Metropolitan Antiviral Drug Accelerator Virology Core
Official title: Metropolitan AntiViral Drug Accelerator (Virology Core)
Funded at Hackensack University Medical Center · NIH-11617048 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A core team across top hospitals and universities is testing antiviral compounds against SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses to identify promising drugs for COVID-19.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hackensack University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hackensack, United States) |
| Project start | May 16, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,175,249 |
| NIH project number | 4U19AI171401-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11617048 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable for this core grant; this is a supporting research infrastructure rather than a patient-entry study.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient participation is not required for this core; benefits accrue through accelerated drug development.
What this research studies
This grant funds a Virology Core that runs cell-based infection tests to see how well antiviral compounds work against coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. The team will measure how drugs perform at different doses and check for any cell toxicity to find safe therapeutic windows. They will use these results to guide which compounds move forward into further mechanistic studies and animal testing, and may search for viral variants that could resist treatment. The work is designed to support a rapid, collaborative drug-discovery pipeline focused on COVID-19 and other pandemic viruses.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this core could accelerate identifying safe, effective antiviral drugs for COVID-19 and related viruses.
How similar studies have gone: Similar virology cores have helped identify drug candidates and informed go/no-go decisions for animal and human studies.
Where this research is happening
-
Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Perlin, David S — Hackensack University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Perlin, David S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Orally accessible antiviral leaders to fight COVID-19 and related coronaviruses
A research effort to fast-track safe, easy-to-take oral drugs that can treat COVID-19 and other coronaviruses by repurposing and optimizing existing antiviral compounds.
-
Broad-spectrum SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibitor for antiviral therapy
Researchers are developing a new small-molecule drug that blocks a key SARS-CoV-2 enzyme, with potential to treat COVID-19 across multiple virus variants.
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Metropolitan AntiViral Drug Accelerator: Animal Models
A large NIH-funded effort uses animal models to test new antiviral compounds against SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses to move promising leads toward early development.
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Metropolis AntiViral Drug Accelerator: Pharmacology Core
A dedicated program to speed up promising antiviral drugs by testing their behavior in the body and choosing the best candidates for further development.
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Metropolitan Antiviral Drug Accelerator
A national program at Hackensack University Medical Center to help develop and optimize small-molecule drugs that may block key SARS-CoV-2 proteins, potentially slowing COVID-19 replication.
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Metropolitan Antiviral Drug Accelerator (MAVDA)
A national effort to speed up the discovery and development of new antiviral medicines to fight diseases like COVID-19, with a focus on making lead compounds that could become effective treatments.
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.