Dr. Ma Cong says more clinical trials can be carried out locally once the city has its own drug review system. Photo: Sun Yeung, South China Morning Post
A research team led by Dr. Ma Cong, Associate Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology and the co-founder of a PolyU startup YnnoMed Limited, is on the verge of a breakthrough in developing new drugs to combat superbugs. The team, which has identified 1,000 bioactive molecules that could potentially develop into new antibiotics to combat drug-resistant bacteria, has won multiple local and international awards for their groundbreaking work.
The team has identified five chemical components proven effective in killing all known superbugs in laboratory and animal experiments. Although much of the work has been done in Hong Kong, clinical trials on humans will commence in mainland China in 2026, with the team aspiring to establish clinical research collaborations in the United States as well.
Currently, before a drug can be utilized in Hong Kong, it must already be registered in at least two of the 36 countries specified by the Department of Health, a list that includes the US and China. As we await the establishment of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation, we wish Dr. Ma and his team success in their endeavors and hope that the new drug can be swiftly introduced and made available in the market.
Online coverage:
SCMP - https://polyu.me/3YWExND (subscription required)
