Chapter 334 - 165: New Division (Medium)

Chapter 334: Chapter 165: New Division (Medium)

This was another reason Jiang Miao hadn’t mentioned it to He Youwei. After all, pushing for such a change would be difficult even with her background.

...

「After the meeting ended.」

Jiang Miao went to find Shuya, who was planning out R&D projects.

He also called Luo Yulin over.

Luo Yulin knocked and entered. Seeing both of them, he smiled and greeted them, "Boss! Shuya, you’re both here!"

"Researcher Luo, have a seat," Jiang Miao said, taking a document out of his briefcase.

Shuya poured him a cup of tea. "Yulin, you should be resting for a few more days with your wife."

"Haha, I was just concerned about the research projects!" Luo Yulin’s gaze flickered evasively as he guiltily changed the subject.

Jiang Miao smiled without a word. He could tell at a glance that Luo Yulin was a bit worn out. He had just gotten married last month and was supposed to have a half-month of marriage leave, but he had rushed back to work in less than ten days.

He handed the document to Luo Yulin.

"This is the new fungus Ah Ya discovered in April. The paper has already been published in a journal."

Lin Shuya felt a sense of resignation. ’Even though I don’t want this title,’ she thought, ’I know what Jiang Miao is thinking.’ She had no choice but to accept the title of "discoverer of the new fungus."

Luo Yulin took the document and began flipping through it. "I’ve seen this before," he said. "Is there something wrong with these three new fungi?"

Jiang Miao explained, "During an experiment a while ago, Ah Ya discovered that one of the fungi’s secondary metabolites can kill many types of bacteria and even has a decent inhibitory effect on some fungi."

"Oh? A new antibiotic?" Luo Yulin instantly perked up.

Jiang Miao prompted, "It’s on page seventeen. There’s some information there."

Luo Yulin quickly flipped to page seventeen.

[A Study on the Secondary Metabolites of the Grand Silt Pseudosand Fungus species, of the Alkali-Salt Tolerant Pseudosand subgenus...]

This Grand Silt Pseudosand Fungus was what Jiang Miao had discovered on his trip to the Monan Desert back in March.

The Grand Silt Pseudosand Fungus exists in the alkaline soils and salt lake silt of Monan.

The other two fungi were also members of this small family: the Grand Arid Pseudosand Fungus and the Lesser Silt Pseudosand Fungus.

They were named this way mainly for convenience.

If they had followed Western naming conventions, the genus could have been named the *Lini* Pseudosand Genus.

In reality, Jiang Miao’s Identification Panel Database contained records of several million unknown species of viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

He had specifically chosen the Grand Silt Pseudosand Fungus because it was not only difficult to cultivate, requiring a specific environment and conditions, but also because it would enter a long-term state of suspended animation if those conditions weren’t met. This was the reason for the "Pseudosand" part of its name; when conditions were inadequate for reproduction, it was almost indistinguishable from a common grain of sand.

A fungus with such characteristics would be very unlikely to grow uncontrollably and become a plague.

Another reason was that the Grand Silt Pseudosand Fungus did not easily infect humans, livestock, or plants. It was a rather unique saprophyte and was easily killed by yeast.

Shuya’s paper only covered certain aspects of these three new fungi, such as how they were discovered, detected, and analyzed.

As for the fact that the secondary metabolites of the Grand Silt Pseudosand Fungus had properties that could kill bacteria and inhibit fungi, Shuya had not mentioned it in her paper.

This discovery could lead to an entirely new family of antibiotics, a matter directly tied to the company’s interests. Until a complete patent portfolio could be established, the finding had to be kept under wraps.

After reading the first few pages, Luo Yulin finally understood the immense significance of this discovery.

"Boss, are you planning to conduct research on this derivative compound?"

Jiang Miao nodded. "Yes. However, since Shuya is pregnant, she can’t continue working with fungal research. So, during this time, I want you to lead a team and conduct a comprehensive study on the pharmacology and toxicology of this derivative."

"No problem."

Seeing how excited Luo Yulin was, Jiang Miao quickly reminded him, "Researcher Luo, you should be clear on company rules. This project is one of our core secrets. Anyone who comes into contact with this fungus and its derivatives must sign a non-disclosure agreement."

"Ah? I understand." Luo Yulin quickly caught on.

He knew how important this compound and its research were. If it were leaked, the company would suffer enormous losses.

The time window during the preliminary feasibility study was especially crucial. To apply for a composition of matter patent, you have to provide solid experimental data; they don’t just hand those out.

This time window was about a few months.

Therefore, non-disclosure agreements and siloed management were indispensable measures.

After a few months, once the drug’s feasibility study was complete, they could apply for the substance patent. As for whether it would ultimately become a new drug, that would depend on continued research. It would have to go through a series of cell experiments, animal trials, and clinical trials. Only after its efficacy, safety, and related side effects were verified could they apply to bring the new drug to market.

In short, they couldn’t even think about having a related new drug without three to five years of research.

The Grand Silt Pseudosand Fungus that Jiang Miao had so carefully selected, and its derivative, Arenacin, showed excellent results in various aspects of killing bacteria.

In particular, Arenacin had a decent inhibitory effect on some of today’s superbugs. Against Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), it had a targeted killing effect.

This class of bacteria, Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), is widespread in medical institutions. CRE are resistant to carbapenem antibiotics, which are considered the last line of defense for treating severe Enterobacteriaceae infections.

Therefore, infections caused by CRE are often associated with high mortality rates. They spread easily in hospital environments, posing a huge threat to patient safety.

This is also a major reason why China has been vigorously cracking down on the issue of antibiotic abuse in recent years.

Compared to the opioid abuse problem in Europe and America, the problem in the medical fields of China and less-developed regions in Asia is instead antibiotic abuse. This is especially true in small, private clinics, where medication is prescribed with reckless abandon.

The consequence of abusing antibiotics is the emergence of extremely resistant bacteria and fungi, which leads to diminishing treatment efficacy. Eventually, this can lead to a dire situation where no drugs are effective at all. ℴ

The rate at which humanity discovers new major classes of antibiotics has been slowing considerably.

With the penicillin class of antibiotics now largely phased out, the number of available antibiotics is dwindling even further.

At a time like this, discovering an entirely new family of antibiotics was of immense significance to the nation’s medical system.