Chapter 94: Cellicure (5)

“I am planning to buy a large number of DNA analysis equipment from Conson & Colson,” Young-Joon said. “DNA analysis equipment?” Yoon Dae-Sung asked.

“I am buying two hundred.” “Two hundred!”

Yoon Dae-Sung was shocked. Of course, he knew the things that happened while Young-Joon developed the diagnostic kit. He knew that Conson & Colson’s plan to install Illemina’s DNA analysis equipment in hospitals around the United States went up in smoke. However, what happened to the two hundred pieces of luxury equipment that was already purchased hadn’t been revealed.

“The cost aside, why would you buy that?”

“Of course, tens of billions of won wasn’t something that would make a company as big as A-Bio tremble, but they didn’t have a reason to waste it unnecessarily even if it was a small amount. What were they trying to do? Yoon Dae-Sung couldn’t even predict what Young-Joon was going to use them for. Companies that did a lot of DNA analysis usually had five units at most, did they not? And Young-Joon was going to buy two hundred of them?

“What in the world are you going to use them for?” Yoon Dae-Sung asked.

“Geneticists have continued to work on discovering the entire DNA sequence of humans after the Human Genome Project. The scientific community was successful in accumulating a huge amount of data and has revealed many variants associated with disease.”

Analyzing the enormous database, which consisted of twenty thousand types of genes and three billion letters of DNA, against tens of thousands of people could unveil the secret of biology one by one. For example, it was revealed that people with an indel[1] variants in the BRCA gene had a higher chance of getting breast cancer.

“It’s the most valuable treasure that modern science has ever achieved,” said Yoon Dae-Sung.

“But seventy-eight percent of that DNA data is from Europeans,” Young-Joon replied.

“Oh...”

Yoon Dae-Sung nodded like he knew what Young-Joon meant.

Young-Joon siad, “Recently,

Nature

has described this as an injustice in genome science. I fully agree.”

“Hm... But Mr. Ryu, the reason that most of the data is geared towards Western people is because they are the ones that lead science, especially in America. Isn’t it natural for them to analyze their own data first since it’s easy to get samples?”

“I understand. I’m not saying that it is their fault, but I am going to lead science now.”

“...”

Yoon Dae-Sung had nothing to say when Young-Joon said that arrogant comment because he was actually doing exactly that.

“And this imbalance in data is actually a problem in science. All of the new drugs being developed based on genetics are centered around European DNA, but if you do that, it can act differently when using it on other races. All scientists know that, don’t they? For example, gluten allergies are quite common in Western people, but it is very rare in the East. If a new drug is developed based on that gene, it is highly likely that it will not work in the bodies of Asian people or cause side effects,” Young-Joon said.

“Then are you going to analyze the DNA of other races?” “It was something that someone should have done already.”

“Hm...”

“I am going to begin the Human Genome Project again. I am going to analyze the genes of minority races in science, such as Asians, Africans, Oceanians, Native Americans, Hispanics, and Latin Americans, since science is a study of objectivity. The data should not be ethnically biased to one side,” Young-Joon said.

“Yes. I agree. Everyone in the scientific community is neglecting that issue, but it is necessary work.”

Yoon Dae-Sung nodded.

“Then what is it that you want from me in order to do that, Mr. Ryu?”

“Scientists who can run DNA analysis equipment and analyze the data are very professional human resources. There aren’t many people who can operate two hundred of them either.”

Yoon Dae-Sung felt chills run down his spine. He immediately understood what Young-Joon was asking for.

“Are you asking for people?”

“Please let me have the Diagnostic Device Department at my disposal.”

“...”

“They do not have to transfer to A-Bio. They will still be part of A-Gen and the Diagnostic Device Department, but they will just work with me, the CEO of A-Bio.”

“Lab Director Kim Hyun-Taek would scream if he heard this.”

“But you know that this work cannot be done by requesting departmental cooperation. As big as the project is, I have to be able to dispatch the department as a whole.”

“

Sigh...

”

“Mr. Yoon, this is more than the profit of A-Gen or growing A-Bio. You have to consider this as a scientist leading the scientific community, not as a CEO of a company. This is work that creates base data that countries not in the anglosphere can reference when developing new drugs.”

“... Alright. But I have to discuss it with Lab Director Kim Hyun-Taek.”

“I believe that you will convince him well. Call me if you can’t; I’ll tell him myself.”

“Let me ask you one thing,” Yoon Dae-Sung said. “Mr. Ryu, are you doing this because you are holding a grudge about what happened before with Lab Director Kim Hyun-Taek? Trying to steal the department he is fond of?”

“If that was my goal, I would have asked for the Anticancer Drug Research Department. I still don’t like him, but I don’t do science with personal feelings,” said Young-Joon.

“Alright,” Yoon Dae-Sung said.

* * *

‘All done.’

At ten o’clock at night, Park So-Yeon picked up a standard model of the single disease diagnostic kit. She succeeded in diagnosing rabies using the blood of a beagle and disease DNA she obtained from the Experimental Animal Resource Center. She didn’t know exactly how much the unit price would be when produced on a factory-scale, but she knew that it would be very cheap. It would be able to diagnose other diseases if they used the same strategy and changed the target DNA; they would be able to find thirty-two different types of diseases. If it was supplied to the industry, they would be able to quickly quarantine the diseased animals and put them under intensive care to stop the spread of the disease and minimize the damage.

“Phew...”

It was very fascinating now that she was looking at the final product. How did Young-Joon think of this idea and know that something like this worked>

Park So-Yeon stored the diagnostic kit in the cold room and left the office. When she pulled out her phone, she saw Young-Joon’s name as one of the most searched-up keywords. She wasn’t all that surprised as it happened often, but she wondered what he did this time.

‘Huh?’

The second searched-up keyword was Celligener. Park So-Yeon knew this company. The reason she broke up with Young-Joon started from this, as he constantly complimented Celligener during their dates after Celligener showed Cellicure’s efficacy in Phase One of clinical trials, which ultimately led to Young-Joon fighting with Kim Hyun-Taek, getting punished, and her breaking up with him.

Surprisingly, Cellicure was the third most searched-up keyword. Park So-Yeon pressed on the news article.

[Ryu Young-Joon of A-Bio enters Phase Two of clinical trials with Cellicure, a liver cancer cure co-developed with Celligener, a venture pharmaceutical company.]

[Usage of experimental therapy on a nine-year-old girl as a last resort as no other existing liver cancer treatments work.]

[Is the Ryu Young-Joon legend going to succeed again?]

‘...’

Park So-Yeon read the news article closely. Below the article, there was a picture of Young-Joon standing with Celligener. He was standing next to a middle-aged man, and there was a surprisingly beautiful woman standing to Young-Joon’s right. She even caught Park So-Yeon’s eye.

There was a caption below the picture.

[Choi Yeon-Ho, Celligener’s CEO, Ryu Young-Joon, A-Bio’s CEO, and Song Ji-Hyun, the scientist who developed Cellicure.]

‘Song Ji-Hyun...?’

A little while later, the fourth most searched-up keyword became Song Ji-Hyun. It was for no other reason than the fact that she was so beautiful in the picture she took with Young-Joon. Reporters began releasing articles about her as they saw that she was attracting attention.

[Who is Song Ji-Hyun, the goddess of the scientific community?]

[The past of Scientist Song Ji-Hyun, the key developer of Cellicure.]

[Picture collection of Scientist Song Ji-Hyun from Cellicure in real life.]

In addition, a bunch of online communities were putting Young-Joon and Song Ji-Hyun together as she was also a scientist with intellect and beauty who had developed an important drug like Cellicure at a young age. Song Ji-Hyun standing beside Young-Joon, who was rewriting history in science, was quite a pretty picture to look at as they had good chemistry. Park So-Yeoo turned off her phone.

* * *

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

“It was huge yesterday. The goddess of the scientific community,” said Young-Joon playfully on the elevator heading to the fourth floor of Sunyoo Hospital.

Song Ji-Hyun’s ears reddened.

“Ah... It’s too much.”

“You’ve become a star on Instagram,” Young-Joon said jokingly.

“I don’t even use social media nowadays, but reporters keep taking photos of me from the past and writing articles with it...”

“It was when you were younger. No wonder you look a little different now.”

“Really? Do I look different? A lot different?”

“I worked with you for a long time, but goddess? You are pretty, but are you

that

pretty...”

Young-Joon tilted his head in puzzlement as a joke.

“Hey.” Song Ji-Hyun poked his shoulder like she was disappointed

“But to be honest, I was a little frustrated,” she said.

“Really?”

“When A-Gen stole Cellicure, I reported it to the Pharmaceutical Association and to reporters. I tried really hard to expose A-Gen for being evil. No one paid any attention, but I am on the most searched-up keywords with just a few photos. It feels so meaningless.”

“That’s true.”

“And they don’t even care about the fact that an important drug like this is going into Phase Two of clinical trials on an actual child.”

“They will pay attention to that from now on, if we are successful in treating the patient,” Young-Joon said.

The two went to Lee Yoon-Ah’s room. It was the first day that Cellicure was being administered. Professor Kim Chun-Jung called Young-Joon and Song Ji-Hyun as the technology advisors.

A moment later, Kim Chun-Jung was getting ready to administer Cellicure in the patient room. Lee Yoon-Ah was laying still on her bed after multiple rounds of check-ups. Kim Hyo-Jin, who was sitting beside the bed, continuously stroked her head.

Lee Yoon-Ah glanced at Young-Joon when he and Song Ji-Hyun approached her.

“Mister,” Lee Yoon-Ah said.

“Yeah?”

“My mom told me to say thank you.”

“... Tell that to her over here.”

Young-Joon pointed at Song Ji-Hyun.

“Thank you,” Lee Yoon-Ah said.

Then, the drip was changed to the one containing Cellicure. Kim Chun-Jung was about to turn the infusion pump and inject Cellicure into Lee Yoon-Ah’s body. When her hand touched the pump...

[Synchronization Mode: Observe Metastasis. Fitness consumption: 5.3]

Metastasis referred to the phenomenon where the tumor cells spread and caused a new tumor in another location.

“Professor, a moment...”

Young-Joon took Kim Chun-Jung outside the patient room.

“Did the cancer cells spread anywhere?”

“No?” Kim Chun-Jung said like she didn’t know what Young-Joon was talking about.

“Stop the administration for a moment,” Young-Joon said to her and went back inside.

In end-stage liver cancer patients, there were some cases where the large tumor ruptured and caused internal bleeding in the organs. Then, the immune response would be promoted and the patient could die from shock. As such, it was better to conduct the tumor destruction strategically in the treatment process as the patient could be put in danger if it was done recklessly.

The administration method Young-Joon set up right now was a treatment method against cancer in the liver. It would be different if it metastasized to other places. Cellicure had the ability to find cancer cells, and they would look for and destroy the metastasized regions. There was no telling what side effects would happen based on the location and the level of metastasis.

1. Indel is short for insertion or deletion, which is a deletion or insertion of nucleotides in the DNA, causing a variant. ?