After Jian Jianyun read the information, he immediately drove to the neuroscience laboratory to discuss the treatment plan with Chen Yiqing.
"Typical ALS patients show a reduction and atrophy of spinal cord anterior horn cells, accompanied by gliosis, under a microscope."
"The pathological changes are obvious, with extensive structural damage to the spinal cord. The anterior horn of the spinal cord, pyramidal tract, and posterior spinocerebellar tract all have loss of neuronal cells and proliferation of glial cells."
"Most patients with ALS have clinical manifestations similar to spinal muscular atrophy at the beginning, such as weakness in the limbs."
"At this time, the function of the medulla is not affected, only the motor nerves of the spinal cord and limbs are affected."
"As the disease progresses, it eventually enters the brain, causing bulbar paralysis, resulting in loss of muscle control over internal organs, such as difficulty swallowing, inability to breathe, etc., and eventually suffocation and death."
"It can be said that nerve damage in the spinal cord is the key to treating ALS."
“Even if it cannot be completely treated, it can greatly delay the progression of ALS and extend the patient’s life.”
"If you could treat spinal cord injury, you could very well be able to arrest the patient's condition from the beginning and keep it in its early stages, and that's what stem cell therapy is all about."
Chen Yiqing's excited voice echoed in the laboratory, describing his major discovery.
Jian Jianyun listened carefully, frowning from time to time, as if thinking about a difficult problem, and then relaxed again, as if the questions in his heart had been answered.
When she heard this, a light flashed in her eyes and a heavy joy appeared on her face.
"Your idea makes sense. The medical community has never had a good way to deal with the terminal disease of ALS."
"The cause and target are still unclear, and there are no drugs or methods that can prevent the progression of the disease."
"We can only watch the patient slowly develop from the early stage to the terminal stage and eventually die within 3-5 years."
"The scary thing about ALS is that it slowly deprives the limbs of their ability to move, as if they are frozen, and the patient can only endure all this happening. This almost cruel change often makes The patient is suffering internally.”
"There are several hypotheses about the cause, but they are just hypotheses and cannot be confirmed."
"The only thing we know is that it's mainly caused by damage to motor neurons. As for what exactly causes damage to motor neurons, we still don't know."
"The initial weakness of the limbs and even paralysis is mainly due to damage to the motor neurons in the spinal cord. In the later stages, the disease invades the brainstem and infects the medulla oblongata."
"The medulla oblongata mainly controls the operation of internal organs and body functions. If the motor neurons in this area are damaged, the muscles of various organs in the body will not be able to control normally, leading to the death of the patient."
"As long as the patient's condition is controlled in the spinal cord and does not travel up to the brain and infect the medulla oblongata, the patient's life will not be in danger."
"Stem cell gene combination therapy can potentially protect diseased motor neurons in the patient's spinal cord. Even if it cannot be completely cured, it can allow the patient to live for a few more years, or even maintain the original condition."
"In this way, the disease is under control, and the patient can at least survive."
Chen Yiqing smiled and said: "That's exactly what I thought. The medulla oblongata is in the brainstem, so treatment is very difficult. Our research is not in-depth enough."
"To completely cure ALS, it is inevitable to find the real cause. We may still have a long way to go, but this does not affect our current treatment."
"Although stem cell transplantation to treat spinal cord damage can only treat the symptoms but not the root cause, and the patient is likely to relapse, at least we have taken a crucial step."
"At least humans are no longer helpless."
"Think about the history of medical development. Isn't this how we deal with any disease?"
"In the beginning there was no way, but then the condition slowly eased, and finally a breakthrough was achieved and a complete cure was achieved."
Jian Lian Yun was instantly moved and nodded repeatedly: "That's the truth."
"Other institutions also use stem cell therapy to treat ALS, but they all use mesenchymal stem cells. They have not yet achieved accurate results, and the results are far from as good as yours."
"I am very optimistic about your treatment plan. The ethics committee has also approved it. Once the data is submitted, it is expected to be reviewed soon and clinical research can be carried out."
"By the way, your stem cell transplant should also be able to treat some acute spinal cord injuries, right?"
"Have you considered any clinical trial plans in this area?"
Chen Yiqing nodded involuntarily, but after pondering for a moment, he immediately shook his head.
"Stem cell therapy is definitely effective in the treatment of acute spinal cord injury, at least in rats and some animals."
"The treatment effect for old spinal cord injuries has not yet been officially carried out, and it is not particularly optimistic at the moment."
"I still need further research in this area, hoping to get better treatment options. I already have some preliminary ideas."
"Another reason is that the recovery period for spinal cord injuries is relatively long and the differences between patients are large, which is not conducive to rapid market launch."
"Therefore, I only plan to apply for this treatment plan for ALS. Of course, after it is launched, I will definitely carry out this treatment during the Phase IV clinical supplementary trials."
Jian Jian Yun showed an expression of sudden realization: "Yes, you are an enterprise. Of course, you must consider efficiency and output ratio first."
"The treatment of acute spinal cord injury takes a long time, and there are other treatments. A double-blind comparative experiment will take too long."
"Unlike ALS, there is no particularly effective treatment. As long as it is proven to be able to alleviate the condition, it can pass the review and be put on the market as soon as possible through a fast track to benefit the majority of patients."
The two parties discussed together and quickly finalized how to select patients and subsequent treatments, and formulated a precise clinical trial plan.
****
Sichuan Province, Chengdu City.
An orange mountain bike that had been polished was leaning against the wall, with a packing bag and a hat hanging on the front of the bike. There was no stain on the wheels.
This 30-square-meter single room is filled with large and small pillows and cushions, which can relieve the body's numbness when the owner of the room sits or lies down.
Ma Jun was sitting on the sofa in a daze. His back and legs were elevated, and his body formed a U shape. He looked at the ceiling and seemed to be lost in thought.
On the coffee table in front of him, there was an empty porcelain cup, with a thick notebook and a water-based pen next to it.
On the bookshelf behind the sofa, there are postcards of giant pandas and stacks of medicines.
After a while, Ma Jun's pupils returned to focus. These short few minutes were extremely long to him.
Because he finally made a decision.
"I have been to many cities, including Lhasa, Ulu, Binshi, Haishi, Beijing, Hangzhou, Jinling... My biggest dream was to ride to Tibet."
Ma Jun murmured to himself like he was dreaming, and tears slowly fell from the corners of his eyes.
But he didn't seem to notice it, and his eyes turned to the mountain bike leaning against the wall, with strong attachment in his eyes.
This was his most treasured possession. Once upon a time, he rode it through the streets of Chengdu and the rugged mountain roads of Aer Village in Wenchuan.
However, after becoming ill, it became increasingly difficult to control the brakes, so the mountain bike was idle.
"Old man, you have been with me for 20 years. I never thought you could retire early."
Ma Jun squeezed out a smile, and tears welled up from the corners of his eyes like spring water.
Each unforgettable picture, through the layers of fog of time, emerges in my mind with incomparable clarity.
Twenty years ago, when the earthquake occurred, he was only 30 years old and had a stable job in Sioux City.
The moment the news came, he immediately set off, went to Sichuan alone, bought this mountain bike, and rushed to the front line of Aer Village.
Day after day, he walked through the winding paths, teaching children in the rebuilt village how to read and write, and started working as a support teacher.
He even adopted a child whose parents had died. After the teaching service ended, he took him back to his hometown to raise him.
Until three years ago, he found that his right hand was gradually becoming numb, so he ran to a nearby orthopedic hospital and was diagnosed with carpal syndrome.
The doctor said that there was something growing in his wrist that was pressing on the nerves and that he needed surgery to remove it, otherwise his hand would be useless.
After the sutures were removed during surgery, his right hand still did not improve, and the same symptoms appeared in his left hand.
Starting last year, numbness in his hands evolved into stiffness in his limbs, and he often fell to the ground.
When walking, my feet would feel pain like a soldering iron, and my knees would feel like they were rusty. I could no longer squat down or stand up even if I squatted down.
Accompanied by his family, he went to Kunming First People's Hospital for medical treatment, and was finally diagnosed with ALS and secondary disability.
After taking the medicine, the numbness in my hands was relieved, and at least my fingers could still move, but the price was uncontrollable pain throughout my body.
The pain felt familiar to him, reminding him of the frostbite he had experienced as a child.
From elementary school to high school, he spent time in the north. What he remembers most deeply is the frostbite on his hands and feet in winter, which recurs every year and is unbearably itchy.
The pain spread from childhood to youth, and now it swept over him at the age of knowing his destiny, making him even more tormented.
The daily painkillers gave him a lot of relief, but the increasing numbness of his body made him understand that life seemed to be constantly draining from his body, and there was not much left.
Then, an idea popped up in my mind uncontrollably.
He took the child who survived the disaster and returned to Chengshi, hoping to revisit his old place and meet his old friends.
He didn't even leave behind his mountain bike, he just brought it over.
The first stop was to go to the Wenchuan Memorial Hall, but the memorial hall was built on a hillside. He could not lift his stiff legs and could not climb up, so he had to be carried up the mountain by his children.
Back in Aer Village, the rugged mountain roads filled with gravel had long been replaced by smooth roads, and dense jungles had grown out of the devastated mountains.
After seeing all this, Ma Jun found that everyone was living a good life. The village where he supported education had also developed a tourism industry, and there was a prosperous atmosphere everywhere.
At this point, he was finally relieved.
When he returned to his rented house in Chengshi, he drank a cup of coffee and felt much better.
Lying on the sofa, I found a comfortable position and spent a few minutes thinking about something.
These few minutes were just a short moment in his life, but they determined the fate of his life.
Ma Jun stretched out his stiff fingers, struggled to pick up the notebook and pen, and put them on his knees.
Opening the first page of the notebook, black writing quickly appeared on it.
Every word is crooked, but each stroke penetrates the back of the paper and is extremely firm.
"My body will be donated to a scientific research hospital, and my corneas will be donated to those in need if they are useful..."
"Because of my illness, many friends, relatives, colleagues, teachers, and elders have helped me a lot. I can't thank you enough, and I can't repay you in return. I can only wish everyone better and better..."
Just two lines, less than 100 words, but I wrote it intermittently for nearly an hour.
When he drew the last period and wrote his name, all the strength in Ma Jun's body seemed to be drained, and he collapsed on the sofa.
In his frozen body, there lived a sincere and powerful soul, supporting him until now.
But this soul is now gradually dissipating and becoming powerless.
The tears on Ma Jun's face had dried, leaving faint traces. He took a deep breath and felt that the air was like stone, solidifying in his lungs, and he had to exert all his strength to spit it out.
He knew very well that his health was getting worse and worse. If he could still move around before entering Sichuan, now it was almost difficult to move.
He could foresee what would happen next.
Although he won't live long, the parts of his body are still healthy. If he can donate them so that more people can survive, he can die without regrets.
At this moment, the door was suddenly pushed open and hit the wall with a loud clang.
Ma Jun's son rushed in with a look of ecstasy and shouted loudly.
"Dad, your illness is cured."
Ma Jun let out an unconscious groan and wanted to look over, but couldn't turn his head.
The son brought up a gust of wind and rushed to his side, holding his hands tightly.
"Dad, I received a call from Director Jian. She is your attending doctor. Do you remember her?"
Ma Jun sniffed and remembered a beautiful figure.
That's a doctor whose soul is more beautiful than his appearance. It's a pity that he couldn't save me, he muttered in his heart.
"Sanqing has developed a drug that can treat ALS. It's called stem cell therapy. It's about to launch a clinical trial. I'll sign you up."
"Director Jian said you are not paralyzed yet and there is no problem with your medulla oblongata. There is a high hope of controlling the condition."
"Dad, I bought a ticket. Let's go back in the afternoon!"
"Tomorrow, tomorrow you can start treatment!"
The son was excited when he suddenly found the notebook on Ma Jun's lap. He picked it up and looked at it, and he suddenly felt sad and angry.
"Dad, why are you like this! It's not the end yet."
"Listen to me, you will definitely survive!"
Listening to his son's roar, Ma Jun nodded slightly, feeling that the long-standing pressure in his chest seemed to disappear.
"I'm sorry, but I have to continue living and can't donate my organs."
He thought to himself, feeling vaguely regretful and feeling sorry for the patients who were waiting so hard for organ transplants.
Without hesitation, his fingers picked up the black water-based pen again.
The tip of the pen slid gently on the paper, and the thick black ink slowly scratched out lines of words.
(End of chapter)
