HTS Core supports fast antiviral drug discovery for COVID-19
Official title: HTS Core
Funded at Scripps Research Institute, the · NIH-11542047 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A center-wide effort to quickly screen huge collections of small molecules to find potential COVID-19 medicines.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Scripps Research Institute, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | May 16, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,024,197 |
| NIH project number | 4U19AI171443-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11542047 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with COVID-19 or at risk of exposure who could participate in future antiviral development studies or benefit from eventual approved therapies.
✕Less likely to help
This grant focuses on drug discovery in the lab and does not directly enroll patients; benefits may accrue later if compounds advance to clinical trials.
What this research studies
This grant supports the CAMPP High-Throughput Screening Core at Scripps, which screens over 800,000 small molecules to identify compounds that could act directly against SARS-CoV-2. The work combines target-based and cell-based screening to generate starting points for antiviral drug development. Researchers collaborate with medicinal chemistry teams to validate hits and advance promising candidates toward further testing. The program is designed to help create affordable, rapid-acting treatments that complement vaccines in combating pandemic threats.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from new small-molecule antivirals to treat or prevent COVID-19 infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous antiviral discovery efforts have identified materials that progressed to further development, showing the potential of rapid screening approaches.
Where this research is happening
-
Scripps Research Institute, the
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnson, Kristen a — Scripps Research Institute, the
- Study coordinator: Johnson, Kristen a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.