Beating the odds against cancer is a marathon, not a sprint - and so is the quest to develop better treatments for the disease, among other complex conditions such as immune disorders. "The successful development of global new drugs [GND] requires a clear definition of goals, perseverance, patience, maintenance of a tireless work pace and a noble work ethic," says Sohn Ki-young, CEO and chairman of Enzychem Lifesciences, a leading developer of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) based in Seoul. "As a marathon runner for 10 straight years myself, I believe it is Enzychem's mission to introduce breakthrough GNDs within the next five years based on our solid foundation of a decade of intensive research and development." Founded on advanced life sciences and medicinal chemistry, Enzychem has been developing and producing GNDs, functional health food, and APIs, including cephalosporin antibiotics, antituberculosis, anticoagulants and analgesics for more than 15 years. Its cornerstone product is EC-18, a non-protein, small-molecule and oral first-in-class drug being developed specially to overcome dose-limiting toxicity of major existing cancer drugs by preventing and treating chemo- and radiotherapy-induced neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. Based on this compound, Enzychem developed its flagship product ROCKPID, which has been clinically tested to improve immune modulation, haematopoiesis and anti-inflammation. Since its launch in January last year, ROCKPID has received remarkable response from patients of cancer, atopy, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis, and other users wishing to maintain a healthy immune system. "We envision innovating a global oncology drug using EC-18 as the lead compound - creating multiple patentable analogues and first-in-class GNDs for an extensive array of diseases," Sohn says. Seeking to fulfil its vision of developing the world's first oral chemo-induced neutropenia drug, Enzychem welcomes strategic partnerships, joint ventures and collaborations, particularly in Asia. "The centre of the world economy is shifting to Asia, where the health industry has been recording quantum leaps every year," Sohn says. "Enzychem aims to lead the region with innovative GNDs - contributing to the growth and globalisation of the industry, while reclaiming health and happiness for all mankind." Enzychem Lifesciences http://www.enzychem.com
