CMED Industry Forum Series
The CMED Industry Forum Series is one of the new initiatives at HKJCICM to foster exchanges on topical areas relevant to the CM industry, disseminate R&D news and milestones of our funded projects, and expand our reach to key stakeholders – from policy makers, researchers, industrialists to investment and business professionals.
DNA and Chemical Technology for Authentication and Quality Assessment of Chinese Medicinal Materials
HKJCICM held a forum on 30 March 2007 under the them of “DNA and Chemical Technology for Authentication and Quality Assessment of Chinese Medicinal Materials” as its first CMED Industry Forum this year at Hong Kong Science Park. The forum attracted about 70 attendees from the government, public-sector organisations, professional societies, CM and industrial associations, academia and companies. According to HKJCICM’s research partners Professor PC Shaw and Professor Paul But of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, a total of 846 unique DNA sequences from 113 herbal species belonging to 20 groups of selected Chinese medicinal materials (CMMs) have been generated to date. The technologies and the databases (to be developed) would be useful tools for enhancing quality control of CMMs.
Chinese Medicine for Cardiovascular Disease (CVDs)
HKJCICM held another forum at Hong Kong Science Park on 15 June 2007 as its second CMED Industry Forum this year. Held under the theme “Chinese Medicine for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Cardiovascular Disease (CVDs)”, the forum attracted about 100 attendees from the government, public-sector organisations, professional societies, CM and industrial associations, academia and companies. Four media agencies sent journalists to cover the forum.
Given the unmet medical needs, HKJCICM has engaged the research team at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to develop new or improved medicines based on Radix Puerariae for treating myocardial ischemia / angina. The SFDA has approved an improved Chinese medicine-based formulation based on the phospholipid complex of puerarin (patent pending) for entering clinical research. Pre-clinical studies have demonstrated the safety and quality of the products, paving their ways to enter the mainland and eventually the international markets. A composite formula containing Radix Puerariae is also being developed for potential treatment of hyperlipidemia.
Chinese Medicine for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
HKJCICM has engaged two research teams at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Baptist University to study the effect of a Chinese medicine formula (patent pending) on the effects of patients suffering from IBS. The CM formula has been tested in double-blind and placebo-controlled trial that showed promising effects. Besides subjective improvement experienced by patients using a validated quality of life clinical evaluation protocol, a change in brain activation using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique, has been demonstrated.
Positive Feedback Received
The turnout of two forums was good and the institute received positive feedback from the attendees. Dr Edmund Lee, Executive Director of HKJCICM said, “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Institute of Chinese Medicine is making steadfast progress in pursuit of its public mission to advance the modernisation and internationalisation of Chinese medicine. We are trying to organize more such forum for the benefit of CM sector”.
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