Action "We'll Defeat Covid-19!"

In the fight against the Corona pandemic, three Erlangen researchers, Prof. Dr. Hans-Martin Jäck, Prof. Dr. Thomas Winkler and Prof. Dr. Klaus Überla, have succeeded in developing a highly effective antibody and thus a promising medication against the Sars-CoV-2 virus using a patented model. In order to be able to finance the production of the antibody and the test studies necessary for approval, the researchers launched the campaign "We Defeat Covid-19" under the umbrella of the non-profit foundation "Research for Life". The aim of the campaign was to generate the necessary financial resources with the help of the Bavarian economy, primarily the DAX corporations and larger medium-sized companies. The Adalbert-Raps-Stiftung also showed commitment to the fight against Covid-19 and supported the campaign with 10,000 euros. Although the loan could not be approved in the end, the campaign was a complete success: with the funds raised, corona antibody research can be further advanced.

We defeat Covid-19: Together against the pandemic

With the goal of finding a medication against the Sars-CoV-2 virus, the three Erlangen researchers Prof. Dr. Hans-Martin Jäck, Prof. Dr. Thomas Winkler and Prof. Dr. Klaus Überla succeeded in developing a highly effective antibody. A loan of 5 million euros from the LfA Förderbank Bayern was to provide the necessary financial means for production as well as the test study required for approval. The prerequisite for approval was a commitment of 20 per cent. In order to be able to provide this security of 1 million euros, the research team founded the campaign "We defeat Covid-19!" under the umbrella of the "Research for Life" foundation and asked Bavarian industry for support. With success: the appeal was followed by a large number of companies throughout the state, each of which supported the campaign with up to 15,000 euros. The Adalbert-Raps-Stiftung also supported the project with 10,000 euros. Thanks to two investors and other donors from the professors' environment, it was finally possible to generate the necessary funds.

Besides bureaucracy, mutants also complicate the research project

Although the Erlangen researchers now succeeded in depositing the required commitment of 1 million euros as collateral, the LfA did not accept this discharge of debt. The loan could not be approved. An application for the tendered subsidy in the fight against the virus of the state parliament amounting to a total of 50 million euros was also rejected. The reason: due to the appearance of mutants, two antibodies were now declared medically necessary, which is why the funding volume doubled from 5 to 10 million euros. The application was rejected after examination by an institute in Jülich, because the examiners were of the opinion that the antibodies purchased from the USA were sufficient. Despite these setbacks, the Erlangen professors are not letting themselves be dissuaded from their project: The funds raised will now be used to further develop production-ready antibodies against Sars-CoV-2.