Scientists of ASU and Emory University have signed a memorandum for joint development of antiviral medications
On 29 September 2016 professor of Emory University (Atlanta, USA) George R. Painter visited Altai State University. In the framework of this event ASU and DRIVE company, which was established by Emory University specially for development and market promotion of new pharmaceuticals, signed a memorandum. DRIVE’s focus area fully corresponds with Altai State University’s priority research directions that lie in the field of biomedicine and pharmacology.
“Our partners from Emory University are ready to join us in performing research tasks related to creation of new antiviral medications, which is extremely relevant in today’s world. Altai State University has been making preparations for this project for a year. We have been discussing the first order objectives, evaluating capabilities of ASU research teams for carrying out this program,” said ASU Vice Rector for Scientific Work Evgeniy S. Popov.
The work on the project will be carried out by the team of the Department of Organic Chemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry under the supervision of Professor Natalia G. Bazarnova and Assistant Professor Dmitry N. Sherbakov on the side of Altai State University and Professor Painter’s scientific team on the American side. George Painter is the famous scientist working on creation of new drugs, including antiviral ones. He is the author of more than 100 academic publication and 45 patents, some of which have become basis for medical products that exist on the market now.
“We are interested in cooperation with Mr. Painter not only as with a theoretician, but as with a practitioner that knows how to test medications and bring them to consumer market,” noted Evgeniy S. Popov. “All intermediate stages, concerning the approval of joint work methods and directions, have already been completed. By signing memorandum we don’t only give start to research work, but also coordinate the scientific part of the Russian-American project program that will include the research related to antiviral medications development.”
“On the first stage we are going to establish a new laboratory – laboratory of organic synthesis – in order to master the technology for nucleoside medical products. Further we are planning to test substances for their efficiency and safety using the laboratories of existing Research and Educational Complex “Living Systems,” explained Vice-Rector for Scientific Work, head of “Living Systems” Research and Educational Complex, Candidate of Medical Sciences Alexander G. Miroshnichenko.
It remains to be added that one of the first medical products to be developed by ASU and Emory University will be a drug against tick-borne encephalitis.