Chapter 71: The Conqueror of AIDS (5)

Chapter 71: The Conqueror of AIDS (5)

The conference room at the Conrad was filled with silence. Everyone was confused because it was such an outlandish idea.

Tedros was the first one to speak and break the silence.

“First of all, our organization does not seek profit,” he said. “The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the UN for healthcare. It is our job to guide and coordinate international health affairs to ultimately improve health universally. Your project to eradicate HIV... Of course we will do it. But what I’m curious about is...”

Tedros bit his lip.

“Is that really possible? You said you would eradicate HIV, but the idea of making a vaccine is shocking, but to lower the production cost to 0.1 percent of the current treatment?”

“Both ideas are possible. We will develop the vaccine using the facilities at A-Gen and start clinical trials this year. Karamchand can produce the treatment in mass quantities.”

“About that treatment. You said it was called Karampia? The one we are selling.” Sachet interrupted and asked.

“Yes,” Young-Joon replied.

“You said that you will synthesize the drug within yeast cells?”

“To be exact, we are only extracting and using the materials involved in the polymerization system in the yeast cell.”This chapter made its debut appearance via N0v3lB1n.

Sachet was lost in thought. Karampia was a replica drug of Fuzeon, Roche’s AIDS treatment. It interfered with the mechanism of the cell membrane and the structure on the surface of the virus fusing together as HIV infected the white blood cell. It was in the spotlight in many countries as it had minimal side effects, it worked well, and there was minimal drug resistance as well.

But the production process was extremely picky. This drug was a very large, complex chemical that had a long centipede-like molecular structure. Each part was one chemical molecule, and they had to be synthesized one by one through chemical reactions, like building Lego. After thirty-six steps, it was complete. It had thirteen steps that took about a month, and countless scientists were worked to the bone for this.

“But Doctor Ryu, if this really succeeds and we destroy AIDS, how long will that take?” Sachet asked.

“I don’t know. It depends on how many countries our Director-General can get support from and how active he can get them to be,” Young-Joon replied. “If it’s really fast, three years. If we’re slow, it’ll take decades.”

“Let’s just say that it takes three years. If HIV is eradicated, wouldn’t one of our pipelines disappear?” Sachet said. “And to be honest, I’m not confident that we will be able to secure our livelihood in three years. Unlike A-Bio, we don’t have the monstrous pace of research that can print out new drug candidates every few months.”

“That’s true. You could be put in a difficult position.”

“I’m sorry for being so crude, but if the technology you told us about is really true, this is a very dangerous variable for us, not good news.”

“I understand, and that’s why it’s a relief, right? You found out right now that a technology that can destroy your company,” Young-Joon said. “Some places like Roche might be unsuspecting and take a huge hit to their sales, but Karamchand has time to prepare.”

To be honest, Sachet knew as well; he didn’t have a choice in this matter. It seemed like Young-Joon was asking for his cooperation, but Young-Joon was giving Karamchand, who was destined to become unemployed from more advanced technologies, a last chance.

Young-Joon had nothing to lose. He could just push back their three-year plan to eradicate HIV for fifteen years and do it himself at A-Gen. It will take a long time for A-Gen to do it as they had never touched the AIDS drug industry, but that also meant that it wouldn’t affect their company sales even if AIDS was destroyed. The reason why Young-Joon was presenting Karamchand with this offer was because it was the shortest way to eradicate AIDS and a way to save time.

If Karamchand lost Young-Joon, it was obvious that the one who would be unsuspecting and take a huge hit to their sales would be Karamchand, not Roche. But unlike Roche, Karamchand wouldn’t be able to recover from that kind of damage.

“But you don’t have to be that worried,” Young-Joon said with a smile.

“We don’t have to worry?”

“Right now, medicine is moving onto the