At the beginning of the pandemic, patients expected about 24 hours for the coronavirus test results, today this time has been reduced to 12 hours. We believe that thanks to the funding from the National Center for Research and Development, it will be possible to develop solutions that will introduce an ultra-sensitive and ultra-fast test, the results of which can be known almost immediately – explains Dr. Wojciech Kamieniecki, director of the National Center for Research and Development. The unit has just launched a pool of PLN 100 million for homonymous hospitals fighting the pandemic.
- The National Center for Research and Development has just launched an initiative under which unnamed hospitals can apply for financial support to fight the coronavirus pandemic
- The budget of the entire project is PLN 100 million
- By the end of May this year. One-name hospitals may apply for non-returnable support, also in cooperation with other identical hospitals or research units
Karolina Świdrak, MedTvoiLokony: How much – in the language of fighting coronavirus – is the amount of PLN 100 million? Is it a lot or a little compared to other organizations and projects fighting the pandemic? What can realistically change thanks to this amount?
Dr inż. Wojciech Kamieniecki: We all agree that the network of homogeneous hospitals established to fight the COVID-19 disease should have priority access to personnel, equipment, but also resources for research and development work that may contribute to the effective treatment of the infected and inhibition of the epidemic. That is why NCBR launched a new support initiative for this type of institutions a few days ago.
The budget of the entire project is PLN 100 million, but we do not rule out increasing this amount. It is money from the national budget – from the earmarked subsidy at the disposal of NCBR, which is an executive agency of the Minister of Science and Higher Education. The amount of co-financing for the implementation of works in the project covers 100%. eligible costs, i.e. the applicant does not have to show any own contribution. Today, there are 21 such facilities in Poland, assuming the scenario that all of them will express interest in participating in the program, we receive an amount of nearly PLN 5 million for a hospital – we know from experience that this amount can significantly help in the implementation of an innovative project.
- Also read: “Vaccine development continues as fast as COVID-19 spreads”
It is also worth emphasizing that this is not the only NCBR initiative in the fight against coronavirus. In early April, we announced the Fast Track – Coronaviruses competition. There, enterprises and consortia can count on support, also with the participation of scientific units that intend to conduct research in any of the three areas: diagnostics, treatment or prevention of viral diseases. The competition budget is PLN 200 million from the Intelligent Development Operational Program, i.e. from European Funds.
If I add to this the fact that the projects to counteract or eliminate the effects of COVID are already being carried out by NCBR Beneficiaries benefiting from the Fast Track competition, in which only this year we have to allocate PLN 1,2 billion, the total amounts become substantial. We all hope that they will turn into specific technologies, solutions or products as soon as possible.
What exactly is the program for hospitals?
The program is not in the form of a traditional competition, but non-competitive funding, granted on the most simplified terms. This is possible thanks to the entry into force of the solutions adopted in the so-called the second anti-crisis shield, allowing us, inter alia, to to respond quickly in the event of an epidemic threat and epidemic. By the end of May this year. Non-returnable support may be applied for by single-name hospitals that conduct research or development work aimed at implementing methods of preventing the spread of infection or combating SARS-CoV-2 infection and treating COVID-19 disease. So we are waiting for their ideas.
Who is it addressed to, who can apply for funding?
Medical entities transformed by the decision of the Minister of Health into infectious hospitals dedicated exclusively to the care of patients infected and suspected of being infected with coronavirus, i.e. the so-called single-name hospitals. Such facilities may also appear in a consortium with another hospital or research unit, and the consortium may consist of no more than two entities. Part of the substantive work may be entrusted to a subcontractor. We believe that in this way we will be able to additionally stimulate the Polish economy affected by the crisis.
What projects and initiatives are likely to be funded in this handout?
We are looking for opportunities to fight the coronavirus on various fronts – the new NCBR initiative is just another one. We expect that the project will enable, inter alia, development of processes for the preparation and approval of observational studies and clinical trials, the creation of appropriate IT tools for the collection of epidemiological and therapeutic data, the development of new technologies for the reduction of the spread of the virus, as well as the development of drug and non-drug therapies.
For example: it is the same-name hospitals that are the place where tests for the presence of coronavirus are carried out. At the beginning of the pandemic, patients waited about 24 hours for the results, today this time has been reduced to 12 hours. We believe that thanks to funding from the National Center for Research and Development, it will be possible to develop solutions that will introduce an ultra-sensitive and ultra-fast test, the results of which will be available almost immediately.
Why was the funding provided for single-name hospitals? What type of support do these facilities require now?
The new initiative of the National Center for Research and Development is a direct response to the needs of homonymous hospitals. On the one hand, we have – known to all of us, incl. media reports – problems related to the safety of medical and non-medical personnel and patients. On the other hand, it is infectious diseases hospitals, standing on the front lines, that have the greatest potential to conduct research on the coronavirus and develop effective methods of combating it.
What’s interesting – in a broader context, not only from the perspective of this program – is now happening in Polish science in the area of combating the coronavirus. What – as Poles – can we be proud of?
Let us return for a moment to the topic of coronavirus diagnosis.
One of the NCBR beneficiaries – the Wrocław-based company SensDX has developed a test to detect influenza pathogens: Flu SensDx can be performed independently at home, it detects influenza viruses even at a very early stage of infection in a patient in a few minutes.
Today, entrepreneurs, together with scientists from the Jagiellonian University and the Institute of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, work to use a similar technology in extracting SARS-CoV-2. I admit that we are waiting with bated breath for the next news in this project, because the work is progressing at an express pace and bringing great results.
Another area is treatment: we are in constant contact with NCBR beneficiaries operating in the field of biotechnology and pharmacy, we know that some Polish pharmaceutical companies conduct research on their own on the development of new and the use of existing drugs in the treatment of coronavirus. Celon Pharma is working on an innovative drug that would have therapeutic potential in inhibiting the development of SARS-Cov-2 and other coronaviruses. In this area, the company cooperates with the Łukasiewicz Research Network.
We also have Polish successes in preventing the spread of the pandemic. As we know, one of the key aspects here is to keep distance and use personal protection.
The beneficiary of the NCBR, the MEXEO Technological Institute has launched a disinfecting preparation based on the properties of chlorine dioxide. Thanks to the unique electronic properties of chlorine dioxide particles, the preparation destroys the elements of the protein structure of the virus envelope not only on contaminated surfaces, but also in the air, and is harmless to humans. This solution can be used in ventilation systems, e.g. in large commercial facilities or office buildings.
These are just some of the projects currently being carried out with the support of the National Center for Research and Development. I believe that the new competitions we announce will allow this list of Polish contributions to fight the pandemic to be significantly extended.
Read also:
- This method allows you to study 100. samples per day. Will it be in Poland?
- How many tests are done in Europe? Poland in one of the last places
- Does mass testing make sense? The example of Iceland proves that it is
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