In the ULISES project, we aim at developing an immunologic-based treatment strategy where cancer cells are “reprogrammed” to become “visible” to the patient’s own immune system, which will see them as “not belonging to the body” and will attack them, emulating the allogenic response to incompatible transplants. Thus, it will constitute a “natural” treatment, as the patient’s own immune system will be used to attack cancer cells, with no drugs, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, transplants, etc., significantly reducing the treatment time to few weeks and producing minimal or almost null side effects. In addition, this “reprogramming” will lead to an “immunological-memory” avoiding future relapses (vaccine-like effect) through TIL (Tumour Infiltrating Lymphocytes) generated around the tumour microenvironment by the immune system. Porous nanoparticles (NPs) will be used as carriers for delivering a plasmid DNA cargo into the tumour cells in order to produce that “reprogramming”. These NPs will specifically recognize the cancer cells through the CD47 protein and the folate receptors beta and alpha, highly expressed on the surface of the cells. Moreover, two messenger RNAs will be used in order to avoid the side effects caused by targeting CD47 protein (mainly anaemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia). Finally, highlight that the ULISES therapeutic strategy will be a “global” treatment, since only with 3 subtypes of NP (one for each chosen alloHLA-A), we will be able to target the entire population for each cancer type. For the implementation and validation of this strategy, we will focus on pancreatic cancer because of its high aggressiveness, lack of effective treatments and little life expectancy, but the developed strategy will also be valid for other cancer varieties with minimal modifications.

Relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remains a leading cause of mortality in childhood cancer. IntReALL 2020 will conduct randomized and historically controlled trials in children with relapsed B-cell precursor (BCP) ALL with the aim to replace toxic chemotherapy with better tolerated and more efficacious immunotherapeutic drugs. In standard risk (SR) patients, the CD22 directed antibody-drug conjugate inotuzumab ozogamicin (InO) will be randomly compared with standard of care (SOC) ALL-R3 induction. All patients will receive one SOC consolidation- and one Blina course, compared to historical controls. SR patients with MRD good response will receive 2 additional Blina courses replacing chemotherapy randomly compared with SOC. Patients with high-risk relapse will receive induction investigating InO versus ALL-R3 in an industry-sponsored trial, followed by IntReALL consolidation and allogeneic HSCT. Patients with isolated extramedullary (IEM) relapse are treated based on ALL-REZ BFM 2002 backbone. IntReALL 2020 will establish a federated relapsed/refractory leukaemia board generating personalized recommendations based on clinical, molecular-genetic and drug response profiling data. Patients with very-high risk disease will receive experimental/personalized therapies, including a trial investigating CD19-directed chimeric receptor antigen (CAR) T-cells produced in academic institutions. Other CAR T-cells trials as well as an induction trial for T-ALL relapse will be developed. Documentation and monitoring of the trials and the individualized treatment will be realized using the MARVIN database. Comprehensive statistical and data management activities will warrant the accuracy and interpretability of the data. IntReALL 2020 involves representatives from participating pharmaceutical companies and EMA as well as patient/parent advocates to discuss strategies for developing new drugs within academic trials warranting a benefit for all patients on the results. “This action is part of the Cancer Mission cluster of projects on ‘Diagnosis and treatment’.”

Public procurers in ProEmpower aim to procure a disease self-management solution to help meet the imminent threat of a diabetes epidemic. ProEmpower will make person-centred care reality - giving the patient the steering wheel - for optimal health outcomes. Very significant synergies will be reaped by supporting all 10 action areas of diabetes management in an integrated ICT solution. Early detection, personal decision support, self management and peer support are to be delivered from a platform with full interoperable and secure access to the necessary devices and health records. ProEmpower will apply the internationally acclaimed Chronic Care Model to specify support needs for type 2 diabetes at all stages. Self-management and treatment will be supported by personalised guidelines and making the best use of clinical data. In this way a quality culture in healthcare will be fostered and learning healthcare systems made reality. Suppliers will be rigorously evaluated after each of the four procurement phases, comprising (I) an open market consultation supported by the European eHealth Competition, (II) specification of architecture and system aligned to requirements of patients, peers and providers, (III) prototype development and testing with end-users and (IV) effectiveness proven in a trial with 200 patients and 40 professionals. Fully rolled out in the four countries, enabled by procurers with the authority and capacity in their countries and regions, ProEmpower will serve 12 million diabetes patients. Reductions in diabetes-related death, amputation, blindness and renal failure promise cost relief of € 53 billion over 7 years in the four countries. Suppliers can expect a turnover of € 5 billion a year. Proven ability to cover the four different health systems promises ProEmpower suppliers easy entry into other EU markets and beyond, a very strong contribution to overcoming fragmentation of demand and fostering the global market.

Maintaining hygiene standards is the most effective way to combat against the infectious diseases, as they can be transmitted through contacting the surfaces that viruses are available. Hand hygiene is therefore particularly crucial to prevent any possible contract transmission of infectious viruses. Maintaining high hygiene standards is also a necessity to protect the health professionals, allied health workers and support staff from contracting any infectious viruses at their work environment (ibid). In this context, it’s extremely important to follow the hygiene guidelines to protect everyone, especially health staff in care facilities. The main goal of the HYGEIA project is to provide updated, reliable and easily-accessible vocational education and training (VET) on personal and environment hygiene at workplace for healthcare workforce in care settings. We will develop an innovative VET package for health professionals (e.g., doctors, nurses), allied health workers (e.g., physiotherapists, occupational therapists) and support staff (e.g., nurse assistants, ward clerks). All professionals working in a hospital, community and residential care settings must comply with and guarantee high standards of hygiene, for the safety of patients, workers and visitors. This is tremendously an urgent need in contemporary healthcare systems and societies, as emerged from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic around the world.The HYGEIA project will produce three specific outputs:- NEEDS ANALYSIS: a questionnaire will be developed and disseminated in all countries of the consortium amongst healthcare workforce (for collecting their learning needs and understanding the best digital training options and preferences) and managers of healthcare facilities (for understanding current organisational policies and collecting good practices). A final report will be produced with (quantitative and qualitative) data analysis.- EDUCATIONAL MANUAL FOR PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENT HYGIENE: the manual will target all health, allied health and administrative workforce employed in different care settings. It will include recommendations for daily working life on how to comply with common and context-specific rules of personal and environment hygiene. Contents will be differentiated according to type of professions (health, allied health, and support personnel).- E-LEARNING MULTIMEDIA COURSE: a mobile application will enable healthcare workers to learn systematically about hygiene, its importance and consequences, how to maintain it together with other people the disease, good practices and tips for addressing most common problems in each care setting (hospital, community and residential care). It will include a serious game for learning by a gamification approach.The HYGEIA project will play a crucial role in improving awareness, attitudes, practices and access to training for all healthcare workers, even those with non-clinical backgrounds who still work in the same environment and experience a huge interaction with other people.