Media

A research team led by Professor Hongzhe Sun, Norman & Cecilia Yip Professor in Bioinorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, and Professor Kwok Yung Yuen, Henry Fok Professor in Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has discovered a novel antiviral strategy for treatment of COVID-19.  

They discover a class of metallodrugs currently used in the treatment of other infectious diseases is showing efficacy to potently suppress SARS-CoV-2 replication and relieve viral-associated symptoms in an animal model.

The findings provide a new and readily available therapeutic option with high clinical potential for infection with SARS-CoV-2. This ground-breaking work has been published online in a top-class scientific journal Nature Microbiology. A related patent has been filed in the US.

Professor Hongzhe Sun and Dr Runming Wang from the Faculty of Science, and Dr Shuofeng Yuan and Dr Jaspar Chan from the Faculty of Medicine will meet the media on October 12 (Monday) to explain the findings of this important study. Details are as follow:

Date: October 12, 2020 (Monday)
Time:
11:00am  Media Sign-in
11:15am  Photo-taking
11:25am  Presentation of Research Highlights
11:40am Q&A
Venue: CYPP3, LG1, Chong Yuet Ming Physics Building, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong
*Due to the pandemic situation, media representatives will be requested to show their press pass, name card and the press invitation at University entrances.

Speakers:
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Professor Hongzhe SUN, Norman & Cecilia Yip Professor in Bioinorganic Chemistry, Chair Professor of Chemistry
Dr Runming WANG, Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry

Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
Dr Shuofeng Yuan, Research Assistant Professor
Dr Jasper F W Chan, Clinical Assistant Professor

For media enquiries, please contact: Ms Casey To, External Relation Officer of HKU Faculty of Science (tel: 3917 4948; email: caseyto@hku.hk or Ms Cindy Chan, Assistant Director of Communications of HKU Faculty of Science (tel: 3917 5286; email: cindycst@hku.hk).