——加拿大著名生物细胞质控专家Allen Goldenthal博士采访实录
Allen Goldenthal博士
2012年11月，深圳市合一康生物科技有限公司（以下简称合一康生物）凭借生物细胞免疫治疗技术专利在首届中国创新创业大赛深圳赛区夺得赛区第二名，成功入围全国总决赛。2012年12月，在北京举行的全国总决赛中，合一康生物从强手如林的48家入围企业里杀出重围，成功晋级30强，成为中国创新创业领域的佼佼者。
圣诞节前夕，加拿大著名生物细胞质量控制专家Allen Goldenthal博士在深圳接受了hornetcorn.com采访，就生物细胞免疫技术治疗肿瘤的有关问题回答了笔者的提问。
Dr. Allen，首先，要祝您圣诞节快乐！同时也祝贺合一康生物在首届中国创新创业大赛中取得的佳绩！
Dr. Allen：谢谢，也祝你圣诞快乐。谢谢！(Dr. Allen用中文说谢谢)
Dr. Allen，合一康生物凭借一项细胞专利技术在首届中国创新创业大赛深圳赛区3800多家企业中脱颖而出，夺得赛区第二名，生物组第一名，并参加全国总决赛，在总决赛48家入围企业中成功晋级前30名，对此您如何评价？
Dr. Allen：我认为，这不仅仅是合一康生物的胜利，更是赛事方对生物技术重要性的认可，不久的将来，生物技术会是实现大众长寿健康、享受幸福生活的关键。即使iphone、ipad这样的高科技新宠，也并未真正造福人类的健康。在这点上，西方却对科学失去了这层认知。很大程度上，科学成了一个贬义词，科学家们的工作被大众谴责为是对大自然、动物福利和环境的残忍暴行的代名词。
合一康生物取得的佳绩，不仅是企业的胜利，更是整个组委会、乃至整个中国的胜利。这证明了中国对科学、科学产品的价值的肯定。科学是为了寻求和提供解决方法，而不是西方所归咎的问题和不幸的根源。所以，在此我向合一康生物道贺，更向赛事组委会道贺。组委会做出的选择富有远见，他们确信中国会重视和推动科学发展和进程，也实现了对企业家价值、以及更深远的内在价值的认可。
（注：中国创新创业大赛由国家科技部、教育部、财政部、全国工商联共同指导，是目前国内赛事规格最高的创新创业比赛。大赛在深圳、北京、成都、宁波和上海分设五个分赛区。）
Dr. Allen，能介绍一下您过去在生物领域的工作经历和成就吗？
Dr. Allen：我从事生物领域的工作已有30年。最初，我在PMC （Pasteur Merieux Connaught）公司，即现在的Sanofi-Pasteur（赛诺菲巴斯德）负责活体测试。
随后多年，我在该公司的职责慢慢拓展到QC，研发和项目管理。后来，我任职于新西兰一家血液制品制造企业PA Biologicals，担任首席运营官。
在这个岗位上，我深入参与到质量运营与管理中来。这段经验不仅帮助我在其他机构继续接任管理者，还获得了Massey University （梅西大学）的认可，有幸在该大学教授关于GMP/GLP知识的工作。
随着我在质量运营方面的专业性得到越来越广泛的肯定，被人类健康领域最大的非营利性国际组织之一PATH聘用为国际顾问，我来到中国，也希望把我的所学所专带过来。
（注：Sanofi-Pasteur（赛诺菲巴斯德）是全球最大的专业致力于人用疫苗研发和生产的企业，其所属集团赛诺菲－安万特是全球三大制药企业之一。）
我们知道，您还是美国SFDA质量评估专家库成员，拥有纽约科学院、澳大利亚和新西兰临床与实验药理学家和毒理学家协会、澳洲生物科技协会、新西兰生物技术协会等机构成员等众多头衔，并如您所说，也曾服务于国际著名大型生物制药企业，而合一康生物作为深圳一家新兴的生物科技公司，吸引您的原因是什么？
Dr. Allen：我渴望在一家朝气蓬勃的机构里工作，有新的人才，新的观念，新的思维模式，而不是根深蒂固旧思想。质量这个概念，对于中国来说，在某种程度上是个新的思想意识。
如果企业员工的工作理念已经墨守成规，不愿接受新的观念，要更新起来几乎不可能。合一康生物呈现给我的是一个真诚敏锐、渴望求知的企业，这点非常吸引我。
您是如何看待生物细胞免疫技术在治疗肿瘤上的作用，有专家指出，21世纪是肿瘤生物治疗世纪，对此您如何评价？
Dr. Allen：生物治疗这个概念最早出现在70年前，1942年，Landsteiner和Chase曾在老鼠中进行致敏的免疫细胞移植。
但直到最近二十年，我们才真正意识到它的重大潜能。我们对免疫系统的理解和有效利用程度呈指数级上涨，现在，我们能够开启生物治疗的很多秘密，有效调控特异性免疫应答。
我预计，未来十年，我们将会对治疗癌症等病种非常得心应手。在未来，生物细胞免疫治疗，即使不是预防和歼灭肿瘤的最主要的手段，也是最主要的治疗手段之一。
您如何看待肿瘤生物治疗在中国的发展现状？您认为目前合一康生物的免疫细胞治疗技术处在什么地位？
Dr. Allen：和其他的科学领域一样，某些企业总会在各种错误的理由里挣扎，造成错误的做法，某种程度上危害了肿瘤生物治疗的可信性和美誉度。
幸运的是，SFDA对这样的行径是非常严肃认真地对待的，正建立一系列指引方针和策略来剔除和淘汰那些对科学和群众滥用职权的无良企业。
合一康生物则采用了比较严谨可靠的方式，力求达到cGMP的国际要求和标准。
这种依循国际规则和标准的决心，以及确保安全有效的产品的责任心，把合一康生物和其他企业清楚地区分开来。在这点上，合一康生物引领行业，给别的企业树立了榜样。
合一康生物的技术团队和生物细胞制备实验室有哪些让您留下印象的地方，并请谈谈您的建议。
Dr. Allen：这是个年轻、有活力、有干劲并且渴望学习的团队。我相信，假以时日，合一康生物技术团队能够超过我在西方国家工作、合作过的任何一个团队，包括企业和大学里的团队。最重要的是，合一康生物团队能够求知若渴，学无止境。
在这日新月异的行业里，发展、培训、学习是终身的事业，需要伴随和倾其毕生。只要合一康生物接受和保持努力成就更好的趋势，前程将无可限量。
漂洋过海来到深圳，这座年轻城市给您留下哪些深刻印象？
Dr. Allen：我很庆幸，这个时代可以搭乘飞机空运而来，而非载船飘洋而来，呵呵（笑）。我到中国已经三年了，在很多城市工作过，如北京、上海、武汉、成都、沈阳等等。但如果要最后决定在哪里定居，毫无疑问，深圳。在我去过的这么多城市里，深圳脉动的活力，干净整洁的环境，赏心悦目的绿化，人们安居乐业的氛围，都给我留下最深刻的印象。这是座年轻的城市，同样年轻的人们也赋予了她独特的朝气、活力和繁荣，这是其他历史更悠久的城市所缺乏的。
圣诞节和中国的传统春节将至，对合一康生物和您的同事们，您想说什么？
Dr. Allen：在这个欢乐的节日里，祝所有同事阖家欢乐，幸福美满。我们的科研事业刚刚启动，“千里之行，始于足下”，未来的日子，我们还要好好走好999里的征程。
“Hornetcorn will be able to rival any of the teams in the Western Industries”
——An interview of the renowned Canadian biological cells expert Allen Goldenthal
On November 2012, Shenzhen Hornetcorn Biotechnology Co., Ltd (referred to as Hornetcorn hereinafter) has won the Second Place in the "2012 (First) China Shenzhen Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition" with its own patented technology, and advanced to the national finals. On December, 2012, Hornetcorn competed with 47 strong opponents in the national finals in Beijing and progressed to the top 30, being heralded as the best of the best in China innovation and entrepreneurship sectors.
A few days before Christmas, the distinguished Canadian biological cells expert Allen Goldenthal was interviewed in the Hornetcorn headquarter by a special correspondent from hornetcorn.com, and sufficiently answered questions on immune cell therapy for treating cancer.
Dr. Allen，First of all I wish you a Merry Christmas. Our warm congratulations to Hornetcorn on the wonderful success and performance in the (First) China Shenzhen Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition.
Dr. Allen: Thank you!.谢谢. (Dr. Allen中文说谢谢)
Dr. Allen,In the "2012 China Shenzhen Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition”, Hornetcorn won the Second Place in Shenzhen division and the First Place in biology contestants group with its own patented technology, and advanced to the top 30 out of 48 national finalists. How do you rate this performance?
Dr. Allen: I think this is more importantly a recognition by the Operators of such Competitions of how significant and vital biotechnology is to all of us and how in the future it will be key to our longevity, our health and ultimately our happiness. In that regard, I think the West has lost some of this appreciation and in many ways science has become a ‘bad’ word, being blamed for so called atrocities against nature, animal welfare, the environment, etc.
I see Hornetcorn’s recognition in the competition as evidence that not only the competition organizer’s but China in general recognizes the contribution of science, the value of scientific products and how it will provide the solution, not be the cause of all the ills the West attributes to scientific progress. So I say not only congratulations to Hornetcorn, but to the Committee members as well for their insightful selection and their assurance that China will continue to value and promote the sciences and recognize not only its overt entrepreneurial value but its more significant intrinsic value as well.
Dr. Allen, would you introduce your past working experience and achievements in biology spheres?
Dr. Allen: That actually is a long road spanning now three decades. Initially I entered biopharma in the capacity of in-vivo testing for PMC which is now Sanofi-Pasteur. That role expanded into QC, blood products and project management over the years, which in turn brought me to New Zealand, where I was the Chief Operations Officer for a company called PA Biologicals, manufacturing blood related products. In that role I became heavily involved in Quality Management and Regulatory which in turn resulted in not only assuming the directorship in other companies but also a teaching role at Massey University where I lectured on GMP/GLP related issues. As I became more recognized for my expertise in Quality Operations, I was recruited as a consultant with the specific role of bringing that expertise to China.
As an ETRS Quality Management Systems Assessor, a member of various professional associations such as New York Academy of Sciences, Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT), Australian Biotechnology Association (AusBiotech), and New Zealand Biotechnology Association, etc, as well as an expert who served world-renowned biological pharmacy enterprises, what do you think attracts you to join Hornetcorn—a new biotechnology company?
Dr. Allen: Working for a new company is the ideal situation in that I can bring my expertise to fresh minds that have not been influenced to heavily by the old ways. Quality concepts and management is a somewhat new ideology for China and if I was trying to change attitudes that were entrenched already in the working minds of an older company, that sometimes becomes an impossible task. Hornetcorn expressed itself as being keen, eager and wanting to learn. That attracted me.
How do you think about the function of biotherapy for treating cancers? Experts pointed out that the 21st century is the century of cancer biotherapy, would you give your comments on this statement?
Dr. Allen: Biotherapy as a concept has been around for 70 years when the first sensitized immune cells were transferred back in 1942 by Landsteiner and Chase between mice. But it hasn’t been until the last two decades that we have begun to truly appreciate its potential.
Our understanding of the immune system and how to manipulate has increased exponentially over the past few years and we’re now at a stage of being able to unlock many of its secrets and use it as an effective tool for the modification and manipulation of directed immune response.
I would predict over the next ten years we will become very adept at targeting disease entities such as cancer and immune cell biotherapy will become one of the primary treatments for the prevention and eradication of tumors.
How do you perceive the development of cancer biotherapy in China? What place does Hornetcorn’s immune cell therapy occupy?
Dr. Allen: As with any new scientific field, there will be some companies that become involved for all the wrong reasons and in some ways actually do harm to the credibility of cancer biotherapy.
Fortunately, the SFDA has taken this quite seriously and is establishing guidelines and policies in order to eliminate those that are abusing their responsibilities to both the science and the public.
Hornetcorn has taken on a more conservative approach, wishing to meet the heavy requirements of the international standards under the cGMP regulations and in particular the cGTPs as practiced in the United States and Europe.
This desire to perform under regulations that ensure a safe and efficacious product clearly separates Hornetcorn from these other less responsible companies. In this way, Hornetcorn assumes a leadership role, setting the example for others to follow.
What is your impression on Honetcorn’s technical team and cell preparation laboratories? Would you offer some suggestions?
Dr. Allen: It is a young, energetic team that I feel is eager to learn. I think given the time, the Hornetcorn Technical Team will be able to rival any of the teams I have worked with in the Western Industries and Universities. What is most important is the desire to learn, and never being satisfied or thinking that you have learned all there is. Development, training, learning is a lifelong endeavour. As long as they accept that and recognize that you must constantly strive to do better, then the technical team will have a very bright future.
You have travelled a distant journey across the sea all alone to Shenzhen. What is your impression and opinion on this young city?
Dr. Allen: I’m glad that I live in an age where you can hop on a plane and be here in 11 hours from New Zealand rather than by ship on the sea as you mentioned. I have been coming to China for three years now and have been working in cities such as Chengdu, Wuhan, Shenyang, Louyang, Shanghai, Beijing, just to name a few. But when it came to making a decision as to where I wanted to settle down, there was no doubt in my mind that it would be Shenzhen. Of all the cities I’ve been to, Shenzhen impressed me the most for it vitality, its cleanliness, its greenery, and creating an environment where people are genuinely happy and excited about living here. It is a young city, equally populated by young people and that gives the city a vibrancy that is absent in many of the older cities.
Christmas is around the corner and the traditional Spring Festival is approaching. What do you wish to say to your colleagues in Hornetcorn/would you like to say something to your colleagues in Hornetcorn?
Dr. Allen: I would like to wish them all a very happy festival season and much happiness over the holidays to both them and their families. I want them to remember though, that we have only begun this journey of scientific endeavour. What we have completed so far is but a single step. The other 999 are still to come.
