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Case Study | April 9, 2025

Accelerating Antiviral Drug Discovery with CDD Vault: A UNC READDI Case Study

READDI at UNC Collaboration in Drug Discovery

Introduction to READDI

The Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative (READDI) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill aims to accelerate the development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs in anticipation of future pandemics. With over 40 labs spanning 23 institutions worldwide, READDI required a data infrastructure that could support large-scale collaboration in drug discovery. This case study explores how the adoption of CDD Vault, a purpose-built informatics platform, revolutionized their research workflows and significantly accelerated drug development timelines.

Findings: A Need for Collaboration in Drug Discovery

Initially, the team used spreadsheets, PowerPoint files, and email to share data—a process that quickly became chaotic and unsustainable. The attempt to build a custom database failed after 18 months due to the challenges of standardizing diverse lab data. Seeking a more scalable, flexible, and secure solution, the team turned to CDD Vault, which provided the structure and searchability needed across interdisciplinary research teams.

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A Centralized “Single Source of Truth” for Global Collaboration

Managing research across 40+ labs worldwide introduced complexity and risk into READDI’s data workflows. By implementing CDD Vault, the team established a centralized hub that ensured data accuracy and accessibility across all collaborators—strengthening their approach to collaboration in drug discovery.

Problem: Inconsistent, decentralized data management caused delays and errors in compound tracking and research decisions.

Solution: CDD Vault centralized all data, ensuring accurate compound registration and easy access for collaborators across continents.

“With CDD Vault’s registration and unique identifiers, we have confidence that data is accurately associated with the correct compounds.”

- Ava Vargason, Project Manager

Data Structuring That Supports Complex Research Cycles

Drug discovery is inherently iterative, requiring constant testing, analysis, and adaptation. CDD Vault enabled READDI researchers to integrate diverse data types while preserving structure and traceability.

READDI researchers often operate in feedback loops: testing compounds, analyzing data, and generating new leads
CDD Vault enabled the structured input of diverse data sets (e.g., virology, enzymology, cell-based assays).
Provided a reliable trail of compound lineage for intellectual property protection and publication.

Slashing Data Management Time by 90%

Prior to CDD Vault, data compilation consumed a large portion of researchers’ weekly schedules. The platform streamlined information retrieval and drastically reduced manual input.

Vargason reduced her time spent on data administration from 20+ hours a week to just a few.
Live search sessions using CDD Vault allowed researchers to filter 14,000 compounds down to the top 8 candidates—in real time.

Example Data Search Efficiency:

Filter by IC50 values under 10 µM.
Cross-compare across multiple assay types.
Visualize top 55 candidates.
Narrow to top 8 with refined criteria.

Powerful and Flexible Search + Visualization Tools

CDD Vault’s robust search and visualization capabilities give scientists quick insights into compound behavior and experimental results. Its chemistry-focused features are tailored to the way researchers think and work.

Search Capabilities:

Registry number and keyword searches
Substructure searches
SMILES input
Parameter-specific filters (e.g., IC50 > 10)

Visualization Tools:

Side-by-side compound comparisons
Built-in dose-response curve plotting
Custom X/Y axes and thresholds
“Thumbprint” views for compound activity profiles

“A visual representation of dose-response curves provides more confidence than numbers alone.”

- Peter J. Brown, Research Project Manager

Inventory Management that Supports Research Integrity

The ability to track compounds from origin to application is crucial for data reliability and compliance. CDD Vault’s Inventory Module offers full visibility into sample status, storage, and usage.

Tracking of compound origin (synthesized vs. purchased)
Batch-specific tracking and activity variation
Real-time location of compounds within labs
Connection of reagents and samples with protocols

“The inventory function is really at the heart of it all.”

- Ava Vargason

Robust IP Protection and Raw Data Traceability

Protecting intellectual property and ensuring data authenticity are fundamental in drug discovery. CDD Vault supports full data lineage and allows for raw data attachment to support reproducibility and audits.

Tracks molecule synthesis dates, testing records, and data lineage.
Supports unstructured data, like raw instrument output and plaque imagery.
Stores raw data alongside processed data for transparency and auditability.

User Experience and Support

Ease of adoption and responsive customer service were key drivers in the platform’s success at READDI. Researchers appreciated CDD’s free trial offering, ongoing feature enhancements, and hands-on technical support.

Free trial enabled confidence in system fit before contract.
Regular feature updates from CDD keep tools current.
Highly responsive customer support helps labs avoid workflow disruptions.

“Customer support is very important for labs that are trying to work as swiftly and efficiently as possible.”

- Robert Smiley, Bioinformatics Analyst

Conclusion

The deployment of CDD Vault within the UNC READDI AViDD Center has drastically improved data management, searchability, and decision-making speed. What once took weeks to organize can now be done in real time, enabling researchers to advance more promising antivirals faster. With powerful visualization tools, comprehensive inventory tracking, and robust IP security, CDD Vault has become a core infrastructure component for collaborative drug discovery at scale.

Recommendations

For large-scale research consortia or institutions managing diverse compound libraries and experimental data, adopting a purpose-built, secure informatics platform like CDD Vault can significantly reduce overhead and accelerate results. Custom databases may seem ideal but are often outpaced by commercial tools that continue to evolve with researcher needs.

References / Bibliography

Collaborative Drug Discovery. (2024). CDD Vault Overview. www.collaborativedrug.com
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Eshelman School of Pharmacy
NIH Antiviral Drug Discovery (AViDD) Center Funding Documentation

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