After being fired, I became the light of medicine

Chapter 231 Targeting Cell Surface Antigens
Tsingshan Pharmaceutical, drug research and development center.

While the Xia family was selling their house to raise money for Xia Xue's second bone marrow stem cell transplant, Qingshan Pharmaceutical's Drug Research and Development Center was also making the final sprint on the "acute myeloid leukemia" drug project!

After more than three months of high-intensity, high-investment, and large-scale sprint, the project progress for the treatment of "acute myeloid leukemia" has indeed made some breakthroughs.

but.

Dr. Zhou, Wei Tian and others still underestimated the difficulty of developing a treatment for acute myeloid leukemia.

Although almost all the R&D elites of Qingshan Pharmaceutical have been gathered in the past three months, the previous drug killing rate of 60% has indeed been increased to 70%!

but!

A new problem arises!
This targeted drug, code-named "BXB01", showed complex drug toxicity after improving the killing rate of leukemia cancer cells!
To be precise, while it can kill more leukemia cells, it also begins to have the same killing effect on normal white blood cells, red blood cells and even hematopoietic stem cells!
This effect is somewhat similar to that of chemotherapy drugs.

But this is obviously not the result that Dr. Zhou, Wei Tian and Zhang Yang want.

At this point, we have to briefly talk about the current ideas of the pharmaceutical community on the development of targeted drugs.

First of all, the most mainstream method at present is to find the proliferation targets of cancer cells and then inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells.

For example, in chronic myeloid leukemia, cancer cells need to continuously obtain a substance called "tyrosine kinase" in order to continue to proliferate.

This is the proliferation target of chronic myeloid leukemia!

The reason why Gleevec can control and treat chronic myeloid leukemia for a long time is that it inhibits the production of "tyrosine kinase" in cells through drug ingredients, thereby blocking the transmission of cancer cell proliferation signals.

Once the proliferation signal is blocked, a large number of leukemia cancer cells stop proliferating. The number of leukemia cancer cells in the patient's body is naturally well controlled, and the disease is also under control.

of course,

Although this method is mainstream, it also has an unsolvable problem.

"Gleevec" can inhibit the production of "tyrosine kinase" in cells, but it cannot completely stop the production of "tyrosine kinase" 100%.

This will result in some cancer cells in the body still slipping through the net and continuing to proliferate due to the effects of "tyrosine kinase".

Simultaneously,

For leukemia patients, especially in hematopoietic tissues such as the bone marrow, there are still a small number of leukemia stem cells that are dormant or insensitive to drugs.

These stem cells can survive drug treatment and, at the appropriate time, begin to proliferate again, leading to disease relapse.

And most importantly,
These continuously proliferating cells may develop drug resistance or even undergo genetic mutations!

Therefore, this is why chronic myeloid leukemia and even all cancers cannot be cured and must be treated with long-term medication.

Therefore, this is why about 30% of chronic myeloid leukemia patients will develop drug resistance after taking Gleevec for five years and have to choose bone marrow transplantation!
So, this is why surgical resection is always the best treatment for early cancer!

Because everything can be solved once and for all, only physical removal can truly provide a complete cure.

Compared with inhibiting amino acid kinases and inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells, the pharmaceutical industry has another way to develop targeted drugs - targeting cell surface antigens.

The principle of this method is relatively simple and crude.

simply put,
After canceration, cancer cells will express some antigens on their surface that are different from those of normal cells. These antigens can be used as targets for targeted therapy.

Pharmaceutical companies generally try to find the different antigenic characteristics between cancer cells and normal cells first, so as to identify normal cells and cancer cells, and then precisely attack cancer cells.

It sounds simple, but!

As we all know, cancer cells are actually a type of malignant cell formed by mutation of normal cells.

Like leukemia cancer cells, they are essentially the result of mutations of hematopoietic stem cells and hematopoietic progenitor cells.

Therefore,
In fact, there is very little difference between cancer cells and normal cells, so it is extremely difficult to find the unique antigenic characteristics and markers of cancer cells!

This time, Dr. Zhou led the first project team to develop a drug code-named "BXB01", which is exactly this extremely difficult "targeted cell surface antigen" drug!
Of course, once we can accurately find the specific antigens between cancer cells and normal cells, the therapeutic effect will be unique!
First of all,

Because it uses antigen recognition and violent killing methods, this drug is inherently slightly toxic, and the drug ingredients will directly enter the identified cancer cells for toxic killing.

This is almost the same as the "Ikeprofovir" developed by Qingshan Pharmaceutical to cure hepatitis B.

Therefore, there is no drug resistance like traditional targeted drugs during this drug treatment.

Another advantage is its strong targeting.

Because "targeted cell surface antigen" drugs originally use the surface antigens unique to cancer cells as targets, even if the cancer cells mutate later, the surface antigens they carry are difficult to change due to the characteristics of the cells!
Therefore, as long as the target is accurate, there is no possibility of gene mutation escape!

And the most important thing is!

"Targeting cell surface antigens" may completely cure cancer!

Yes, completely cured!
Completely kill all cancer cells in the body, prevent recurrence, and cure cancer!

Of course, the prerequisite is that the antigen target of cancer cells must be very precise.

This is exactly the problem that the first project team of Qingshan Pharmaceutical is facing now.

In the past three months, Qingshan Pharmaceutical's drug research and development center has indeed increased the killing rate of leukemia cancer cells from 60% to 70%. However, after the antigen target was expanded, more normal red blood cells and hematopoietic stem cells were mistakenly identified and killed by targeted drugs!
Thinking of this, Zhang Yang couldn't help rubbing his temples. He knew very well that this was the problem that the antigen target of the drug was not very precise!
He didn't have any good solution to this problem.

After a moment, he couldn't help but look up at Wei Tian and others who were also sitting at the conference table with worried looks on their faces.

At this moment, a briefing on the development of the drug "BXB01" is being held in the R&D center of Qingshan Pharmaceutical. The main issue to be discussed today is:

After more than three months of intensive research and development, should "BXB01" continue?
Not long after, Wei Tian, ​​the host of this meeting and also the head of Qingshan Pharmaceutical R&D Center, looked at Zhang Yang and said first:

"Boss, you know the results of the three-month mobilization and research and development. We can't say there has been no progress at all, but we haven't made as much progress as we imagined."

“Now we have two options:

One is that although we have not made much progress in the past three months, we have also determined that under relatively safe conditions, 'BXB01' can effectively kill about 65% of leukemias."

"We can now devote all our energy to this target, and then conduct animal experiments around it. If nothing unexpected happens... clinical trials should be launched soon."

"As for the effect, we can only say that it is likely to control the number of leukemia cancer cells."

"The other option is to continue research and development... and strive to break through 70%, or even 80% under safe conditions!"

As soon as the words fell, everyone's eyes fell on Zhang Yang.

Not only Zhang Yang, Wei Tian, ​​and Dr. Zhou attended the meeting, but also several doctors from other project teams.

Zhang Yang couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

Wei Tian’s words were not complete. The “BXB01” project must continue to be developed. What he really wanted to express was——

Should we continue to gather so many R&D backbones to carry out high-intensity research and development?

Zhang Yang was also thinking.

After a moment, his eyes fell on Dr. Zhou standing beside him.

"Zhou Bo, what do you mean?"

Dr. Zhou obviously guessed that Zhang Yang would ask him this question, so he took a deep breath, and his nose trembled slightly.

Zhang Yang could visibly feel the enormous pressure Dr. Zhou was carrying, but he could also understand it.

After all, the R&D center has invested so many R&D backbones into the first project team. As the project leader, he needs to produce results.

After several seconds, Dr. Zhou looked at Zhang Yang firmly and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Zhang, I'd still rather try again."

“Although reaching 65% is considered a good targeted drug, it is far from my expectations!”

Zhang Yang was silent.

To be honest, there was no systematic help this time. It can be said that this "BXB01" drug was independently developed by Qingshan Pharmaceutical from beginning to end. He doesn't know what kind of results it will produce in the end!
After a few seconds, he suddenly laughed.

"Okay, Zhou Bo, I believe in you! Keep researching and developing!"

"You want money, I'll give you money; you want people, I'll give you people! I don't believe we can't develop a top-notch leukemia drug!"

call!
Wei Tian and Dr. Zhou breathed a sigh of relief.

……

the other side.

Just when Qingshan Pharmaceutical's R&D Center unified its internal thinking and was determined to continue research and development.

Not far away, at the Chengdu Third People's Hospital, Xia Xue also entered the cabin smoothly.

Seven days later, Lao Xia received a call from Director Hu of the Hematology Department. After a week of observation, Xia Xue had met the conditions for bone marrow stem cell transplantation and could undergo the transplant.

The surgery requires an advance payment of 600,000 yuan.

Upon hearing this, Old Xia immediately transferred the 600,000 yuan he had prepared into the hospital account.

In fact, a few months ago, when Xia Xue was undergoing chemotherapy, he paid more than 100,000 yuan in chemotherapy fees.

The cost of chemotherapy for leukemia is also determined according to different types. For example, Xia Xue's "acute myeloid leukemia" is the most malignant type. One chemotherapy session costs about 2 yuan, and most of it cannot be reimbursed.

She was lucky enough that the disease was discovered just after it relapsed, so she only needed four rounds of chemotherapy. Some patients with more serious leukemia even need 6-8 courses of chemotherapy, and the cost of chemotherapy alone is over yuan!
but.

When the surgery fee of 600,000 yuan was transferred into the hospital, Old Xia's heart instantly lifted.

He knew that his daughter would then face the greatest surgical risk alone and would truly have to risk her life.

He didn't have to worry for long, because he soon received another notice from the hospital that Xia Xue's surgery was scheduled for three days later.

The day before the operation, not only was Old Xia waiting in the hospital, but even Fang Mei, who lived more than a hundred kilometers away in her hometown, came to the hospital to see her daughter.

According to regulations, family members of leukemia patients are not allowed to enter the sterile ward after they are admitted to the cabin.

but……

Almost every hospital's hematology department has a visiting ward, where family members can see their loved ones through the thick glass through the visiting window.

Patients can also look at their loved ones through the glass.

Old Xia and Fang Mei didn't know how long they had been waiting outside the visiting window. They only knew that their daughter was receiving an infusion and would come to the visiting window after she finished.

"Old Xia, why haven't you finished infusing the fluid yet?"

"Hey, Fang Mei, don't be anxious, wait a little longer."

Old Xia comforted him, and finally a thin and familiar figure appeared in sight.

After just one week of not seeing her, Mr. Xia felt that his daughter had lost weight.

Fang Mei at the side couldn't help but shed tears. They all knew that their daughter would have an operation tomorrow, an operation with great risks.

At this moment, their greatest luxury was to look at their daughter from afar through the thick glass.

Old Xia was also excited. He picked up the video phone and was about to say something, but with thousands of words in his mind, he didn't know what to say at this moment.

"Xiaoxue..."

Before he could finish, Xia Xue walked to the viewing window and whispered through the window:
"Dad, Mom, I love you."

Old Xia was stunned, then his nose felt sore and tears streamed down his face.

"Xiaoxue... Mom and Dad love you too!"

……

Lao Xia's family is not an isolated case. Every family of a leukemia patient has to go through the same ordeal. Everyone knows the huge risks of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation before entering the cabin and before the operation.

Fortunately, Lao Xia was very lucky, and Xiaoxue was also lucky. The next afternoon, Lao Xia received a call from Director Hu himself.

"Lao Xia, congratulations, the operation was successful!"

"The child has woken up and has passed the first stage of death. As long as there is no postoperative infection and bleeding, he will be able to leave the cabin in a month!"

Old Xia's heart finally settled down, but as soon as he hung up the phone, he received a payment notice from the hospital.

The operation was successful, and the subsequent one-month stay in the cabin will cost about 15 yuan, and this is under normal circumstances without complications such as bleeding and infection.

Although Old Xia felt a little distressed, the one million yuan he borrowed from selling his house was almost used up!

But he didn't hesitate at all. As long as he could save his daughter, everything would be worth it!
Old Xia’s determination seemed to have brought him good luck. In the following month, Xia Xue successfully passed the second gate of hell after the transplant!
You know, countless transplant patients did not die on the operating table, but many died from postoperative infection and bleeding.

Once infected or bleeding occurs, life will be in danger.

The day before leaving the cabin.

"Dad, I'm leaving the cabin tomorrow!"

"Yes! I know, I've been waiting for you in the hospital! You will be able to see me tomorrow morning! Are you happy?!"

"Happy! Smiley face.jpg"

Seeing his daughter’s rare smile on his face via WeChat on his phone, Old Xia also showed a long-lost smile on his face!
everything will get better!
The next morning, Lao Xia had already put on the prepared N95 mask and was waiting in front of the sterile ward with some excitement.

After a while, Xia Xue put on the clothes she had prepared in the dressing room and walked out.

"dad!"

Old Xia took a deep breath and quickly rejected his daughter's idea of ​​a hug. He knew that there were a lot of germs on his body and his daughter couldn't touch him.

At this moment, the nurse who brought Xia Xue out came over. Seeing every patient successfully leave the cabin, they were also happy from the bottom of their hearts.

"Okay, congratulations on leaving the cabin."

"But I still have to tell you something!"

"After returning home, you cannot go out. The house needs to be disinfected once a day with ultraviolet light. It is best for patients to stay in their own rooms and not go out, and even the living room and kitchen should be avoided!"

"Try not to stay in your room or go outdoors for three months. The purpose is to avoid infection!"

"Oh right! The most important thing is, if you have a fever, you must go to the hospital immediately!"

"Remember!"

Old Xia was stunned for a moment, then nodded heavily!

(End of this chapter)