The University of Coimbraās Faculty of Science and Technology (FCTUC) has announced that its researchers are developing several natural products based on algae that are effective in combating the “SARS-CoV-2” virus.
In a statement, FCTUC refers to the “AlgaMar4antivirus” project set up during the Covid pandemic and aiming to develop a natural compound that can be used both to prevent and treat this virus. “We have identified macroalgae from the Portuguese coast – green, red and brown – that have shown promising results, having always favoured cultivation in aquaculture to ensure the sustainability of marine resources and to obtain sufficient biomass for the extraction of bioactive compounds”, project leader, Ana Marta GonƧalves, said in the statement.
