Marine organisms to be developed into medicines

Compounds isolated from marine organisms would be chemically modified to be more suitable for medical purposes.

Researchers in the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Helsinki are co-ordinating an extensive project that aims to find biological activity from organisms in the sea, which would be suitable for use as a basis for pharmaceutical products. Compounds isolated from marine organisms would be chemically modified to be more suitable for medical purposes.

The four-year (2010–2014) MAREX project involves researchers and corporate sector representatives from 13 countries.

Of the project’s total budget of €7.9m, €6m originates from the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme.

MAREX is co-ordinated by Professor Heikki Vuorela in the Faculty of Pharmacy.

The extensive project has good opportunities for interesting active compounds for the development of pharmaceuticals against cancer, microbes or pain, the scientists say.

The project starts off with sampling, with researchers collecting, among other things, micro- and macro-algae, sea anemones, tunicates and