Meet Adam Kovalčík: Teen scientist whose breakthrough could slash the costs of lifesaving drugs for Ebola, COVID-19 and more

A 19-year-old from Slovakia was flying to an international science competition in Ohio, with an idea that he didn't expect to win big, but loved enough to showcase to the world. Adam Kovalčík, a teen from a small village in a European country, not only walked away with the George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award but also a $100,000 top prize for his breakthrough idea that could slash the cost of antiviral drugs.According to a Business Insider report, Kovalčík created a simplified drug production method using corn husks in place of the most costly ingredients. The young prodigy had aimed to make galidesivir cheaper and faster to produce. The drug targets RNA viruses, including Ebola, Zika and COVID-19.He replaced the standard beginning materials with furfuryl alcohol, a compound that is derived from corn waste. Additionally, rather than assembling the molecule in multiple stages, he formed the core sugar in seven reactions, developing a shorter 10-step method from the conventional 15. This cuts the production time from nine to five days and reduces the cost per gram from $75 to just $12.50.While his method would need to go through clinical trials before any wide-scale applications, the Regeneron judges were impressed and described his presentation as airtight."This could be a huge step to help prevent some of these RNA viruses," said Chris RoDee, chemist and chair of the judging committee and retired patent examiner."I cannot describe this feeling," Kovalčík told Business Insider after the live ceremony, adding that he was surprised to win, especially coming from a small Slovakian village.After the competition, he filed a preliminary patent and returned to his university lab to continue refining the synthesis. According to early computer modelling, one new molecule from his work may bind more effectively to viral enzymes than galidesivir.Kovalčík is also working on a side project that turns corn waste into fragrance compounds. His work is a part of a growing movement of scientists who are rethinking food waste to create big breakthroughs from small labs.