This talk was given during the pre-event Symposium on Biotechnology in Healthcare by the Food and Development Administration of the Philippines. Almost all of the medical innovations (i.e. medicine, vaccines, diagnostic tests etc) that are available to us are products of years of basic science and clinical research. Medical innovations have resulted in improved health and quality of life worldwide. These medical breakthroughs do not happen overnight. They require years of research and discovery and a huge amount of financial support to fund research facilities and human resources. This talk will introduce the long process of how biotechnology research is translated into clinics and public health. Current medical biotechnology researches in the Philippines and abroad will also be discussed. Some of the current medical biotechnology researches being conducted in the Philippines include rapid dengue diagnostic kits, Philippine herbal medicines, and Filipino cardiovascular genetics. These researches continuously revolutionize healthcare in the Philippines. Likewise, groundbreaking biotechnology researches from all other countries also open up new treatment and prevention for different diseases such as HIV, cancer, and metastases. These researches continue to advance modern medicine to address health and development issues worldwide. Continuous partnership and collaboration among the academe, industry, and the government is crucial in supporting more medical biotechnology researches that will provide cheaper and more efficient diagnostics, vaccines and medicines.

1. Medical Breakthroughs
from the “Baliw na Baliw sa
(Biotechnology) Research”

2. ◉ Scientific translation: from bench to bedside to population
◉ Medical biotechnology researches in the Philippines
○ Dengue diagnostic kit
○ Philippine herbal medicines
○ Filipino cardiovascular genetics
◉ Medical biotechnology researches around the world
○ Preclinical study of CRISPR technology to eliminate HIV in mice
○ Potential drug for breast cancer-related brain metastases
○ HPV vaccine decreased cervical diseases (cancer)
Outline

4. Scientific
breakthroughs
do not happen
overnight!
Source: https://www.vox.com/2016/7/14/12016710/science-challeges-research-funding-peer-review-process

5. From Bench to Bedside and on to Populations
Source:
◉ It takes too long to glean
health benefits from
scientific discoveries.
◉ Scientific translation
happens along a spectrum:
from bench to bedside and on
to populations.
Source: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/clinical-translational-science-institute.aspx

6. Innovations need time
Source: https://healthcare.utah.edu/huntsmancancerinstitute/news/2019/03/recent-progress-in-clinical-trials.php

7. Innovations
need money
Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/12/how-much-countries-spend-on-r-d

8. Partners in Medical Biotechnology Research in the Philippines
Source: http://www.step-tempus.net/content/university-industry-liaison-offices

10. Medical
biotechnology
researches in the
Philippines
https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1112685

11. DIAGNOSTICS
Affordable rapid
test kit for
accurate
detection of
dengue

12. Dengue Outbreak in
the Philippines
Source https://www.rappler.com/nation/237196-doh-declares-national-
dengue-epidemic-august-2019
◉ Department of Health
reports a total of 146,062
dengue cases from January
to July 2019
◉ 622 people have died due to
dengue as of July 20 this year

13. Challenges with Dengue Infection
Source: : http://pchrd.dost.gov.ph/index.php/programs-and-services/create-article/6375-biotek-m-dengue-detection-kit
◉ Dengue is dangerous when not
treated early.
◉ The standard test for dengue,
PCR test, costs from P7,000-
8,000, a cost too high to bear by
the marginalized sector who
are the most affected by dengue
infection.
◉ It also takes at least 24 hours to
know the results.

14. Biotek M Dengue Diagnostic Kit
Source: http://pchrd.dost.gov.ph/index.php/programs-and-services/create-article/6375-biotek-m-dengue-detection-kit
◉ A confirmatory test for diagnosis of
dengue infection in the first 0-5 days of
illness, and results would be known in an
hour or less.
◉ Designed to be used in hospitals or clinics
with minimal laboratory facilities
◉ Less admissions for dengue-suspected
cases, therefore saving resources for both
hospital and patients.
◉ As efficient but is less costly than PCR
technology used in dengue detection.

15. Molecular-Based Amplification Technologies
Source: https://manila-healthtek.com/

16. THERAPEUTICS
Philippine herbal
medicines

17. 4 billion people
80% of the World population presently use
herbal medicine for primary healthcare (World
Health Organization)
1,500 plant species
Used by traditional herbalists as medicines in the
Philippines

18. National Integrated Research Program on Medicinal Plants
Source: http://nih.upm.edu.ph/institute/institute-herbal-medicine
ONGOING RESEARCHES
◉ Effect of QA001 (herbal plant) and MC001
(herbal plant) on selected parasites
◉ Effect of lyophilized aqueous BB01 (herbal
plant) on steroid induced ocular hypertensive
rabbit
◉ Phase 3 Clinical Trials: Safety and Efficacy of
CR001 (herbal plant) Syrup compared with
Dicycloverine Syrup Among Pediatric Patients
with Mild to Moderate Gastrointestinal
Colic/Pain Secondary to Acute
Gastroenteritis

19. Ascof Lagundi
Source: Maramba-Lazarte CC. Trials and Triumphs in Herbal Medicine Research: The NIRPROMP Experience.
◉ Lagundi is clinically proven cough and
asthma medicine in tablet and syrup
form.
◉ The development of modern lagundi-
based medicine was the result of the
herbal medicine research and
development (R&D) that has been
continuously undertaken by National
Integrated Research Program on
Philippine Medicinal Plants (NIRPROMP).

20. Sambong Releaf Forte Capsules
Source: Maramba-Lazarte CC. Trials and Triumphs in Herbal Medicine Research: The NIRPROMP Experience.
◉ Anti-urolithiasis and diuretic drug
derived and developed from Sambong, an
indigenous plant in the Philippines
◉ One of ten natural products, all clinically
tested and developed by the NIRPROMP.
○ 25 years of research and development, with
P85M funding from DOST
○ Licensing to Pascual Laboratories, Inc., with
estimated annual sales of P1 Billion for Sambong
and Lagundi drugs

21. Development of Six Philippine Herbal Medicine
Source: http://nih.upm.edu.ph/institute/institute-herbal-medicine

22. DIAGNOSTICS AND
THERAPEUTICS
Filipino genetic markers
related to CVD and
response to treatment

23. Burden of Cardiovascular in the Philippines
Source: https://psa.gov.ph/vital-statistics/id/138794

24. Lack of Cardiovascular Genetics Studies in the Philippines
Source: https://pgc.up.edu.ph/research-development/program-on-health/genomic-research-on-hypertension-coronary-artery-disease-and-dyslipidemia-towards-the-
development-of-individualized-diagnostic-and-therapeutic-strategies/
◉ Genetic studies offer the opportunity to
optimize diagnosis and treatment of
individuals with cardiovascular diseases.
◉ There is “insufficient pharmacogenetic
and genetic susceptibility data among
Filipinos.”
◉ Through studying genetic markers,
treatments costs may decrease, and
ineffective chronic therapy may be
diminished because of guided treatment.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Philippines#/media/File:Flag_of_the_Philippines.svg

25. Cardiovascular Genetics Program
Source: https://www.up.edu.ph/index.php/pgc-holds-1st-national-genomics-conference/
◉ Cardiovascular Genetics program is a pilot
and pioneering candidate gene approach to
characterize the Filipino population
regarding susceptibility to cardiovascular
conditions as well as drug response.
◉ The results of this study will provide insights
on possible mechanisms that govern the
pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases
among Filipinos
◉ It will also guide future directions and
priorities for such studies in the future
https://www.genengnews.com/insights/at-the-heart-of-the-matter-the-genomics-
underlying-cardiovascular-disease/

26. Medical
biotechnology
researches
around the world
https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1192476

27. Preclinical study of
CRISPR technology to
eliminate HIV in mice

28. HIV/AIDS Epidemic Trends in the Philippines
Source: Department of Health Epidemiology Bureau. HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines April 2019.
◉ The Philippines has been ranked as the country with the fastest growing
number of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) cases in the world, the
Joint United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) bared Monday.

29. CRISPR Technology
Source: businessinsider.com/how-crispr-is-revolutionizing-biology-2015-10?IR=T

30. CRISPR Eliminates HIV in Mouse Study

31. CRISPR Eliminates HIV in Mouse Study
◉ Sequential LASER ART and
CRISPR-Cas9 demonstrate viral
clearance in latent infectious
reservoirs in HIV-1 infected
humanized mice.
◉ HIV-1 subgenomic DNA fragments
are excised in vivo, resulting in
elimination of integrated proviral
DNA
◉ Virus is not detected in blood,
lymphoid tissue, bone marrow and
brain

32. Clinical trial of potential
drug for breast cancer-
related brain metastases

33. Burden of Breast Cancer in the Philippines
Source: Department of Health Epidemiology Bureau. HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines April 2019.
Incidence of cancer among Filipino
women in 2018
Deaths due to cancer among Filipino
women in 2014

34. Metastatic Breast Cancer Remains Incurable
Source: Gobbini et al., 2018. Time trends of overall survival among metastatic breast cancer patients in the real-life ESME cohort. European Journal of Cancer 96: 17-24
◉ Metastatic breast cancer
(MBC) remains a lethal disease
with only 5% of patients
achieving long-term disease
control.
◉ Brain metastases tend to be
chemotherapy-resistant
because they occur late in the
natural history of breast
cancer and by that point the
breast cancer is already
chemotherapy-resistant.
https://www.genengnews.com/news/primary-breast-tumors-put-the-brakes-on-metastases/

35. Potential drug for breast cancer-related brain metastases
Source: Gobbini et al., 2018. Time trends of overall survival among metastatic breast cancer patients in the real-life ESME cohort. European Journal of Cancer 96: 17-24
◉ Neratinib plus capecitabine
is active against refractory,
HER2-positive breast cancer
brain metastases.
◉ Median progression-free
survival was 3.1 to 5.5.
months and the median
survival was 13.3 to 15.1
months
https://www.genengnews.com/news/primary-breast-tumors-put-the-brakes-on-metastases/

36. Potential drug for breast cancer-related brain metastases
Source: Gobbini et al., 2018. Time trends of overall survival among metastatic breast cancer patients in the real-life ESME cohort. European Journal of Cancer 96: 17-24
◉ Neratinib is a tyrosine
kinase inhibitor (TKI)
indicated as an oral
extended adjuvant therapy
for patients with HER2-
positive breast cancer
following prior treatment
with postoperative
trastuzumab (Herceptin).
https://www.genengnews.com/news/primary-breast-tumors-put-the-brakes-on-metastases/

37. Implementation of HPV
vaccination decreased
cervical diseases

38. Burden of Cervical Cancer in the Philippines
Source: Bruni L et al. 2019. ICO/IARC Information Centre on HPV and Cancer (HPV Information Centre). Human Papillomavirus and Related Diseases in Philippines.
◉ About 7,190 new cervical
cancer cases are diagnosed
annually in Philippines (2018).
◉ 2nd leading cause of female
cancer in Philippines
◉ About 4,088 cervical cancer
deaths occur annually in
Philippines (2018).
◉ 3rd leading cause of female
cancer deaths in Philippines
https://seriousmd.com/blog/guide-philippine-cervical-cancer-awareness-month-may/

39. Cervical Cancer Can Be Effectively Prevent
Source: http://www.bccdc.ca/about/news-stories/stories/2018-hpv-school-vaccination

40. Impact of HPV Vaccination to Cervical Diseases
Source: Drolet M et al., 20

41. HPV Vaccination in the Philippines
Source: Guerrero AM et al. 2015. A cost-utility analysis of cervical cancer screening and human papillomavirus vaccination in the Philippines. BMC Public Health 15:730
Germar MJ et al. 2019. Cost-effectiveness analysis of AS04-adjuvanted human papillomavirus 16/18 vaccine compared with human papillomavirus 6/11/16/18 vaccine in the Philippines, with the new 2-dose schedule.
Human Vaccine & Immunotherapeutics 13(5): 1158-1166
◉ Adding an HPV vaccination
program in the Philippines
can save lives and can also
potentially be cost-effective in
the Philippines.

42. HPV Vaccination in the Philippines
Source: Bruni L et al. 2019. ICO/IARC Information Centre on HPV and Cancer (HPV Information Centre). Human Papillomavirus and Related Diseases in Philippines.

43. Ang sabi ko
BAKIT BALIW
NA BALIW KAYO
SA RESEARCH?
Source: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/06/13/1926200/poll-topnotcher-villar-spends-p1355-m-senatorial-campaign

44. Bakit dapat baliw na baliw tayo sa research?
Why should we be gaga over research?
Source: https://otago.libguides.com/research_publishing_impact; https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/authors/impact/index.htm

45. Any questions ?
You can reach me at
◉ ogtantengco@up.edu.ph
Thanks!