LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Shipping giant UPS is giving $100,000 to the University of Louisville to fund research into blocking the novel coronavirus from infecting human cells.
The donation will help the university fast-track research development and apply to the Food and Drug Administration to begin treating people infected with COVID-19, U of L said in a news release.
UPS Airlines President Brendan Canavan said the company is "hopeful that this grant will help unlock an effective treatment for the virus."
UPS is Louisville's largest employer and has a long-standing relationship with the university through the Metropolitan College program, U of L said.
"The work being conducted at U of L involves a piece of synthetic DNA known as an 'aptamer' and was originally developed as a cancer treatment by researcher Paula Bates with co-researchers John Trent and Dr. Don Miller," the university said. "... Bates partnered with fellow researcher Kenneth Palmer, director of U of L's Center for Predictive Medicine for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, to apply the technology once again."
The university said the work is "especially promising" because the aptamer already has been tested in clinical trials. In addition, U of L said, "researchers have conducted proof-of-concept experiments showing the aptamer is effective against the virus. Previous clinical trials for cancer patients also show that the treatment is safe for patients."
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