue de Cureghem, 10 B-4000, Liège Belgique Tél: +32 4 366 42 86

CUB-Erasme
" "Background: There are no currently approved therapeutics for COVID-19 disease. This disease causes significant morbidity and mortality. Main Objectives: The overall objective of the study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of different investigational therapeutics relative to the control arm in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 patients. The primary endpoint is subject clinical status (on a 7-point ordinal scale) on Day 15. The secondary objectives are to evaluate clinical, and virological efficacy, and safety of different investigational therapeutics as compared to the control arm. Study design: This is a prospective, worldwide, adaptive, randomized, controlled, open study comparing 4 different treatments for COVID-19. The protocol is based on the WHO Master protocol of the Solidarity trial. The DisCoVeRy protocol previews more data collection and lower dosage regimens of Hydroxychloroquine than in the SOLIDARITY trial. Randomization is performed by...

Read more: Maya Hites, Associate Professor

CUB-Erasme
" "a. Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory tract infection caused by a new coronavirus SARS CoV-2, responsible for the current pandemic, causing a lot of morbidity and mortality. Most people with COVID-19 develop mild respiratory illness (stage I). However, in a sub-group of patients (+/- 15%) there are increasing respiratory symptoms and persistent fever (stage II). Patients may develop acute lung injury (hypoxia, and bilateral opacities on chest computed tomography (CT-scan)), requiring hospitalisation. A further 5% of patients develop stage III disease, requiring admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) due to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis and septic shock, and multi-organ failure. As patients progress from stage I to stage III, there are increasing signs of systemic hyper-inflammatory response, reflected by high levels of cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, and lymphopenia. Different viral, bacterial, and...

Read more: Maya Hites, Associate Professor