AICURIS ANTI-INFECTIVE CURES AG

Their core work

AiCuris is a German pharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing drugs against infectious diseases, particularly antivirals and antibiotics. Based in Wuppertal, they contribute industry-grade drug discovery expertise to EU-funded research consortia targeting antimicrobial resistance and viral threats. Their H2020 participation shows them operating at the intersection of medicinal chemistry, antiviral compound screening, and accelerated pandemic response — notably joining the CARE consortium for COVID-19 drug repurposing.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

AiCuris entered H2020 in 2017 with a dual focus on antibiotics (Train2Target) and antiviral discovery methods (VIRO-FLOW), both under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie training framework. By 2020, their focus shifted sharply toward pandemic-relevant antiviral work, joining the large-scale CARE consortium for COVID-19 drug repurposing. This evolution reflects a company that pivoted its anti-infective expertise toward urgent public health needs when the pandemic hit.

AiCuris is moving from training-focused participation toward large-scale translational drug development consortia, suggesting readiness for more applied, clinical-stage collaborations.

How they like to work

AiCuris participates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator — consistent with an industry partner contributing specialized drug discovery capabilities to academically led projects. With 58 unique partners across 12 countries from just 3 projects, they operate in large, multinational consortia. This makes them a reliable industry contributor who brings pharma know-how without seeking to lead the research agenda.

Despite only 3 projects, AiCuris has built a broad network of 58 partners across 12 countries, reflecting participation in large EU consortia. Their network spans academic institutions, research hospitals, and other pharma companies across Western and Central Europe.

What sets them apart

AiCuris brings something rare to EU consortia: a dedicated anti-infective pharmaceutical company that bridges the gap between academic research and industrial drug development. Unlike universities or public research institutes, they operate with a commercial drug pipeline mindset, meaning their input is oriented toward compounds that can actually reach patients. For consortium builders, they offer credible industry validation and translational capacity in the antibiotics and antivirals space.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CARE
  Major pan-European COVID-19 response consortium (2020-2025) bringing together researchers to accelerate drug repurposing against SARS-CoV-2 — AiCuris's largest and most visible project.
• Train2Target
  MSCA training network focused on next-generation antibiotics targeting bacterial cell envelope — addresses the critical AMR (antimicrobial resistance) challenge.
• VIRO-FLOW
  Combines pharmaceutical chemistry with advanced continuous flow manufacturing methods — an unusual intersection of process engineering and antiviral drug discovery.