Strong "super bacteria" suddenly hit pharmaceutical companies to calmly treat

Business News Agency, August 26 Recently, a bacterium named "Super" has become a hot topic of discussion in the academic community. This bacteria, which is said to kill even the most powerful antibacterial drugs, has caused some public panic. It also has a certain impact on the pharmaceutical industry.

"Super bacteria" is coming

On August 11th, an article published in the online edition of the international authoritative medical journal Lancet said that a new type of “New Delhi-Metal-β-Lactamase” (NDM-1) with a strong resistance was newly discovered. . This is a type of bacteria that is resistant to many common antibacterial drugs by breaking down the antibacterial drug. Namers believe that this bacterium is associated with New Delhi, India.

As the name implies, "beta-lactam degrading enzyme" means that it can decompose the "beta-lactam ring" structure. So far, the most commonly used clinical antibiotics - penicillin and cephalosporins, and newly developed cephamycins, thienamycins, monocyclic β-lactams and other atypical "beta-lactam" antibiotics Both contain "beta-lactam ring" structures, so bacteria that carry this enzyme can cause almost all antibiotics to fail.

The "metal-beta-lactam catabolism" carried by NDM-1 is even more severe. It can also decompose carbapenem antibiotics. Carbapenems have been used as "final measures" since they were developed in 1979. Doctors use them only when other antibiotics are ineffective. Carbapenem antibiotics act in a manner that inhibits the action of a bacterial enzyme, thereby impeding the synthesis of cell wall mucopeptides, resulting in the destruction of the bacterial cell wall, the swelling of the bacteria causing changes in the osmotic pressure of the bacterial cytoplasm and the lysis of the cells and the killing of bacteria. Mammals have no cell walls and are not affected by these drugs. Therefore, these drugs have a selective bactericidal effect on bacteria and are less toxic to the host.

The reason why carbapenems can become the doctor's "last line of defense" is because it is difficult to be broken down by beta-lactamases. However, it can be decomposed by metallo-beta-lactamases.

Therefore, NDM-1 can crack most antibiotics, and even carbapenem which is considered as the "last resort" can't do it. The NDM-1 bacteria have genes that can produce this enzyme, so that they carry "detoxification drugs" with them, leaving doctors with headaches. Moreover, NDM-1 super bacteria is not a kind of bacteria but a group of bacteria. Most NDM-1 superbugs are found in E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Professor He Xiong, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, pointed out that people say that “super bacteria” is so powerful that it can’t be cured. It may be too alarmist. Humans will definitely find newer drugs to deal with it. It’s just a matter of time. Drug-resistant bacteria are not the first to appear. Over the past few decades, humans have encountered “super bacteria” challenges on several occasions, and later developed new drugs to deal with them. In the 1960s, the United Kingdom had discovered "widely drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus," and it quickly spread throughout the world. At that time, it was claimed that there was no cure. However, scientists later developed vancomycin, polymyxins and other drugs, and the once-wide "widely-resistant Staphylococcus aureus" immediately "declined." Since the advent of antibiotics, there has been a struggle between antibiotics and bacteria. In order to deal with pathogenic microorganisms, humankind has continuously developed new types of antibiotics, and bacteria and other microorganisms will gradually adapt to this drug environment in order to survive. The ground mutates to form new, more powerful bacteria, which circulates. Even if NDM-1 is resistant to many antibiotics, it has not reached the end of its life. Studies have found that there are still antibiotics that can act on this bacteria. According to a paper published online in The Lancet magazine, three antibiotics, tigecycline, colistin, and vancomycin, are still effective against NDM-1.

Pharmaceutical industry favored

Since the news that some patients were infected with a new type of “super bacteria” called NDM-1 has been exposed on August 11, the domestic pharmaceutical stocks, which have been relatively resilient, have become increasingly strong. In the A-share market, the pharmaceutical industry rose to the first place. With the increase in the number of reported cases of infection, the medical sector on August 16 was even more red across the board, with the spectacle of 7 stocks such as “Laimei Pharmaceuticals” rising.

On August 16th, medical stocks were rushed upwards like stimulants. Lai Mei Pharmaceutical, Daan Gene, Neptunus Bio, and Lianhuan Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., etc., soon reached a strong daily limit since their opening. Since then, Zixin Pharmaceutical and Qianzhong have Jiang Shenghua and Anke Biotechnology also joined the daily limit team, and the daily limit of pharmaceutical stocks reached as many as seven. As a whole, nearly 150 stocks in the pharmaceutical sector are almost all floating in addition to the suspension shares. According to data from the phase of speculation, the pharmaceutical industry index rose 3.11% on the 16th.

As studies have shown, tiquicycline, colistin and vancomycin are still effective against NDM-1. The list of concept stocks shows that domestic pharmaceutical companies that can produce tegacycline include Laimei Pharmaceuticals, North China Pharmaceuticals, and Hisun Pharmaceutical; Colistin is produced by Central Pharmaceuticals; while Hisun Pharmaceutical and Zhejiang Pharmaceuticals Can produce vancomycin.

Fortunately, from the perspective of domestic companies, the frenzy of the capital market has not been transmitted to the industrial level. For example, Laimei Pharmaceuticals first cleared up the relationship with "super bacteria." Laimei Pharmaceuticals issued a clarification announcement a few days ago that the company currently does not produce and declare the “super bacteria” treatment drug tigecycline, and reminds investors to pay attention to risks. The relevant personnel of Lianhua Pharmaceutical also stated that it does not want the stock price to fluctuate. It was not because of performance. Secondly, the company had to suspend trading to declare abnormal fluctuations, which would affect the company’s image more or less. Then, many companies such as Huabei Pharmaceutical also declared that they did not produce related drugs.

Sure enough, the "super bacteria" that is clinically difficult to treat, has had its effects on the pharmaceutical industry quickly disappeared. On August 19, medical stocks that had been fired for several days due to the concept of "super bacteria" went from "paradise" to "hell." Under the premise that the broader market rose, 40 of the 90 pharmaceutical stocks fell. The sector's overall decline was 0.62%, ranking the industry's top drop. As of the close on the 19th, Lianhua Pharmaceutical fell 1.63% to close at 15.10 yuan; Laimei Pharmaceuticals fell 2.77% to close at 28.80 yuan.

Against the “hype hype” of medical stocks triggered by this “superbug”, Xu Qing, an analyst at Dongwu Securities, believes that there are no cases of “superbugs” in China and even the number of patients worldwide is not high. . What's more, it is not a contagious disease, so it is unlikely that there will be a large-scale outbreak. This has no substantive effect on the performance of listed pharmaceutical companies. The hype surrounding the "super bacteria" in the medical sector is purely a concept hype. The risk behind it is huge, and the related stocks will rise quickly and fall quickly.

Indeed, at the seminar on “Superbugs” organized by the Ministry of Health on the 18th, experts reached the consensus that “super bacteria” is not the same as a pandemic or SARS, but not an infectious disease but an infection. Infections and infectious diseases are completely different concepts. For example, when the body's resistance is reduced, it may be infected, but it will not be transmitted from person to person. The public need not panic at all. Moreover, experts believe that the name "superbug" is not accurate and is easily misunderstood. It is more accurately called "multi-drug resistant bacteria" or "multiple resistant strains of Enterobacteriaceae."

Participating experts generally believe that the production of "super bacteria" is the result of the abuse of antibiotics. The coping methods mainly include three major aspects: First, guide-oriented measures should be introduced. If a doctor is required to prescribe, there is no need to use antibiotics. Do not use antibiotics. If necessary, you must propose clinical indicators and try to stay in the process of use. There is room. Second, drug sales must be strictly controlled. Pharmacies selling antibiotics must be prescribed. The third is to establish a monitoring network of antibiotic and bacterial resistance, which will help scientifically and consciously track bacterial resistance. For example, if there is resistance to bacteria, it is clinically possible to deliberately suspend the use of an antibiotic. Over time, the susceptibility of the bacteria to this antibiotic will recover.