In the early months of 2020, as COVID-19 swept across the globe and turned daily life upside down, one of the world’s leading scientific institutions was moving quickly to confront the growing crisis. At Scripps Research, an internationally renowned biomedical research institute founded through the philanthropy of Ellen Browning Scripps nearly a century earlier, scientists mobilized in real time—redirecting research programs, assembling cross-disciplinary teams, and applying every tool available to detect, prevent, and treat a disease the world had never seen before.
Among those efforts, a crucial initiative emerged: leveraging Scripps Research’s world-class drug repurposing platform to identify existing drugs that could be used to treat COVID-19. And thanks to a timely and targeted grant from the Scripps Family Impact Fund, that work moved forward with speed and precision—demonstrating how philanthropy can accelerate lifesaving breakthroughs when they are needed most.
A Strategic Focus on Speed
At the center of the initiative was ReFRAME, a vast drug repurposing library developed by Scripps Research’s drug discovery division, Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines. With more than 14,000 compounds already proven safe in humans, the ReFRAME library is one of the most comprehensive collections of its kind in the world. It was designed for exactly this kind of moment: a health emergency where starting from scratch wasn’t an option.
While developing a new therapeutic typically takes over a decade, repurposing an existing drug offers a faster, more cost-effective pathway. Scripps Research scientists had already used this approach successfully to identify new treatments for tuberculosis and cryptosporidiosis, a life-threatening infection in children. As COVID-19 took hold, the team turned their focus to a new target.
Dr. Arnab Chatterjee, vice president of Medicinal Chemistry at Calibr-Skaggs, led the effort. His team began mining the ReFRAME library to identify compounds that could be quickly evaluated for their effectiveness against the virus responsible for COVID-19. The goal: screen the most promising drug candidates, test their potential to prevent infection, and advance the most effective therapies toward clinical development.
The Role of the Scripps Family Impact Fund
At a time when speed was critical, the Scripps Family Impact Fund stepped in with a grant of $478,678 to support this high-priority initiative. The funding provided essential resources—staffing, lab supplies, animal models, drug synthesis, and candidate optimization—enabling Chatterjee’s team to quickly scale up their research.
Within months, the team had screened and tested top candidates for COVID-19 treatment, focusing on therapies that could shorten the duration of illness, reduce the severity of symptoms, and protect high-risk groups like healthcare workers and first responders. The impact of this work extended beyond immediate outcomes. It helped Scripps Research establish a multidisciplinary research platform that combined expertise in virology, chemistry, and structural biology with real-time collaboration from pharmaceutical partners.
Building a Pipeline for the Future
What began as a rapid-response effort to combat an urgent crisis has evolved into a broader platform for pandemic preparedness. The funding from the Scripps Family Impact Fund helped lay the groundwork for a pipeline of direct-acting antivirals that could shape global health responses for years to come.
Among the most promising results was the development of orally bioavailable protease inhibitors—compounds that block a key enzyme the virus needs to replicate. This work led to a preclinical partnership with global biopharmaceutical company AbbVie in March 2022, setting the stage for potential human clinical trials.
In addition to COVID-19, the support from SFIF has enabled continued research into RNA synthesis inhibitors for other viruses with pandemic potential, including the Dengue virus. This expansion underscores a core strength of Scripps Research: its ability to generate knowledge that extends beyond a single disease, building scientific infrastructure that can be deployed across future threats.
A Legacy of Innovation
Founded in 1924, Scripps Research has always been defined by bold ideas and scientific excellence. Consistently ranked among the top five most innovative scientific institutions in the world by Nature Index, the institute is known for its ability to translate foundational discoveries into real-world applications—from new diagnostics to life-changing medicines.
It’s a place where high-risk, high-reward research is not only encouraged but actively pursued. That work is made possible by philanthropic partners who believe in the power of science to change lives.
The Scripps Family Impact Fund has played a meaningful role in advancing that mission. By supporting efforts that might otherwise go unfunded—especially in fast-moving moments like the onset of a pandemic—the Fund helps Scripps Research remain agile, responsive, and ready to meet the world’s biggest challenges.
More Than a Moment
While the COVID-19 emergency has receded, the scientific breakthroughs it inspired continue to shape the future of medicine. Thanks in part to the Scripps Family Impact Fund, the tools developed, the compounds identified, and the partnerships formed during that period have positioned Scripps Research at the forefront of global health innovation.
In the face of unprecedented uncertainty, the Fund’s investment made it possible for scientists to move quickly, think boldly, and deliver tangible progress. It’s a reminder that when philanthropy meets purpose, the impact can be immediate—and enduring.
