“MEDICINE OF THE YOUTH” Participants Will Have the Opportunity to Intern at an Innovative Pharmaceutical Enterprise

This announcement was made at the Velpharm-M industrial site in Zelenograd. The team of the V.P. Filatov Foundation and 40 young scientists from Russia, the CIS, and partner nations from further abroad toured the innovative manufacturing facility as part of the All-Russian Summer Gathering “RUSSIA-LAND OF SCIENTISTS. MEDICINE OF THE YOUTH”.

Welcoming the participants, Ekaterina Dibrova, President of the V.P. Filatov International Foundation for Biomedical Technologies Development, emphasized that the entire gathering program is structured to provide young scientists with further opportunities for growth:

– We are united by common goals — seeking solutions for healthy, harmonious, and long lives. We view you as colleagues and partners. Modern science knows no borders. Global challenges necessitate the consolidation of intellectual resources, and we see how Russia prioritizes expanding ties with leading pharmaceutical powers — China, India, and CIS nations.
In this context, it is particularly vital to dedicate close attention to the younger generation, which can bring fresh ideas to the advancement of medicine.

Lyudmila Shcherbakova, President of Velpharm Group, took part in the event. She commended the V.P. Filatov Foundation’s approach to working with talented youth and announced that, depending on their specialization, the company is eager to collaborate with “MEDICINE OF THE YOUTH” participants. Internships and training at the pharma giant’s facilities are offered as the company continues to expand capacity. For example, gelatin capsule production alone reaches 220 million units, and the company’s portfolio exceeds 80 medications.

– I was truly inspired by this event today: what could be more rewarding than supporting talented young individuals who are shaping the future of their countries? Undoubtedly, such work — makes an invaluable contribution to the development of society as a whole. Today I saw inspired faces. Receiving such recognition provides young people with an enduring foundation for the future. They know that their hard work is recognized, — Lyudmila Shcherbakova remarked regarding the meeting.

Lyudmila Shcherbakova shared that the company actively collaborates with Chinese drug developers, practicing mutual exchanges of specialists who work on each other’s production lines and jointly develop new molecules. The future lies in international partnerships, the head of the company emphasized. Such cooperation accelerates the introduction of new drugs to the market.

The Zelenograd facility has been operational for 3 years, Lyudmila Shcherbakova noted; the workforce includes many young professionals, and meeting with peers — young scientists — charges them with positive momentum.

Participants of the Gathering were given a comprehensive tour of the production facilities. It proved particularly engaging for developers of innovative therapeutics — six of whom are participating in the “MEDICINE OF THE YOUTH” summer program.

Qinqin Zhang, Lecturer in Pharmacology at Xi’an Medical University (China), shared her perspective that detailed examination of industrial manufacturing sites is a crucial stage for a pharmacologist. To successfully bring a product to market, one must delve into numerous details:

– One must thoroughly evaluate potential production partners, calculate costs, verify necessary excipients, and verify drug safety. Some scientists overlook client requirements, but paying attention to them is imperative. Once a contractor is prepared to address these requirements, the medication proceeds to production. This represents a collaborative creative process between science and industry.

Zhang is presenting a project at the Gathering entitled “Design, Synthesis, and Pharmacological Evaluation of Multi-Target Cyclic Peptides Targeting Mu-, Kappa-, and Delta-Opioid Receptors”. While conventional analgesic regimens are effective, they cause adverse effects in certain patients: respiratory depression, dependence, and gastrointestinal dysfunction, which significantly restrict their clinical utility. Developing opioid analgesics with high efficacy and improved safety profiles is of paramount importance.

The visit concluded with a topical discussion featuring Valery Kochubei, Science Director of the corporate group.