Genomic Technology and Medicine

June 12, 2002
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Genomic Technology and Medicine:
A New Challenge for SME
Dr. Joseph W. O. Tam
The Hong Kong S & T Experiences
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
(billion US$)
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Total Biotech Comp. = ~1300
24 profitable
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
US$84
$HK0.5 billion
$US588
US$13billion
US$900
US$13
US$650
US$234
From Dr. Y.L .LO
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Scientific American, July 2000
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
DNA & Biotech R&D in Hong Kong
1973 Bacteria phage studies (Prof. KK Mak CUHK)
1979 Human Globin (Thalassemia) Disease studies (HKU)
1983 1st International Training Course on rDNA held in HKU

1984
Use of PCR and discovered the 1st new pt. mutation on Globin gene in local patient (HKU), follow by the suggestion to form the center for molecular biology study (IMB of HKU)
1988 Formation of UGC for research funding on many DNA projects
1994 Industrial Support Fund (now the ITF) to support applied research (Diagnostics and National Reference Lab was first proposed in 1995 for HK Biotechnology Industry)
HKBI, Science Parks, Jockey Club ITCM and Facilities & manpower in China
2002 HKU earmark $120 million for Genomics.
supported by the newly formed Croucher Foundation.
During the 1990s almost all higher education Institutions in HK have put genome researches on high priority involving Faculties from Medicine, Science to Engineering and Centers
Sequencing of Genomes
Genomic Research and Applications
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
ＣONCLUSION
Not suitable for Hong Kong:
Takes 10-15 yrs,
>HK$1 billion,
No guarantee of success

Most suitable investment in HK:
HK$5 – 100 millions with > 50% success
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Special cases:

1. Local or regional NEED

2. No Foreign Interest
( No competition)
Examples:
Liver cancer; NPC etc.
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
The Elements of Success
1) The Market place: (growth potential)

2) The Technology:(non replaceable, unique & IP protected)

3) Manpower and Fund

4) Marketing networks for sales.
Finding - “Niche Products & Market”
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
The major consideration
Safety Index
(安全指數)
Profitability Sustaining Index
(持續蠃利指數)
Innovative Ability Index
(創新能力指數)
June 12,2002
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Gene Technologies can be used to understand, modify and explode all organisms for the benefit of mankind:
Human healthcare
Agriculture- increase or redirect food content, nutrients, growth
Forensics- identify criminals, kinships
Environment/ ecology- preservation of life balance
(new creations!)
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Diseases % Avoidable by Life Style Modifications
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
iDNA Technology in April 1999 – as consultant
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
organs
Fertilized egg
Oct. 1, 2000
J. W. O. Tam, Asian Life Resources Ltd
 

R & D DNA
Delivery
 
DNA
Diagnostics
 
Cell
Technology
Cell
Depository
Tissue
Engineering

DNA
Testing
Lab
DNA
Kits
Liver
Diseases
Cell
Targeting



Company operation scheme 
 
Collective labs
In China
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Medical Gene Center Ltd (MGC)
MGC ( 3/2002)
Specialized for DNA testing
Acquired BioMed (4/2002)
Cytogenetic services for prenagncy

Provide the most comprehensive DNA and cytogenetics test covering from prenatal to adults; from disease to forensics to legal
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
MGC 2002 Revenue
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Diagnostics Sales (billion US$)
..
.
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
癌 症
產前診斷
先存症
合計
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Market potential
MGC is the only private lab that offers both Cyto- & DNA Tests in Hong Kong

Prenatal: >35000 birth/yr
DNA Card: 7 million
Cancers
Genetic disease
MGC is now reproducing model labs inside China as standard DNA labs
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Hong Kong DNA Ltd
Developed and produce Fast DNA hybridisation Equipment:
For research lab
diagnostic lab
Schools –general DNA experiments
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Strategy for diagnosis of diseases of complex causes (e.g. Cancer, coronary heart diseases etc)
Gene(S): i) Predisposition
sporadic mutations
ii) Penetrant of mutations:
a) High << 10%
b) generally low and multiple(~90%)
Tumors: circulating cells; solid tumors
Others: sequencing,
Mini-chips, etc.
Genetic: early on-set; late on-set
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
DNA chips and related Companies
* This European Company uses the flow-through hybridization principle USPTO # 5741647 by J. Tam
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Waste out
Membrane
Adding of reagents and hybridization products
Suction
Flow-Through hybridization device
Heat sink which can adjust hybridization temperature
96 reaction wells or any formats
Probes are attached directly underneath the wells
Overall suction flow
Simple, fast, inexpensive can be used anywhere and IP protected
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Flow-Through Hybridization Device
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Potential Application
General :
All that utilize DNA hybridization
Make your own ( in research labs)
Southern (screening etc)
Northern, western (RNA, proteins)
use your imaginations!

Commercial Kits
diagnostics
education
forensics
Types of application
Genetic mutations
Genotyping
Viruses, bacteria, parasite
Herbal; animal etc.
Fingerprinting (ID)
HLA typing

Application capacity
Manual spot: 150 dots/sq In.
Machine sploting > 400/sq in
Miniaturization (PamGene in Europe (formed Dec. 1999) has applied the technology to Microchip )
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
SIBCLONE PHARMA
A SLD subsidiary registered in Hong Kong SAR
MGC-Associate company
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Monoclonal Antibody Production
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Cancer
The No. 2 Killer after Cardiovascular Diseases
50M sufferers in 2000, increasing by about 10M a year
Cancer Pattern is different between Developed and developing countries. Eg.
China U.S. and Europe
Stomach Breast
Liver Lung
Lung Prostate
Intestinal Colon-rectal
Colon-rectal Ovary
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Liver Cancer Market
Apart from Taiwan (1999 Government ). Rest based on IARC 2000
Number of Cases
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
I -131
I - 131
I - 131
MAb
Specific Cell surface antigens
Hepatoma Cells
+
+
How I-131 MAb Works
Beta - Irradiation
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
1992 Trial results
Significant Cyto-reduction
Stage 2 patients – 72.4%
Stage 3 Patients – 54.8%
Alpha-Fetal-Protein levels decreased in 57.3%
1 year survival 44.2%, + resection 75%.
10 years survival rate
Stage 2 patients – 31.4% ( 11 / 35 )
Stage 3 patients – 26.7% ( 8 / 30 )
Few patients still survive to this day ( > 11 years )
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Sales & Profit Forecast
( For China Only : in RMB )
*MGC by having 6 provinces’ sale shall have ~1/8 of the profit
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Our Vision
Knowledge is the most important Assert
Expertise is the most important Human Resource
Efficiency is the Key to success
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Operation scheme
Collective labs & Sales
In China etc.
HKDNA
Eq. R&D
DNA delivery R&D
DNADiagnosis R&D
PCR Reagents R&D
(MGC)
(Mendel)
Gene & Cells
therapy
Education
Healthcare
 
Advantages: 1) own IP Technologies that fit the niche and untouched Market
2) Expertise`s Pool both in science and finance is large
3) Optimize Resources by collaboration (private & public).
4) Each project itself has a built-in immediate revenue return.
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Ｏur Mission
To Become A Leading Biotech Company in China
Ｏur Goal is to help the scientists materialize their know how into serving the public
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
例子
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
We hope this conference will change the general image
Together make Biotechnology venture possible in HK
CONCLUSION
We have presented a few possibilities for inventors to take advantages of genomic technologies, utilize locally developed techniques and resources to embark on Biotechnology
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
格言常在
物格致知 (HKU)
博學篤志
，切問近思 (復旦)
誠明(新亞)
MGC:

悲天，怋人， 自 省

我們公司的 灵雲
是員工
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
March 24,2003
J. W. O. Tam, MGC Ltd.
Acknowledgment:

Miss Y K Woo Miss I Sung
Mr. X C Wu Dr. X. M. Yan
Mr Joseph Chow Dr. Y. Liu
Professor S.C. Xie Miss Joyce Lo
Miss Maggie Fang Dr. Billy Chan

Dr. Tony Woo
MGC and HKS&T staffs

HKU and Department of Industry, HKSAR