For Immediate Release 24 October 1995
HKUST AND BAYER JOIN HANDS TO COMBAT MALARIA
The recent agreement between the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Bayer A.G., the giant German chemical company, has signified a positive step forward for the treatment of highly resistant malaria.
Malaria strikes more than 280 million
lives annually. According to the World Heal ii Organisation, over half of the world’s eople and claims more than two million population is at risk.
Dr Richard K. Haynes in HKUST’s Department of Chemistry is a recognised authority on the development of anti-malarial drugs from the Chinese medicinal herb qinghao. He finds Bayer’s enthusiasm in its pharmaceutical fight against malaria especially encouraging.
“It is exciting to have one of the biggest chemical companies in the world participate in our research,” says Dr Haynes. “The collaboration offers hope for the development of new frontline drugs for the treatment of malaria.”
Under the one-year agreement, a post-doctoral researcher, Dr Arndt Voerste from Bayer A.G., arrived at HKUST in September to begin work in the group of Dr Richard Haynes.
The initial focus is on preparing new derivatives of artemisinin, the drug obtained from qinghao b
3I chemically modifyin tk its structure. The team will later prepare synthetic analogues of e drug by using me ods and reactions developed by Dr Haynes and collaborators, which are currently the subject of patent applications.
The collaborative agreement is another accomplishment of HKUST RandD Corporation Ltd., which plays an important role in bringing the two worlds of academia and the pharmaceutical industry together through negotiations. This is also a significant step for HKUST in its bid to further ties with European-based organisations in the process of technology transfer.
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