Development of methods for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infections

The Carlsberg Foundation provides emergency research funding for the development of methods for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The research will provide new, important knowledge about viruses and their properties and equip the world to better cope with future viral epidemics which potentially could be the cause of even more deaths followed by social and economic disaster than what we are witnessing at the moment with the current pandemic. The world is in the middle of a serious emergency health crisis following the spread of Corona virus and a rapidly increasing number of cases of illness and deaths worldwide related to Covid-19. For this reason, the Carlsberg Foundation has brought together a group of leading Danish researchers within proteins, vaccines, and diagnostics from the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, and State Serum Institute, which can limit or even prevent similar future pandemics. Clearly, at least three tools are needed to get the current pandemic under control. One is better and simpler tests to diagnose patients and to be able to assess the spread of infection and thus assessing the development of herd immunity in the population. Second is anti-viral pharmaceuticals for specifically treating Covid-19. The third tool is, of course, a vaccine to prevent disease.