THE WINNERS AND THE LOSERS

Every day we see all sorts of counterfeit and replica products from songs, food, drinks.

Even our medications are not exempt from copycats.

On a few occasions, I (we) have been accused of being a dreamer and a fantasist. Indeed, for the last two days, I have been at the “general meeting” of my team of dreamers and fantasists - 27 medical scientists, 44 doctors, researchers, 71 lab specialists and other staff; all of whom are well respected scientists and doctors from around the world. This dream team is working together to finalise our aim - to get to the bottom of the 6th cancer - the skin cancer.

We discussed several new strategies and techniques. In particular Dr F Demichelis, one of my close friends from the team, suggested something really revolutionary in all respects.

She was well surprised when I said, “you are a dreamer and a fantasist”. She was a bit confused about whether I was being serious or was just joking. Of course, it was a joke, and I shared what some people had said about me and us.

Make no mistake, every person with brains should know Dr Demichelis' part in oncology. Her contribution to research generally or to the particular issue in oncology is second-to-none, not to mention her part in our work to develop the best medications for the most common cancers. This applies to every scientist, doctor and practitioner on the team, who each have a background which we are so proud of.

But going back to our medications; we have realised that our medications have been partially copied. Our German pharmaceutical partner, who has been manufacturing the medications for our hospital/clinical trials, has also come to the same conclusion.

For example, AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi (Registered as Durvalumab) basically is, according to our tests and those done by our German Pharmaceutical partner, a 32% close copy of our Marageandon (Registered under different name). Luckily for us, the main components are not even close to ours.

AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso (Registered as Osimertinib), is a partial copy of our Duranteridon (Registered under different name). Our German pharma partner suggests a similarity of 29% with the major 3 components missing.

Furthermore, we are using and testing our new medication Bogrezomb (Registered under a different name). Johnson & Jonson registered a drug similar to our Bogrezomb, with a few modifications, as Velcade (registered name, however offered to the market under two different names).

The same is with our Goratouram (Registered under different name) which Johnson & Johnson is in process of registering in the EU as “their” medication Darzalex.

Bogrezomb and Goratouran are drugs which every oncology department would use as basic medication. They are like when you put “sugar” in a cup of coffee.

And the list goes on and on.

There is no solution to end all these “cold wars” between the pharmaceutical giants and others like us.

To join forces in research and development is impossible, because you cannot draw the line between whose invention or development was more crucial for the final products.

We have an offer on a table from our German pharmaceutical manufacturing partner, who for over five years has prepared the medication for our hospital/clinical trials. My dilemma here is, what will happen once all the licences and patents are passed to either one company or one government or simply to one individual?

All my (our) medications are temporarily registered and they have EMA approval, but not from the British MHRA due to the capriciousness of Boris Johnson (former PM) and all subsequent PM’s. 

As both AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson are so close to the corridors of power in the United Kingdom, our lawyers advised against submitting charges of infringement against AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson in the UK court on 30 October 2024, but they will press the charges in the European Court instead during the second half of November 2024.

Why is all this happening to us and to our medications? Purely because I am waiting for the new British Government to reply to my solicitors so that we know where we stand. I have delayed offering these medications on the free market; where on a “first come – first serve basis” is excluded; our German partner is the frontrunner.

Therefore, the only offer on the free market will be on “highest bid wins”.

The Germans have offered me €5.8bn, one US pharmaceutical manufacturer offered through Italy (they were in hospital in Italy for 2 weeks on an “exchange” basis, where at the same time there were patients treated with our medications & technique). After 3 weeks on returning to the US they sent an offer to the doctors there to check with us whether we (I) would be willing to accept $7.1bn for all the licences and patents. Up to date I (we) have not approached the US corporation.

The only dream here is, the United Kingdom will decide to accept my and my solicitors offer and put the signatures on offer given to enable it to be available on the NHS.

The fantasists in this scenario are the one who believe that without their signatures my offer will be handed over to whoever they have in mind.

The bottom line here is that patients and their families need to be the winners and not the losers!

Zdenko Kos MSc MEc BScEcon(Hons) MBA