Radiotracers are small radioactive molecules used in medical imaging. Once injected into the body, they can bind to specific targets characteristic of a disease and emit radiation that can be detected by imaging devices. Juliette Liégeois, a doctoral student at the Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory (CBO) at UNamur, is working on these molecules as part of a thesis conducted in collaboration with the company Synlock. “You can compare them to GPS trackers. For example, they make it possible to precisely locate a tumor in the human body and then help the oncologist determine a treatment strategy,” she explains. 

But producing these molecules is a real challenge. Because they are radioactive and unstable, they must be synthesized quickly and under conditions that ensure the safety of the scientists. Their synthesis is therefore carried out using automated machines capable of performing the various steps in sequence without direct human intervention. However, a large portion of the automated systems currently in use still rely on technologies that do not easily accommodate certain newer synthesis methods developed in research laboratories. 

The goal of the SMART project is precisely to bridge this gap by adapting existing methods so they can be integrated into automated systems and to verify their effectiveness under conditions that closely resemble actual production. 

To achieve this, Juliette Liégeois is working on two techniques. Biocatalysis uses enzymes to carry out certain chemical reactions under milder conditions, while photocatalysis uses light to trigger these reactions. These two methods are often used in research but still need to be adapted to the constraints of automated machines. 

The project is also testing the Cheminizer, a technology developed by Synlock. This reactor rotates during the manufacturing process to better mix the various components and more effectively control the reactions. Its operation could, in particular, facilitate the use of light and enzymes.

The SMART project is based on the complementary strengths of UNamur and Synlock. The company contributes its expertise in the design of machinery and reactors, while UNamur’s Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory (CBO) contributes its knowledge of chemical reactions. 

The innovation at the heart of Intercept Bio is based on a proprietary molecule, 9-Ac-SAP, protected by several families of international patents jointly held by the two universities. This molecule, formulated as a nasal spray, is designed to intercept viruses before they can attach to human cells. Specifically, it acts as a molecular “decoy”: instead of attaching to the surface of the body’s cells, the virus first encounters this molecule, which disrupts its adhesion and thus limits its ability to initiate infection.

Professor Stéphane Vincent is a member of the Bio-Organic Chemistry Laboratory (CBO) and the NISM and NARILIS institutes at UNamur.

Professor David Alsteens of the NanoBioPhysics Lab and a member of the Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology at UCLouvain and the WEL Research Institute.

This approach is particularly innovative because it does not target a single virus or a single strain. Preclinical studies conducted at UNamur and UCLouvain have demonstrated antiviral activity against several major respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, influenza viruses, and respiratory syncytial virus. By targeting a very early and common stage of the infection process—namely, the virus’s attachment to the host cell—the technology paves the way for a preventive strategy that complements vaccines, existing antiviral treatments, and conventional protective measures.

The first product developed by Intercept Bio comes in the form of a nasal spray. This method of administration follows a simple logic: to act locally, where many respiratory viruses begin their progression in the body. Easy to use, non-invasive, and designed for preventive use, this spray could be a particularly relevant solution for people at highest risk of complications, especially patients with chronic respiratory conditions. 

“This spray could be an alternative to the vaccine for immunocompromised individuals. It would help prevent respiratory illnesses, the flu, or other infections by applying it before entering confined spaces, such as public transportation. It could also be used by an infected person to limit the risk of transmitting the virus to those around them,” explains David Alsteens of UCLouvain’s WEL Research Institute. 

By reducing the risk of infection or exacerbation of severe respiratory illnesses, a preventive solution like this spray could help limit complications, hospitalizations, and pressure on the healthcare system.

In 2020, as soon as the coronavirus pandemic began, David Alsteens (UCLouvain, WEL Research Institute) used his state-of-the-art atomic force microscopy platform—unique in Belgium for its ability to study interactions between pathogens and cells—to investigate how COVID-19 attaches to our cells. Very quickly, the UCLouvain-WEL Research Institute team discovered the importance of certain sialic acids on the surface of our cells in allowing the virus to attach to them. Sialic acids, which are sugar residues, act like tiny locks to which the virus binds via its surface proteins before entering the host cell. 

In an effort to block this interaction—and thus prevent the virus from infecting cells— David Alsteens turned to Professor Stéphane Vincent of the Bio-Organic Chemistry Laboratory at UNamur, who specializes in organic chemistry, glycosciences, biocatalysis, and mechanistic enzymology. His team designs and synthesizes complex molecules capable of interacting with biological targets, particularly in contexts related to infections. Vincent then produced a molecule flanked by sialic acids—the famous decoy molecule—which saturates the virus and prevents it from binding to its host cells. Subsequent tests on mice proved effective in 80% of cases. Within the Intercept Bio framework, this contribution was instrumental in designing, producing, and optimizing the molecules that form the basis of the technology platform.

Intercept Bio also illustrates the power of inter-university collaboration. The project arose from the complementary nature of two high-level scientific areas of expertise: on the one hand, UNamur’s ability to design and synthesize innovative molecules inspired by glycoscience; and, on the other hand, the expertise of UCLouvain-WEL Research Institute in observing, measuring, and understanding, at the nanoscale, the interactions between viruses, molecules, and cells. This collaboration has made it possible to move from a scientific intuition to a protected technology, validated in preclinical trials and now moving toward industrial development.

The creation of Intercept Bio is part of a commercialization initiative jointly led by UNamur and UCLouvain, with support from the WEL Research Institute, UNamur Venture, and Sopartec—a member of Louvain-Transfer, UCLouvain’s research commercialization organization. These organizations have supported the project’s development, structuring, initial funding, and governance, working alongside the founding researchers and the management team, thereby enabling the transition from basic research to a concrete application for society. Serge Pampfer, a seasoned figure in the Belgian biotech ecosystem, is leading the new organization as CEO.

The research and funding that made the development of this solution possible, as well as the filing of the related patents, were supported by several funding initiatives and programs: the two ERC grants, support from the WEL Research Institute and the Louvain Foundation, obtained by David Alsteens of UCLouvain; as well as the EOS (interuniversity) program, the FNRS, and the Marie Curie ITN network, which funded a Ph.D. position in Stéphane Vincent’s team. The ITN, funded under the FP7 Marie Curie Doctoral Network program, made it possible to establish the initial methodology developed for Ebola, which contributed to the scientific advances that led to this technology. The company’s mission will be to continue the preclinical and clinical development phases, secure the necessary funding for the upcoming regulatory phases, and ultimately prepare for the market launch of innovative solutions designed to prevent viral respiratory infections. Beyond this first product, Intercept Bio aims to gradually develop a portfolio of products based on the same technological platform.

Six researchers have been awarded doctoral fellowships to begin their doctoral dissertations: Rachel LAURON from the Faculty of Sciences; Océane WATELET, Vera NOVAK, Camille LAMBIET, Alionka WÉRENNE, and Théodore HARDY (who received his grant from ULB under a joint supervision arrangement with UNamur) from the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters. 

Researchers from Namur also achieved great success in securing research fellow grants. Seven of them received this postdoctoral funding. They are Eleonor CELORA, Nataliya PUCHENKINA, Jérémy ARTRU and Bernardino PITOCCHELLI from the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters; Romain MERTENS from the Faculty of Law; and David TALUKDER and François WOITRIN from the Faculty of Economics, Management, and Communication at SciencesPo (EMCP). 

In addition, two permanent F.R.S.-FNRS researchers at UNamur have been promoted to Senior Researcher: Francesca CECCHET and Yves CAUDANO, both members of the Department of Physics and the NISM Institute. 

The Télévie call for proposals also enabled Marc HENNEQUART to secure funding to begin research aimed at identifying the metabolic determinants of the response to arginine deprivation in pancreatic and colorectal cancers. 

Congratulations to them!

This project, called Proteomilk, aims to identify and select the best goats in order to optimize the production of proteins of therapeutic interest, which are then extracted from their milk. 

“These proteins, secreted by the mammary gland, are of major interest. In fact, they can be used to produce monoclonal antibodies, which can treat numerous diseases such as certain cancers, autoimmune diseases, or various types of infections,” explains Fabien Delhalle, a member of the Cell Biology Research Unit at UNamur who is leading the Proteomilk project under the supervision of Patsy Renard.   

Given these limitations, we must therefore develop solutions that are more sustainable, more flexible, and more cost-effective. In other words, we need to find a way to produce these drugs differently.  

And this is precisely the goal of the Proteomilk project, conducted in partnership with Bio-Sourcing, a company specializing in the production of biotherapeutics.

The project aims to identify markers associated with high lactation performance through a detailed proteomic analysis of milk. This method uses the goat’s mammary gland as a natural bioreactor, capable of producing therapeutic proteins in the milk that are then purified. This ultimately reduces costs and environmental impact compared to industrial bioreactors.

This project fully demonstrates the value of collaboration between academia and industry. UNamur contributes its scientific expertise, analytical tools, and ability to explore mechanisms in depth. Field partners, such as Bio-Sourcing and the Walloon Center for Agricultural Research, contribute their applied knowledge, their understanding of production realities, and their vision for commercialization. 

Supported by the SPW Research, this partnership demonstrates how research can be transformed into concrete innovation that benefits society.