Hanyang University. Korea: Though the rate of obesity has been rising in the modern societies,
the development of its cure in the pharmaceutical level used to be slow
in progress. “Contrary to what most people believe, fat itself is not a
problem. If anything, it is a very efficient way to store energy. What
we have to focus on are the social and health problems pertained to
obesity.
” Aside from aesthetics, obesity, especially, abdominal obesity
is an increasing problem, which needs to be cured as fast as possible.
The complications it may cause, such as diabetes may even lead to
death.“However, the existing treatments for obesity, Xenical and
Reductil, are unsatisfactory as it causes discomforts and serious
complications.”The cause of complications and side effects lie in the
fact that given medicine affects not only targeted genes that store fat,
but also non-targeted genes which do not need the treatment.
To raise the efficacy of the medicine, Professor Yong-Hee Kim of the Department of Bioengineering focused on developing a
better carrier. As a result, he and the research associates came up with
Oligopeptide complex. It selectively targets ATS cells, which if
successfully proven safe to use on patients, could solve the
complications that come with obesity. Oligopeptde complex is a
combination of Adiopocyte Targeting Sequence Arginine (ATS-9R) and Fatty
Acid-Binding Protein-4 Short Hairpin RND (shFABPs). ATS-9R has specific
binding to fat vasculature and internalization, thus increases the
delivery of anti-obese drug to the target genes. shRNA reduces the
storage of excess fat by silencing fatty-acid-binding protein 4
(shFABP4). “Treatment of obese mice with ATS-9R/shFABP4 led to metabolic
recovery and body-weight reduction. The oligopeptide complex could
prove to be safe therapeutic approach to regress and treat obesity as
well as obesity-induced metabolic syndromes,” Kim states in his article.
When such technology is invented, it takes a long time for it to be
available in the market. “Since it needs to go through animal testing
from small mammals to big and more complicated ones gradually to finally
be able to conducted on a person, testing itself takes about 10 years,”
Kim explained. Not only it takes a lot of time and effort, it also
costs 50 to 100 billion won. “However, once in the market, this kind of
technology sells itself. Once proven, the worth of such original
technology will be very high.”
For now, Kim’s goal is seeing his medicine available in the market.
“As a researcher, it would be an honor to be able to help the field of
medicine in the world with the medicine or technology I’ve developed,”
he said. As a professor, he also intends to put as much effort as
possible into educating and fostering students. “If the delivery tool we
have developed gets into pharmaceutical production, it would satisfy
both my dreams as a researcher and a professor. My students and I are
going to get seed money for further research. It may not happen in the
near future. But I’ll move forward toward my dream as far as I can.”