The Academy of Finland supports JYU’s strong coronavirus research – bacteriophages or calpain inhibitors may help to find cure for the virus

The Academy of Finland has granted funding for two COVID-19 drug development research projects at the University of Jyväskylä. In total almost €600,000 was granted to Docent Varpu Marjomäki, Professor Perttu Permi and Academy Research Fellow Matti Jalasvuori from the Faculty of Mathematics and Science. In total, the Academy granted €10 million for 24 projects.
Koronavirukseen etsitään hoitoja Jyväskylän yliopiston matemaattis-luonnontieteellisessä tiedekunnassa.
Published
25.6.2020

Docent Varpu Marjomäki and Professor Perttu Permi received funding of 420 000 euros for Calpain-antivirals Consortium. In the project they are creating antivirals against CoV proteases that process the virus polyprotein to virus capsid proteins by using a novel approach, by inhibiting cellular calpain enzymes. Preliminary results show that calpain inhibitors prevent COVID19 infection.

“We have shown that calpain inhibitors knock down both host cell calpains and the enteroviral protease, that both contribute to virus polyprotein processing. We reckon that calpain inhibitors attack both host cell calpain proteases and viral 3C-like protease, closely resembling enterovirus 3C protease, and both process the viral polyprotein. In the project we will find the inhibitor with best efficacy, chemically optimize the inhibitor with new design, synthesis and efficacy against virus infection”, researchers state.

Academy Research Fellow Matti Jalasvuori received funding as part of the COVID-19_Phage Consortium with the University of Helsinki. The Consortium granted funding of 390 000 euros. In the project researchers are isolating and preparing bacteriophages against the most problematic antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens causing secondary infections in severe cases of COVID-19.

“Bacteriophages are viruses that infect and kill bacterial cells. SARS-Cov-2 infection weakens the innate immune defense of lungs, which makes the patient susceptible to sometimes lethal bacterial pneumonia. Hospital acquired bacterial infections are often caused by pathogens that are resistant to antibiotics, which leaves very few treatment options”, Jalasvuori says.

For further information:
Varpu Marjomäki, varpu.s.marjomaki@jyu.fi, +358 40 563 4422
Matti Jalasvuori, matti.jalasvuori@jyu.fi, +358 40 805 3870
Perttu Permi, perttu.permi@jyu.fi, +358 40 805 4288

Communications Specialist Tanja Heikkinen, tanja.s.heikkinen@jyu.fi, +358 50 581 8351
The Faculty of Mathematics
https://www.jyu.fi/science/fi