I can extract side effects

Chapter 383 HIV Elimination Plan 2.0

Biology laboratory.

Williams stood confidently in front of a row of iron cages, looking at the 6 macaques that were sluggish inside, showing a smile full of kindness.

"Let me see which three cuties will be luckier."

He touched his chin, pondered for a second, and quickly made a choice, choosing three at random.

"It's just you, and you and you."

Three macaques were randomly selected, and the remaining three were assigned as a control group.

These six macaques were all infected with SIV, also known as Simian Immunodeficiency Virus, commonly known as Simian AIDS.

Generally speaking, the HIV virus can only infect humans, but some simian primates can be infected with HIV similar to HIV, such as chimpanzees, rhesus monkeys, and macaques.

After SIV infects apes, the damage caused is similar to the symptoms seen in late-stage AIDS patients, so it is often used as an animal model for anti-AIDS drug research.

However, the common experimental animals—mice—can’t be infected with HIV, and are only suitable after transgenic breeding, and the traits they exhibit are quite different from those of human HIV.

Therefore, when pharmaceutical companies develop anti-AIDS drugs, even if they are used on mice at the beginning, they must be tested on monkeys later in order to obtain more accurate test results.

Williams prepared 6 SIV-infected macaques early, ready to conduct animal experiments to test his final results.

In the past few days, the news of the advent of super virus vectors spread throughout the laboratory like a virus.

And he has also become the focus of the laboratory and received the greatest support.

After seeing the dawn of HIV genetic medicine, the whole group revolved around him.

All members are fully committed to this research.

Even Tang Que, after sending Wen Renlong a "sorry" text message full of apology, impatiently started to do it himself.

In a short time, they designed a SIV-specific Arc1 gene-editing construct and then performed cell culture experiments.

The results showed that the editing tool could cut the integrated monkey HIV DNA from the correct location in the host cell's DNA.

They then loaded the construct into a superviral vector to make a SIV gene drug.

Today is the day for Williams to test the results of this SIV gene drug.

If the animal experiment is successful, it means that the HIV gene drug has been successfully developed and can enter the next step of clinical research.

Williams and two colleagues chose a macaque respectively, and skillfully injected the SIV gene drug in the needle tube into the vein of the macaque.

The injected macaques were placed in separate cages with another control macaque.

A few days later, Williams opened the cage, collected some blood and tissue from macaque No. 1, and observed it carefully.

Under the microscope, it can be seen that the gene editing drug has been distributed to a wide range of tissues, including bone marrow, blood, lymph nodes and spleen, and has reached a very important virus pool CD4+ T cells.

These infected cells and tissues, known as the viral reservoirs of SIV and HIV, where the virus integrates into the host's DNA and hides for years, are a major obstacle to healing the infection.

SIV or HIV in these viral reservoirs is beyond the scope of existing drug therapy, which can only inhibit viral replication and clear the virus from the blood, but not the viral genome in the viral reservoir.

Once the drug is stopped, the virus emerges from its reservoir and replicates again.

Now, there are gene-editing drugs in every virus bank.

Williams was immediately overjoyed, which proved the efficiency and accuracy of the super-delivery virus.

Next, in-depth genetic analysis demonstrated that the SIV genome had been efficiently cleaved from these infected cells.

As for the lysis efficiency, it varies from tissue to tissue, and it will be a little lower in viscera than in blood and bone marrow.

But in the lymph nodes, it's clearly reaching very high levels.

"Great, we made it!" Williams laughed ecstatically again.

The cheers of other colleagues instantly resounded throughout the laboratory.

Tang Que was also at the side, looking at the tissue cells under the microscope, and smiled in relief.

Soon, he walked up to Williams and led the applause.

"Dawei, thank you for your hard work and brought us such a miraculous viral vector."

"We have shown for the first time that a single injection of a gene drug can excise the SIV genome from infected cells in rhesus monkeys."

"This is an important breakthrough in HIV research and an important milestone in the history of the fight against the disease."

He clenched his fists, raised them high, and shouted loudly.

"With SIV gene medicine, will HIV gene medicine be far behind?"

"The moment to change the world is just around the corner!"

"Next, it's up to you."

Everyone was so excited that tears filled their eyes and applauded wildly.

In the past year, everyone has been working day and night, and the hardships involved are beyond human experience.

Now, all their hard work and dedication have paid off handsomely!

Seeing that their work can truly change the world, everyone feels a strong sense of pride and pride.

This is probably the unique charm of scientific research!

*****

Two weeks later, at the same place, human cell experiments began.

Williams and several colleagues carefully took out 10 bright red test tubes from the freezer, which contained blood samples taken from AIDS patients.

Using a pipette, they injected the successfully developed HIV gene drug into a test tube and let it sit for several hours.

Gene medicine works during this time, snipping out the HIV genome from the blood sample.

They then isolated the memory T cells from the blood, placed them in separate containers, and mixed them with cells from uninfected people.

This is a common HIV measurement technique with high sensitivity.

HIV remains dormant in the DNA strands of memory T cells, perfectly evading the drug cocktail, and reactivates later to start damaging the immune system.

If these added healthy T cells are infected, the virus can multiply and be released and detected, and the color of the test tube will turn blue.

Using this approach, it is easy to lure snakes out of their holes, reactivate dormant viruses, and identify them.

In this way, we can know how effective the HIV gene medicine is, and whether it can completely eliminate the last hiding place of HIV and make it eradicated.

Several people put the container back in the freezer, waiting for the final results.

Facing the cunning HIV virus like a ghost, they also feel a little apprehensive in their hearts, and they are not absolutely sure.

Although I have tried every means to hunt down and improve the efficiency of gene cutting in various tissue cells, but it cannot guarantee 100% success.

Maybe there will be some fish that slip through the net, hiding in the depths of the cells, waiting for an opportunity to be resurrected.

As long as there is a slight chance, it will revive and make a comeback.

The entanglement between HIV and the human body is far more complicated than people imagine.

If the test tube really turns blue, it means that the gene medicine needs to be further improved, and they will carry out a new round of improvement.

As time passed, that touch of blue never appeared in the container.

A week later, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and their hearts were completely relieved.

After checking again, no HIV virus was found in the container.

This means that the HIV genome has been completely eliminated from the blood of the infected person.

The door is wide open for genetic medicine to treat AIDS.

The word cure can finally be applied to people with AIDS.

The next step is clinical trials, as long as the patient stops using the drug for a period of time after receiving treatment, HIV is still undetectable.

Then, the "cure" miracle of the Berlin patient and the fog city patient will be repeated and can be replicated.

The human-poison war has been going on for nearly half a century. In the face of the persistent resistance of AIDS, human beings have a magic weapon that can finalize the final victory.

*****

"Boss, the HIV gene drug has been successfully developed!"

Tang Que ran excitedly to announce the good news, followed by Wen Renlong who heard the news.

Hearing such good news, Wei Kang couldn't help but cheer up: "What? That's great! I knew it, and I can always trust you."

Tang Que reported the progress of the research and development one by one, and praised Williams greatly in his words.

"Animal experiments and human cell experiments are very successful, and then it can enter the clinic."

"This time I want to praise Williams very much. He is really talented in viruses and has a high level of experimentation. I can't match many wonderful ideas. His super delivery virus is really genius in conception and design. , it is worth emphasizing on cultivating.”

Wen Renlong suddenly interjected with disdain on his face: "Can the people of Ying Country be trusted? I don't think so."

Tang Que frowned, and distinguished: "So what, we are a multinational company, not a government agency. Which multinational pharmaceutical company does not have talents from multiple countries. We can attract such experts, which shows the attractiveness of Sanqing."

Wen Renlong snorted coldly and stopped talking.

Wei Kang said with a smile: "There is no doubt about employing people, and there is no need for doubting people, but Aaron's concerns are also reasonable. Don't worry, as long as the information system is safe enough, you will not be afraid of anyone with ulterior motives."

Tang Kuang nodded: "The boss is still grand."

He hesitated and asked: "Mr. Wei, this HIV gene drug seems to be very effective so far. It can clear out the virus genome hidden in the cells. It is like vaccination. One injection will completely cure it."

"I don't know what the next plan is? Is it clinical as soon as possible?"

Wei Kang took it for granted and said: "Of course, this is a breakthrough drug, and it can be fast-tracked like Duan Ailing. Anyway, it's just a matter of one injection, and the patient will be fine. The main focus is on the observation period after the drug is stopped. "

"The observation period should be at least two months. If the patient still has no trace of HIV in the body after 60 days of stopping the drug, it means that the drug should be regarded as a success."

"Of course, the long-term impact of viral vectors in the human body is also an unknown factor. It is not known whether it will cause adverse reactions. These are very important."

"This..." Tang Que hesitated for a long time, and finally asked the question that had troubled him for a long time and made people choke in his throat.

"Boss, Duanailing has not been on the market for a long time, is it necessary to launch genetic medicine so soon?"

"If the patients are cured by using genetic drugs, the market for anti-AIDS drugs will shrink soon."

"This is very harmful to the interests of the company, is it really all right?"

Wei Kang looked at him in surprise for a while, then suddenly laughed.

"Why, is this the image of me in your mind?"

"Hasn't Sanqing always put healing and saving lives first?"

"Tang Que, I'm going to be sad if you ask me like that. Do you think I'm a person whose interests are paramount?"

Wen Renlong sneered with a "poof" from the side.

"Old Tang, after working for so long, why do you still not understand the boss?"

He patted his head suddenly as if suddenly enlightened, and said: "Oh, yes, I recruited you. I haven't had a one-on-one long talk with the boss, and I have had a collision of values. No wonder you have this idea."

"A person like me who attaches great importance to the compatibility of the three views, the fusion of souls, and the like-mindedness, has had in-depth exchanges with the boss early on, and has thoroughly understood each other's tempers, so he would not have such an idea. hehe."

Tang Que looked at him expressionlessly: "Aaron, I'm actually doing this for your own good. If you don't develop new medicines as soon as possible, next year's dividends will be gone."

"Ah?" Wen Renlong was taken aback: "What does it have to do with me?"

He reacted in an instant, and his face collapsed.

"Fuck, no way, are you deliberately against me? I finally got a billion-dollar new drug, and I haven't received the dividend yet, so it's just useless? It's easy for me."

Wei Kang quickly waved his hand, interrupting the conversation between the two.

"Okay, I've already planned for this. Duan Ailing sold very well this year, Aaron, you don't have to worry about the dividends next year. As for the future, it won't be too bad, so don't worry at all."

After a little thought, he had already made a decision.

"HIV gene medicine is still going according to the original plan, clinical trials as soon as possible, and it is expected to be launched next year. There is no doubt about this."

"I believe the market demand for this new drug will be huge, and it will definitely sell well when it is launched. It just so happens that the West is implementing plans to end AIDS, and they are all holding money to buy it. It is no problem to sell tens of billions of dollars a year."

He looked at Tang Que and said meaningfully.

"Maybe I have been selling medicines at high prices overseas, making you think that I am a person who is very profit-oriented, but this is understandable. I do treat domestic and foreign countries differently. No one can change this. Sanqing is now and will be in the future. , put the interests of the Chinese people first, and then consider overseas customers."

"HIV gene medicines, I will continue to consider supplying domestically first. After AIDS is completely eradicated, the second echelon of rich countries will be allowed to pay for domestic patients."

"As for the rest of the countries, whether they can eradicate AIDS depends on whether their wallets are thick enough."

"The end of AIDS is a long-term plan. It is absolutely impossible to achieve it in the short term. The slogan of the league is to eliminate AIDS by 2030. I think this is very good."

"Give HIV genetic medicine to those who are capable first, let some people be cured first, and then drive the people behind, and slowly achieve the goal of all mankind."

"Don't worry, during this period, the major pharmaceutical companies will definitely reduce the price of cocktail therapy drugs greatly, which can be regarded as indirectly helping those poor patients."

"The global anti-AIDS drug market will die sooner or later. Someone will be more anxious than you about this, ha ha."

Tang Que froze for a moment, seemed to have thought through a lot, nodded slowly and said: "Understood, I will not ask such questions again in the future."

Wen Renlong is still immersed in the grief of unsustainable dividends, lamenting endlessly.

"Hey, time is fate, and I, Aaron, have no windfall."

Tang Que couldn't stand it anymore, and said with a sneer, "If you spend less time on women, how can you have no money?"

Seeing the glaring looks of the two, Wei Kang couldn't help shaking his head, and was about to speak when the phone on the table rang.

The two immediately resigned and left the office.

After the call was connected, Director Han's beaming voice sounded.

"Mr. Wei, this HIV elimination plan is so successful, thanks to you."

"I'm sorry, the main reason is that you are strong in action. Otherwise, you wouldn't have achieved such great results with just the medicine."

Wei Kang chuckled: "By the way, I'm going to tell you some good news."

"Oh? Tell me, I'm all ears."

"I think the HIV elimination program can be upgraded to 2.0."

"how do I say this?"

Wei Kang said slowly: "Because Sanqing has already developed a gene drug that can cure AIDS, as long as one injection is given, the future troubles will be eliminated forever, and there is no need to continue to take medicine."