Chen Yiqing was silent.
He slowly took off his glasses, took out a piece of glasses cloth from his pocket, and began to wipe them carefully.
His movements were extremely gentle, and there was a hint of sadness on his face, as if he was lost in memories.
After a while, he let out a long sigh before speaking, using a deep voice to tell a story from the past that was deep in his heart.
"Actually, the reason is very simple. My grandma was also a patient with Alzheimer's disease."
“The year she was diagnosed, I was a senior in high school, and the word Alzheimer’s entered my life, and for the next twenty years, I lived for it.”
"Grandma was already seventy years old at the time. In fact, she had shown some signs in the past few years. Her memory was declining rapidly, and she often forgot what she ate and what she did. This was already a stage of mild cognitive impairment. But She could still recognize her family members at that time, but everyone didn't understand this and thought it was just a natural phenomenon that occurs when the elderly get older."
"After her memory impairment began to affect her life, my father took her to see a doctor and the case was diagnosed. By this time, mild dementia had begun. Since my grandfather had passed away, my mother began to take care of her, and I witnessed it with my own eyes. Everything she went through.”
"I've seen memory loss, personality changes, emotional loss, being unable to find a home, etc., etc., and I know that she will continue to deteriorate until she completely loses the ability to take care of herself and can no longer remember anything. A family member was ultimately killed by organ failure."
"At that time, I vowed to be a doctor and cure her completely. But then I accidentally entered the Huaqing Department of Chemistry. This path was actually better, and it was directed towards the end of therapeutic drugs, so I secretly made up my mind. We are determined to develop drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease so that grandma can fully recover as soon as possible.”
"Unfortunately, the ideal is full, but the reality is extremely skinny. The more crazily I study, the more I understand the horror of this disease, and I deeply feel my own powerlessness. What a terrible devil, human beings actually find There’s no way to deal with it.”
"I go home every year to visit my grandma, and every year she gets a little more serious, which fuels my desire to work even more."
"After graduating with my Ph.D., I declined some scientific research positions in universities and directly entered the industry, joining Pfizer's project team and working hard to develop new drugs for Alzheimer's disease."
"At the beginning, I had great expectations for this, and the project team did make some progress. However, these efforts were insignificant in the face of the ultimate goal. After a few years, the research and development of new drugs is still far away, and the huge investment has made it difficult The pharmaceutical giants are also struggling. Most importantly, we have never been able to find the critical node, which is a complete disappointment to the board of directors."
“What followed was all the familiar stuff: halting projects, making announcements, and layoffs.”
"I was really disappointed at the time. I felt that all my efforts were in vain and my greatest hope was taken away. My former colleagues left sadly one by one. Everyone shook their heads and sighed before leaving. Everyone was advising me. Chen, give up, this road is a dead end, and with the current level of science and technology of mankind, there is no hope for the time being."
His voice became high-pitched, with a hint of sarcasm and indignation in his tone.
"The funny thing is, not only was I not laid off, I was promoted. Maybe because I worked so hard, I was considered an excellent employee in the eyes of the senior management. Haha, I was actually asked to be responsible for neuromuscular atrophy. drug development."
"It's a pity that they don't know that I am working hard to develop new drugs for Alzheimer's disease. What does the development of other drugs have to do with me? No matter how successful the research and development is, will it save my grandma's life?"
He suddenly sneered, put his glasses back on, and continued.
"With Pfizer's resources, we can actually continue research and development. After all, Roche and Johnson & Johnson have not given up, right?"
"Damn capitalists, short-sighted and eager for quick success and quick gains. Their eyes can only see so far as their feet, and they are completely unable to see the tens of millions of patients waiting for help in the distance."
"Just after Pfizer gave up, my grandma also passed away in China. Just as I expected, she died of complications caused by organ failure."
Chen Yiqing clenched his fists and dug his nails into his flesh, but he felt nothing. He just continued to speak, speaking faster and faster, as if he wanted to say everything that followed in one breath.
"She lived for sixteen years. In the next ten years, she didn't recognize us at all and couldn't take care of herself."
"But she is actually lucky to live for such a long time, because the average survival time of most patients is only 5-10 years."
"In the past sixteen years, thanks to my mother's hard work, my mother has taken care of her for sixteen years. From her forties to her sixties, she spent all her time taking care of her. How many sixteen years are there in life? They both suffered so much and there was nothing I could do."
"I couldn't even be by my mother's side to help her take care of my grandma. I could only stay far away on the other side of the ocean and make a few phone calls a week. Other than that, I couldn't help at all. In the end, it was even more... Nothing gets accomplished.”
"I suffered a double blow at that time. I was disheartened, my hopes were shattered, and I was completely disappointed with foreign pharmaceutical companies, so I went back to China directly."
"However, Alzheimer's disease has completely become a knot in my mind. I still want to continue the research and development of new drugs in this area. Although my grandma can no longer use it, I know the devastating blow this disease brings to a family. I want other families to be free from this disease."
"The research and development of new drugs in China is very hot, and there are many opportunities in the market. I chose a start-up company that seemed very sincere. At the time, I thought very simply. Since chemists cannot make the final decision on the research and development projects of foreign giants, then I will Go to a start-up company and work hard. Only start-up companies have the spirit to make the decision."
"Haha, I thought I knew enough about capitalists. Unexpectedly, after returning to China, I found that I still overestimated their bottom line."
"I've already said the next thing once, so I won't repeat it again. In short, I don't know how they developed new drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease. All this has nothing to do with me, and I won't comment on anyone. Responsible for efficacy.”
"However, they are quite worthy of me in terms of money and have no debt, so I can't comment on their new drugs. After all, they have completed the third phase of clinical trials and have been listed on the medical insurance. I guess they will be more or less effective. .”
"Of course, as a human being, I won't tell these facts publicly unless necessary."
"Anyway, I left a long time ago, and everything that happens next has nothing to do with me."
Chen Yiqing finally finished speaking. He calmed down, looked at Wei Kang who had been speechless for a long time, and asked softly.
"Mr. Wei, this is my personal reason."
"How is it? Are you satisfied?"
"It's your turn, tell me your answer."
