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Pioneer | Yihan Wang: Not a "God of medicine", but has been working hard in the pharmaceutical industry

2018-08-05 Views:

Qiang Xu from Dutenews.com, Edited by Ying Zhang, August 5, 2018

Source: Dutenews.com

Website: http://www.dutenews.com/p/140405.html

Shenzhen High-tech Industrial Development Zone is a place where entrepreneurs dream, where a number of internationally renowned companies such as Huawei, ZTE, and Tencent have gathered here, as well as a large number of high-tech companies that are growing vigorously. People here come for their dreams, and these companies are their target direction and goals.

Dr. Yihan Wang who studied in the United States is such a person. He is currently the founder, chairman and CEO of Shenzhen TargetRx Inc. Before returning to China, he spent 16 years in the United States doing research on targeted anti-cancer small molecules. After major breakthroughs in scientific R&D of new drugs for cancer were made and novel drugs developed for treatment of cancer, Yihan Wang resolutely given up the favorable conditions in the United States and returned to China to start a business. Together with a team of young people from home and abroad who have the same patriotic sentiment, he rebuilt a new nest in a lab of an area of more than 800 square meters in Shenzhen High-tech Industrial Development Zone, where the dream of practicing medicine or pharmacy to help the people or public was born.

Passing the blazing flame of modern medicine to like-minded people

Walking into the TargetRx’s laboratory, young researchers in lab coats are busy, quiet and focused. While Yihan Wang introduced the laboratory to the reporter, he proudly introduced his students: this one is from Cornell University, this one is from the University of Science and Technology of China, this one is from Ocean University of China. They are all young staff with passion about life science research.

From the focused eyes of these young staff, the reporter saw persistence, tenacity and responsibility.

As a cutting-edge technology in the field of biopharmaceuticals, targeted anti-cancer small molecules require hundreds or even tens of thousands of experiments and trials to discover matching biomolecules. Faced with all kinds of strange molecules, atoms and enzymes in the microscopic world, the boring of experiments can be imagined.

True talents always shine through. In order to stimulate the enthusiasm of young researchers in the R&D of new drugs, Dr. Yihan Wang, as the leader of the team, not only imparted his years of research experience, but also instilled the wandering intentions and wishes to save lives to every young and vigorous heart. A scientific researcher told the reporter that in a tutoring class, Dr. Wang carefully told them about his 16 years of scientific research experience in the United States. Everyone was deeply admired. When Dr. Wang said such words sincerely, everyone was full of emotion, “You cannot walk for a thousand miles without the accumulation of single step. The ocean cannot appear without the accumulation of each drop of water. Through many trials and errors, these tedious experiments have brought us closer to targeted anti-cancer small molecules step by step, so that the R&D of new anti-cancer drugs can take a step forward, and more people's lives can be saved in the future. Thinking of this, such efforts are worthwhile.

Yihan Wang said that the birth of a new drug can save thousands of lives, but the R&D road of new drugs is full of thorns and bumps. The United States has strong scientific research strength and financial guarantees in drug research and development, and has a mature system and incentive mechanism in encouraging first-in-class drugs and supporting new drug research and development. “But I also hope to pass on my experience and accumulation in the United States to young domestic scientific and technological workers, so that they can grow up as soon as possible. At the same time, I hope to use my own practical actions to drive the R&D of domestic original innovative drugs, improve the industrial chain of new drug R&D, and more scientific research personnel can participate in to jointly improve the R&D level of new drugs in China.”

Jointly research on new anti-cancer drugs with Shakespeare’s descendant

The laurel of success will never be taken lightly. The current history of successful medical research is not just a legend. It requires the seekers to be focused and hard-working, and also requires their great love. During his time in the United States, Yihan Wang focused on drug development for 16 years without distraction, because of his perseverance and a heart of compassion to save lives.

Yihan Wang recalled that when he was in charge of the R&D of cancer drugs for treatment of leukemia and lung cancer at a research institution in the United States, many colleagues gave up and left because there had been no breakthrough in the research of targeted anti-cancer small molecules. Only he and another scientist persisted. This scientist is William Shakespeare, who has the same name with the British dramatist Shakespeare, and is indeed the 16th generation heir of Shakespeare. “Shakespeare, more than 400 years ago, left legendary drama works to mankind. More than 400 years later, I can work with his descendant to develop drugs for treatment of cancer. It feels really great.”

The 16 years of hard work finally resulted into the achievement. He has 27 core patents for new anti-cancer drugs, and is currently the inventor of the core patent of the only approved third-generation drug ponatinib for CML. Ponatinib was cleared to be marketed in 2013 and has a relatively significant effect. It has treated thousands of patients in Europe and the United States.

Facing the title of “God of Medicine” given to him by the reporter, Yihan Wang smiled and waved his hand, “You flatter me. I am just a scientific researcher who is constantly working hard for pharmaceuticals."

Climbing to the pinnacle of world pharmaceutical technology

Academia has no national boundaries, but the pharmaceutical industry has clear barriers. With the fact that the new anti-cancer drug he developed has not been able to treat Chinese patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia, Dr. Yihan Wang was very distressed and his intention to return to China was growing. The opportunity came in an instant.

On October 20, 2012, at the 2012 US-China Biomedical Technology Investment Seminar held in New York, relevant officials from China's national ministries and commissions introduced how relevant national departments promote scientific and technological development, and how to cultivate and introduce talents, etc., also emphasized the importance of introducing high-end talents in the development of China's science and technology, and introduced policies and measures for cultivating and introducing talents, such as the 985 Project and the Thousand Talents Program. Yihan Wang finally felt the call of the country and the nation.

In 2014, Yihan Wang decided to return to China, with Shenzhen as his first choice. In that year, he brought his own funds and technology back to China and came to Shenzhen as a talent of the Shenzhen “Peacock Project” and founded Shenzhen TargetRx Inc. Under his leadership, in just over three years, the fourth-generation product with the best-in-class potential in the world has been developed. Due to its unique mechanism, this product is expected to functionally cure chronic myelogenous leukemia. Currently, the product is about to enter clinical trials.

In the four years since returning to China, Yihan Wang and his scientific research team meticulously worked in the laboratory and engaged in the research and development day and night. Regarding the future, he confidently said that he really likes the movie Dying to Survive. It reflects some practical problems in the domestic and foreign pharmaceutical industry, which need to be solved by the conscience and sense of responsibility of every pharmacist. We need to develop drugs with our conscientiousness even without supervision from others. It is gratifying that the government is constantly introducing new policies to plan and guide the industry to develop in a more positive and healthy direction. My confidence is getting stronger day by day.