澳大新語 • 2022 UMAGAZINE 25 23 封面專題 • COVER STORY Traditional Chinese Medicine-based Innovative Products Currently, three projects based on polysaccharides derived from Chinese medicinal herbs are being developed at UM, namely a dressing for diabetic foot ulcers, a glucomannan coating for bone tissue regeneration, and an alcohol-free and rinse-free antibacterial moisturising hand gel. The research results are being transferred at Genetrump Co, Ltd, a start-up company incubated at UM and partly owned by UMTec Limited. Some of the research results are close to the stage of clinical trials, while some others have been launched on the market. These achievements are the results of a research team at UM’s State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine after a decade of hard work. In 2017, the team founded Genetrump, which moved into UM’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the same year and received the first round of seed investment from UMTec Limited. Technique and quality control are key in the process of transforming research results into finished products. ‘Few medical products are available in the market for treating diabetic ulcers. Our dressing is developed from a natural compound derived from the plant Du Zhong (Eucommia ulmoides) and is effective in improving blood flow to affected areas in laboratory mice. In cases where our medicine is applicable, the dressing has the potential to significantly reduce the need for amputations in diabetic patients,’ says Wang Chunming, associate professor in UM’s Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences and head of the research team for the three projects. Prof Wang is also a recipient of the National Science Fund for Outstanding Young Scholars from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and he is a ‘Qi-Huang’ Young Scholar recognised by the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. ‘Many people develop osteoporosis as they age. Currently, we can use artificial implants such as titanium implants to strengthen the bones. To improve the integration of the implants and the bone in patients, we have developed a glucomannan coating, in the hope of giving patients the same quality of life as before. Because of the pandemic, we have also developed an antibacterial hand gel that is not only alcohol-free but also skin-friendly. According to tests conducted by a third-party institute, the gel can kill 99 per cent of bacteria and will not make the skin dry after use,’ says Prof Wang. The three research projects are supported by the FDCT and are among the results of the years of development of the Chinese medicine industry in Guangdong and Macao. The projects are also real-life examples of the development of the health industry in Macao with Chinese medicine R&D and production as the entry point. Prof Wang’s team is seizing the opportunity brought by the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin during its development into a world-class centre for Chinese medicine production and innovation. The team is also taking advantage of the industry-academia platforms at the Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute (ZUMRI) and the Macau Institute for Translational Medicine and Innovation to commercialise its research results. The team will begin clinical trials with hospitals in order to launch the products on the market as soon as possible. According to Prof Wang, his team has procured industrial equipment for these three products and will soon set up production lines. ‘We are also confident that these products will help to reduce health problems associated with the ageing population.’ says Prof Wang. Green Building Materials and Related Construction Technique Applied in Zhuhai A construction technique using a special formula of cast-in-place nano-foam concrete developed by UM was tested in a pilot project in September 2021 in Henan province and was proven to be effective. The technique was subsequently applied in March 2022 in a project of China Construction Engineering (Macau) Company Limited in the Zhuhai National Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, during which 5,000 cubic metres of nano-foam concrete was used to backfill a trench between the perimeter of the main structure underground and the maintenance pit. Compared to available materials on the market, UM’s cast-in-place concrete solution uses 30 per cent less cement, significantly reducing material cost and carbon emissions. This specialised concrete has been launched on the market by a building materials company in Zhongshan founded by UM professors and students with the support of ZUMRI. The company has also set up production lines in cities such as Nantong in Jiangsu province and Taiyuan in Shanxi province to produce nano-foam concrete boards, another type of green building material developed by UM. According to Sun Guoxing, associate professor in the Institute of
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQ1NDU2Ng==