Source: The Third Affiliated Hospital
Written by: Department of Pharmacy, The Third Affiliated Hospital
Translated by: Huang Jiwei, Luo Yuyan
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

The National Conference on Chinese Hospital Pharmacy and the Chinese Hospital Pharmacy Award Ceremony, sponsored by Chinese Pharmaceutical Association, was held in Suzhou, Jiangsu province on Oct 19^th, 2013. Chief Pharmacist Zhang Yongming, Director of the Department of Pharmacy of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, won the 2013 Innovation Prize of the "Chinese Hospital Pharmacy Award" for his outstanding contributions in the research field of long-acting injection, especially in the polypeptide/ protein drug encapsulated sustained-release microspheres. The “Chinese Hospital Pharmacy Award” was established in 2009 as a science and technology award by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association for national pharmaceutical workers of medical institutions. The innovation prize aims to promote the development of hospital pharmacy by rewarding the individual who holds an innovative program and has made remarkable social or economic achievements in the field of hospital pharmacy research, teaching and management.

Chief Pharmacist Zhang Yongming has been engaged in the management in hospital pharmacy and pharmaceutical research for more than 20 years in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. He is experienced in developing sustained-release microspheres, and has taken charge of many related research projects. In 2008, he won the first prize of the 1^st science and technology award of hospital pharmacy supported by Guangdong Pharmaceutical Association. His research group developed a kind of interferon alpha -2b loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic) microspheres prepared by a modified double-emulsion solvent evaporation method, which showed a good sustained-release effect in rhesus monkey in vivo.

In recent years, to improve the encapsulation capacity of microspheres, Chief Pharmacist Zhang Yongming has been dedicated to finding the relationship between internal structure of microsphere and its drug release behavior. He took the lead in exploring the rules among microsphere preparation techniques - microstructure - release behavior, by utilizing the advanced scientific research instruments such as nano-computer tomography scanning system, laser confocal microscopy, confocal Raman microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and so on. Successfully establishing the rules between internal structure of microsphere and its sustained release effect will bring a breakthrough on the existing inefficient research mode, and effectively guide the researchers in screening preparation techniques. In this way, the researchers can get out of the dilemma in microspheres development (low drug-load/encapsulation efficiency, high burst release and release with low-dose in later period) ultimately.