History

The SARS epidemic of 2003 shocked the world and demonstrated the potential threat that emerging viruses pose to the social and economic fabric of our planet. It also alerted scientists and policy makers alike that we are woefully unprepared for a major viral pandemic. The weapons in our public health armoury remain similar to those available during the Spanish influenza outbreak of 1918.

In an effort to address this “anti-viral gap”, a group of Canadian scientists involved in the Protein Engineering Network Centre of Excellence (PENCE), came together to see how they could help address this potentially devastating hole in global public health preparedness. ICAV arose out of the desire for scientists to address the lack of effective and available therapies against viral diseases.

The underlying strategy was to create an international network based on the same principles that made Canada’s Network Centres of Excellence (NCEs) such a resounding success. The NCEs are long-distance networks that leverage expertise from across the country in an effort to produce socially and economically relevant innovation. ICAV’s first meeting, in Toronto in 2004, attracted over 100 scientists. An expanded group met again in Paris and in Trent in 2005. In 2006, ICAV held a meeting in Australia and then in 2007 in Abuja, Nigeria.

Over the past four years ICAV’s scientific network has grown to over 200 scientists from 24 countries in over 90 institutions. These scientists, united by a desire to bridge the anti-viral gap through innovation and research, are all leaders in their respective fields.

In 2006, a not-for-profit drug development organization was founded to develop promising candidates arising from the ongoing scientific symposia. ICAV has subsequently put together a management team of pharmaceutical and drug development professionals to manage ICAV’s growing pipeline. A Technical Review Committee of independent industry experts was established to evaluate and design development pathways for promising ICAV drug candidates.

Over the past four years, ICAV has identified 20 lead compounds in different stages of development. ICAV has already started pre-clinical development on four candidates and is optimistic that it will be able to accomplish its goal of bringing one new drug to market every five years.

Viral diseases disproportionately affect poorer countries. It is thus essential that novel therapies be designed with the developing world in mind and be accessible to those who are the most in need. ICAV’s mission is to ensure the availability of ICAV-developed therapies in lower- and middle-income countries.