Chapter 60 Reactions from all parties involved in the Starlight Project!
As early as 2014, the country launched the first "Starlight Plan".
The original plan was to develop a drug that can completely cure hepatitis B virus by 2020 and completely eliminate hepatitis B!
But the reality is cruel. Due to deficiencies in various aspects, the first Starlight Project failed in 2019!
This is the country’s restart of the Starlight Project after four years.
The official document was quickly distributed to major domestic pharmaceutical companies, immediately triggering a heated discussion in the industry.
“The state also bears 70% of the 2 billion R&D funds and clinical trial costs, and 600 hospitals across the country have opened clinical trial sites... Hey, the policy is so good?!”
“Yes. , and this, once the research and development is successful, the country will lead the procurement The merger is directly connected to the major tertiary hospitals in the country... This is to enter all the tertiary hospitals in the country!"
"This policy is simply the state paving the way..."
As soon as the news came out! , domestic pharmaceutical companies with some R&D capabilities are all ready to make a move!
Is it difficult to develop a drug to cure hepatitis B?
Difficult!
Very difficult!
The most troublesome thing about hepatitis B virus is its replication mechanism.
It can replicate indefinitely in the human body. As the number of viruses in the body increases, the damage to the liver will increase!
This is also the reason why if hepatitis B is not controlled, it will easily lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer over a long period of time.
The second difficulty is also the main reason why it is difficult to completely eliminate:
It is that after the hepatitis B virus enters the human body, its genome will be transported into the nucleus of liver cells, thereby forming a stable covalent closure Circular DNA.
To put it simply, hepatitis B virus "parasitizes" in normal liver cells.
Such a state will make it difficult for drugs to identify infected liver cells, let alone break through the nucleus and kill the hepatitis B virus inside!
However, although the mechanism is complex, the virus is also relatively stubborn.
But after so many years of research on hepatitis B virus, domestic and foreign pharmaceutical companies still have a very good understanding of its virus pathology and replication mechanism.
On this basis, drugs that can inhibit hepatitis B virus replication have been developed in recent years!
For example: tenofovir alafenamide.
Although tenofovir alafenamide cannot completely eliminate hepatitis B virus, it can inhibit the unlimited replication of hepatitis B virus.
In other words, as long as you keep taking medicine, you can control the number of hepatitis B virus at a low level, avoid worsening of the condition, and your liver can also get great relief.
The next step, which is also the most important research direction at present, is to break through the liver cell nucleus and completely kill the hepatitis B virus hidden inside!
At present, the medical community already has siRNAs (interfering with and destroying viral RNA),
Interference inhibitors (interfering with HBV entering liver cells),
Capsid inhibitors (interfering with viruses DNA protein formation),
Research on several methods such as therapeutic vaccines (activating the human immune system). In short, it is difficult to completely eliminate the hepatitis B virus, but there is hope now!
This time the country takes action, it has undoubtedly ignited the enthusiasm of the pharmaceutical industry to conquer hepatitis B!
Suzhou, Hengrui Pharmaceutical Headquarters.
As one of the top innovative drug research and development companies in the country, Hengrui has also received an invitation letter from the country for the "Starlight Project".
In the office, General Manager Su Lin looked at the invitation letter in his hand with a smile on his face. After a full minute, he slowly put it on his desk and said with emotion:
"Wenping, I really didn't expect that the country would suddenly restart the 'Starlight Project', and the policy and funding tilt would be so large this time!"
Su Wenping also showed a smile.
Hengrui Pharmaceuticals is one of the top innovative drug companies in China. Although its main research and development direction is targeted tumor drugs, the company has also been conducting research and development projects on hepatitis B drugs, which have just reached the first clinical phase.
“That’s right, Mr. Su!”
“It can be seen that the country is very determined this time. It just so happens that I also have a hepatitis B drug that has just reached the first clinical stage, so I can take it. The benefits of this wave of policies! ”
"I think we have no reason to refuse to participate!" "You are right."
The smile on Su Lin's face grew wider:
"God help me!" "
"In this case, Wen Ping, you immediately convene a meeting with the management to pool all the company's top R&D resources and invest them in hepatitis B! "
"This is a rare opportunity. We must seize the opportunity to make progress in hepatitis B!"
"Good!"
......
Domestic companies such as Hengrui Medicine Top pharmaceutical companies are all excited about the "Starlight Project", and other pharmaceutical companies that are already developing hepatitis B drugs are even more excited.
On the second day after the "Starlight Plan" was released, several domestic pharmaceutical companies applied to participate in the "Starlight Plan".
Not only domestic pharmaceutical companies,
this time the organizers of the "Starlight Project" also invited some top foreign innovative drug research and development companies to participate.
For example, the American biopharmaceutical company Gilead has developed a drug that can completely cure hepatitis C.
New York, Gilead R&D Building.
In the spacious and bright office, President Daniel was flipping through an original English version of the "Starlight Project" invitation letter. Sitting next to him was the young Vice President John.
"John, the policy provided by the Chinese government is really good."
"Two billion is equivalent to 300 million U.S. dollars, which is already a lot of money in the research and development of hepatitis B drugs."
John had already read the invitation letter and nodded:
“It’s not just the R&D bonus of 2 billion yuan, they specifically reminded "I, if we can develop a drug to cure hepatitis B, their national medical insurance will directly purchase it from us at a high price."
"To be honest, I am excited. China has the largest number of hepatitis B patients in the world. Even if it only costs US$500 to cure a patient, we can earn at least US$30 billion!”
Daniel was not as excited as John, and shrugged:
"The premise is that we can really develop it. You know, there are many treatment options in the medical field, but no one knows which one is the most correct. That one."
"By the way, I heard that they are Chinese. Hengrui Pharmaceuticals also develops hepatitis B drugs..."
John suddenly chuckled, shook his head and said:
"Daniel, you think highly of Huaxia Pharmaceuticals, Hengrui's targeted tumor drugs Not bad, but they will never be our opponents with liver drugs..."
"So, our real competitors should be Merck, Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer, but compared with us, their research and development progress is also far behind..."
Daniel pouted slightly, with a smile on his face. .
“Okay, buddy, I see you are very confident!”
“Convene a meeting with the Hepatitis B R&D team in the afternoon and tell them that their time to make a fortune is coming!”
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"Also, let Andre recruit a few experienced backbones to join the hepatitis B research and development team. We must speed up the progress!"
"This time, since the Chinese official sent money, we have decided on the money!"
......
(End of this chapter)