Recently, the State Food and Drug Administration announced that the new anti-influenza drug salamivir sodium chloride injection has been accelerated through the approval. In Suzhou Bio-Nano Park, Jin Zhizhi Biotech Co., Ltd. successfully completed the gene synthesis of the H7N9 virus, and Jayne Biologicals began to use its unique antibodies specific to more than 10 H7 subtypes and went all out to develop a broad spectrum. The H7 Antigen ELISA Kit, which the company expects to complete in the short term, provides a new tool for clinical and research studies that is rapid, effective, and large-scale detection of H7N9 infection.

Domestic first to complete key gene synthesis
In the early morning of April 2, Liu Weiqiang, the head of the gene synthesis business in Suzhou Jinzhizhi Biotechnology Co., Ltd., received an urgent message from the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention: due to the emergency of the epidemic, he hopes that Jin Zhizhi Biotech Co., Ltd. has acquired The H7N9 virus gene sequence took out the synthetic genes of the key genes of the virus as soon as possible.

On the day of receiving the information, Liu Weiqiang led the R&D personnel of the company's gene synthesis platform to start this tough battle. For the Qingming Holidays, Liu Weiqiang led more than 20 R&D teams to work day and night and finally successfully completed the first batch of viral gene synthesis on the afternoon of the 4th. The news spread to Beijing. Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention dispatched people to Shanghai for the first time. At the same time, the staff of the company also immediately took off from Suzhou to Shanghai with the newly synthesized gene. We handed the synthetics personally to the scientists of the CDC. At noon the following day, the remaining batch of virus genes were successfully completed. So far, after four days and nights, the synthetic genes of the two batches of H7N9 viruses have been successfully delivered to the aircraft on the North.

According to reports, Jinzhizhi Suzhou entered Suzhou BioBay in 2010, focusing on DNA service and biomedical R&D outsourcing services. It has become a strategic partner and preferred supplier to many well-known multinational corporations and famous institutions of higher learning around the world. “Because of the frequent cooperation with the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the accuracy and efficiency of technology and products are our basic requirements. This may be the main reason for them to think of Jin Zhizhi at this critical moment.” Liu Weiqiang told reporters, “Normal The gene synthesis takes at least 2 to 3 weeks. We only completed the task in 4 days, and we took the lead in completing the synthesis of the key genes of the H7N9 bird flu virus in China, and we will not accept any trust."

What are the effects of the synthetic genes of the virus on the prevention and control of the epidemic? According to Liu Weiqiang, viral gene synthesis is the most basic and important step. With it, the H7N9 virus immunodetection reagent can be developed, and structural and functional studies can be performed, thereby using the authority of laboratory evidence to predict the virus's infectious ability, and at the same time lay the foundation for the future production of recombinant vaccines.

Development of large-scale rapid detection tools

In response to the outbreak of H7N9 bird flu in China, at the first instance of the epidemic, Jayne Bio, another company within the Suzhou Bio-Nano Park, began to use specific antibodies specific to the company's more than ten H7 subtypes. , go all out to develop broad-spectrum H7 antigen enzyme-linked (ELISA) detection kit.

According to Min Zhiyong, vice president of global marketing and scientific cooperation of the company, the preliminary results of the development show that it has found highly effective specific antibodies against China's currently circulating H7 virus, which can distinguish between ordinary influenza and H7N9 bird flu. It is expected that the company will complete various tests within a week, providing a new tool for clinical and research that is rapid, effective, and large-scale detection of H7N9 infection. In addition, the company will soon produce the two H7 antigens newly released by the National Center for Disease Control and can be used to develop H7N9 antibody detection ELISA kits for detecting and judging the presence of H7N9-specific antibodies in serum samples of patients.

It is understood that the H7N9 nucleic acid detection kits used throughout the country are only suitable for use as a means of diagnosis in national or provincial-level central laboratories due to their high price and complicated operation. First-line hospitals urgently need a low-cost, simple, and high-sensitivity test kit that can quickly and effectively distinguish between patients with H7N9 infection and seasonal influenza patients in the early stages of infection, and take appropriate treatment measures and measures.

Zhai Zhiyong said that the company developed the broad-spectrum H7 antigen ELISA test kit to fill this gap. It can be widely used in first-line hospitals to detect H7 antigens in serum samples from early influenza patients. It is effective for the early isolation of H7N9 antigen-positive patients. Controlling the epidemic and avoiding the over-treatment of the general flu patients cause economic burdens on the country and society, which have important economic and social significance.