Professor Zhang Ge awards research fund from Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund Board (PCFB)

Congratulations to Professor Zhang Ge, Chair Professor and Associate Dean (Research) at the HKBU School of Chinese Medicine (SCM), for being awarded the research fund of almost HK$2 million from the PCFB, a statutory body under the Pneumoconiosis and Mesothelioma (Compensation) Ordinance, dedicated to compensation, rehabilitation, and prevention and relevant research for pneumoconiosis and mesothelioma patients, the workforce in the industries and the society. 

Specialising in aptamer-based translational medicine and drug discovery, Professor Zhang is developing treatments for pneumoconiosis (an occupational lung disease caused by silica dust, leading to largely irreversible pulmonary fibrosis) with his collaborators, including Dr Yu Sifan (SCM). Using AI-driven screening, the team engineered a novel therapeutic, aptamer Apc003 and then developed its long-acting variant Apc003OA. These target the CT-domain of Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) – a validated fibrotic driver more potent than the previously targeted domain that failed in trials. Demonstrated superior anti-fibrotic effects in preclinical models, Apc003OA earned an Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Professor Zhang’s funded project “A next-generation CTGF inhibitor to suppress pulmonary fibrosis in pneumoconiosis” evaluates Apc003OA’s dose-dependent efficacy to accelerate development as a next-generation therapy for pneumoconiosis and other CTGF-mediated fibrotic diseases.  

Professor Zhang’s seminal work delivers a crucial therapeutic innovation for pneumoconiosis, combining AI-driven drug discovery with precision-targeted therapeutic strategies. The awarding of this research fund reinforces our unwavering dedication to addressing pressing global health challenges.

Explore more U.S. FDA-recognised research breakthroughs by Professor Zhang.