寫下每一個“我們”的故事 | 逐夢者說 | Bilingual

編者按：“讓天下沒有難做的藥，難治的病”，是初心，更是愿景。自成立以來，藥明康德步履不停：從一間實驗室，到覆蓋亞洲、歐洲和北美的全球網絡。從早期的化學合成服務，到貫穿研究（R）、開發（D）和生產（M）的一體化平臺。從第一位客戶，到全球三十多個國家的數千合作伙伴。不斷發展的，是規模與能力；始終堅守的，是夢想與承諾。

致敬來時路，共譜新篇章！在這一系列訪談中，我們以“逐夢者”視角，回顧藥明康德成長發展的崢嶸歲月，回望賦能客戶創新的并肩往事，更以獨特的“藥明精神”展望未來新篇章。

時間已是深夜。馬赫娜茲·阿喬曼德（Mahnaz Arjomand）打開郵箱，讀完最后一封郵件，然后合上了電腦。

她并沒有立刻去休息，而是來到自己的書桌前，打開自己的筆記本，開始寫作。“我主要是寫短篇，”她笑著說道，“現在我還沒有出版書的計劃，我只是喜歡寫作的感覺。”她說，這能讓她的大腦輕松下來。

但在某種意義上，很多人都已經讀到了她的故事——不是在付梓的書頁上，而是在藥明康德的實驗室中。

作為藥明康德生物學業務在北美地區的業務拓展負責人，在馬赫娜茲的設計下，一個個問題找到了合理的解決方案，一款款分子變成了拯救患者的藥物，一位位客戶也成為了長期的合作伙伴。

“每一個在生物學平臺上的項目，都是我們為這些伙伴講述的故事。”她說道。

圖片來源：123RF

“我一定會幫他們解決問題”

馬赫娜茲學習化學出身。但在短暫的科研生涯后，她走上了不同的職業道路。

“剛工作的時候，銷售團隊總是喜歡帶我去見客戶，因為我能把實驗數據解釋得很清楚。”她回憶道。也正是這些經歷，讓她發現自己喜歡把復雜的科學，轉化為人人都能理解的內容，并在一次次溝通中，與對方建立起信任感。

后來，她的工作職責逐漸發生了變化，從幕后的實驗室，逐漸走向了臺前，直接與業內的客戶進行交流。在這個過程中，她不斷聽到藥明康德的名字。

“行業里幾乎所有人都在談論這家公司，”問及加入公司的原因，她這樣說道，“我想知道它到底有什么不同。”

如今，馬赫娜茲已在藥明康德度過了將近十年的時光，她的問題也早已找到了答案：信任感。

對她而言，這并不是一句空話，而是一個個細節——會議準時參加、進度定期溝通、結果如期交付……一言以蔽之，就是讓客戶安心。

她記得有一次，一家大型醫藥公司交給她一個“看似不可能完成”的任務。

簡單來說，客戶需要篩選出能夠有效結合一個靶點的化合物，然而這個靶點“很難”，篩選出能有效結合的化合物，并不是那么容易的事。

但利用生物學平臺開發的DEL技術包，團隊不僅在幾個月后交付了結果，還找到了一些具有皮摩爾級結合力的分子，大大增加了成藥的可能性。

之后，這家公司又和藥明康德合作了十多次，不斷篩選更多針對難開發靶點的藥物。

“不管挑戰有多大，我們的工作就是幫客戶掃清障礙，讓他們的研發不斷前進。”她說，“日久見人心，信任就是這么建立起來的。”

而這種信任感，讓藥明康德成為了他們腦中浮現的第一個名字。

在與后期開發不同，早期研究的項目進展極快。完成一個課題后，研發人員很快會啟動新的課題。有時，他們還會成立新的公司。

“一位長期合作的客戶離開了一家大型生物科技公司，創辦了自己的企業，”馬赫娜茲說道，“他連第一名員工都還沒招聘，就給我打電話，討論后續的合作。”

有時，明知不是馬赫娜茲負責的業務范圍，客戶也還是會來找她幫忙。

“他們只是知道，我一定會幫他們解決問題，”她笑著說，“這些電話是我能收到的最好的贊美。”

我們的答案永遠是“有”

當被問到如何用一個詞形容藥明康德的生物學平臺時，馬赫娜茲毫不猶豫地回答：賦能者。

她知道這個詞用得很多，但這的確是她最深的體會。

在業內，很多公司只會承擔一部分的工作，而藥明康德的服務能覆蓋早期靶點驗證，到之后的功效研究，貫穿整個藥物發現的過程。

馬赫娜茲舉了一些數據：光是用于生物學檢測的方法，她的團隊就有超過1200項。用于研究的體內模型，數量也高達幾百。這幾乎可以回答任何來自客戶的生物學問題。

“客戶常常問，‘你們有這個工具嗎？那個工具呢？’而我們的答案永遠是‘有’，”她說，“在需要快速推進的時候，我們是他們的優先選擇。”

這種能力來自知識積累，也來自規模優勢。

2017年，當蛋白降解技術還處在萌芽階段時，藥明康德已經開始在分子膠與PROTAC?技術上積累經驗，并進一步在更前沿的降解抗體偶聯物等領域建立的平臺。

在寡核苷酸和多肽療法方面，在產業浪潮興起之前，公司也早早配備了相關的能力。當時，很多如今的客戶公司都還沒有創立。

“客戶期待我們能預見行業的下一步，”她說，“而我們往往真的能做到。”

藥明康德的全球網絡同樣為客戶帶來了巨大優勢——無論是在亞洲、美國還是歐洲，遍布各個基地的科學家能使項目更快推進。

“我們在多個基地都配備了完整實驗體系，”馬赫娜茲解釋說，“比如一家歐洲客戶有樣品需要生產和分析，我們能直接在歐洲完成檢測。”

這種靈活性曾幫助一位客戶渡過難關。

“他們非常擔心進度，和好幾家供應商進行商討和合作，”她回憶道，“但合作第一次后，他們就把所有項目都交給了我們的生物學業務平臺。我還記得他們對我說，‘有你們，我終于能睡個安穩覺了。’”

此外，藥明康德一體化的平臺，也能無縫銜接跨部門的協作。

“負責生物實驗和后續測試分析的團隊常常在同一園區，有時只要走到隔壁樓，甚至是樓上樓下就能繼續項目，這能節省好幾天，甚至幾周的時間。在藥物研發中，這意義重大。”

以客戶為中心

談及產業的當下，馬赫娜茲認為和多年前相比，新興生物技術公司正在帶來更多創新療法，但也面臨著更大的融資壓力——投資者往往設置了許多關鍵節點，初創企業需要盡快拿到數據，才能繼續推進。

“有些客戶公司，一共只有一到兩位員工。”馬赫娜茲說。他們需要的不僅僅是一到兩個服務，而是一套完整的解決方案。

“我們既是他們的研發實驗室，也是他們的顧問，想他們所想，急他們所急。”她補充說道，“為此，我們會給每個項目量身定制一個方案，即便客戶預算有限，也能產出高質量的成果。”

這種全方位的支持，是客戶選擇藥明康德的原因。

馬赫娜茲提到一位客戶曾短暫嘗試其他服務商：“但他們很快又回來了，”她說，“因為他們已經習慣了藥明速度與質量。”

一位科學家甚至說，生物學平臺的能力“領先行業十年”。

“這并不是因為我們有能預見未來的水晶球，”她解釋道，“一切都是源于長期的設計規劃。”

比如當寡核苷酸、多肽新分子類型興起時，藥明康德早已建立起相關平臺。

又比如當擁有新一代技術的公司出現時，其團隊能迅速調整策略，幫助他們同時測試多個靶點。

如果領域太新，暫時沒有客戶需要的檢測方法，“我們就與客戶一起研究，共同開發出方法。”她說。

在她看來，“以客戶為中心”的企業文化，才能讓客戶始終對公司保持信任。“從公司高管到實驗室科學家，如果人人都真心為合作伙伴的成功著想，他們自然會信任你。”

書寫下一個篇章

在馬赫娜茲看來，未來的生物學研究將越來越復雜，靶點也會變得愈發難攻克。

產業的創新者們不會只是簡單問“能不能做這個實驗”，而是會問如何跨過下一個里程碑。

藥明康德生物學平臺的答案很簡單——增加新的實驗技術，探索新的分子類型，尋找更快的路徑，好讓客戶的科學創意變為造福病患的療法。

這契合了藥明康德成立25周年來的愿景：讓天下沒有難做的藥，難治的病。

“無論客戶是一人創業的小公司，還是大型醫藥企業，”她說，“我們都以同樣的專注和用心對待每一個項目，因為其中任何一個都可能改變患者的生命。”

而客戶的感激，也往往會在一些溫暖的細節中流露。

“合作伙伴有時會送給我們印有公司標志的帽子、衛衣和馬克杯，我經常看到我們的科學家自豪地戴著這些小禮物在實驗室工作。”她笑著說，“這也提醒著我們：自己所做的一切，正在切實為患者帶來希望。”

The Teamwork Stories She Writes

Editor’s Note: “Every drug can be made and every disease can be treated”. Since 2000, from a single laboratory to a global network spanning Asia, Europe, and North America; from early chemical synthesis services to an integrated platform that connects Research (R), Development (D), and Manufacturing (M); from its very first customer to thousands of partners across more than 30 countries, WuXi AppTec has never stopped moving forward to realize its enduring vision.

In tribute to the journey, we look back through the eyes of our “dream-makers”: revisiting the stories of partnership that empowered global innovation, and the unique spirit that continues to guide us toward the next chapter.

When the meetings wind down and the last email is sent, Mahnaz Arjomand often retreats to the hiking trails around Berkeley, California. Her notebook is always close at hand. Writing, she says, helps her relax. “Short stories, mostly,” she smiles. “People ask if I’ll ever publish them, but for now, I just write.”

In a way, she has been writing stories her whole career. Some take shape on paper, others come to life in the labs of WuXi AppTec. As Head of Business Development for WuXi Biology in North America, Mahnaz helps create stories told through data and discovery: how a molecule becomes a medicine, how a client becomes a partner, how a question turns into hope.“Every project,” she says, “is a story we help our clients tell.”

Source: 123RF

Where Trust Begins

Twenty years ago, Mahnaz left the lab bench to work with clients. She realized she loved turning complex science into something people could understand. “The sales team kept inviting me to their meetings because I could explain the data,” she recalls. “That’s when I discovered how meaningful it is to build trust, one conversation at a time.”

When she joined WuXi AppTec ten years ago, she had already worked in several contract research organizations. What caught her attention was WuXi AppTec’s reputation. “Everyone in the industry talked about the company,” she says. “I wanted to see what made it special.”After a decade, she still describes the answer in one word: trust.

Trust, she explains, grows from small but steady actions—calls that happen on time, data that arrive exactly as promised, and teamwork that makes clients feel supported.

She remembers one case when a major pharmaceutical company gave WuXi Biology what seemed like an “impossible” target for DEL screening. A few months later, the team not only delivered binders, but they also delivered binders with picomolar affinity. That project became the start of many research collaborations with the same client.“That’s what trust means,” she says. “You remove barriers, provide solutions, help your clients move forward, no matter how difficult the challenge.”

In early research, projects move fast. Scientists may switch programs or even start new companies, but they often return to WuXi AppTec. “One longtime client left a big biotech to start his own company,” Mahnaz says. “He called me before hiring his first employee. After decades, WuXi AppTec was still the first name that came to his mind.”

Some clients even contact her for help in areas outside her role. “They just know I’ll take care of them,” she laughs. “That’s the best compliment you can get.”

Enabling the Discovery

When asked to describe WuXi Biology in one word, Mahnaz answers without hesitation: enabler.

While other research service companies handle only part of the process, WuXi Biology supports the entire path of drug discovery—from early target validation to efficacy studies. With more than 1,200 in vitro assays and hundreds of in vivo models, her teams can explore almost any biological question. “Clients often ask, ‘Do you have this test? How about that one?’ and we keep saying yes,” she says. “They call us when they need to make progress without delay.”

This readiness comes from both knowledge and scale.In 2017, when the field of protein degraders was still new, WuXi AppTec had already started building experience with molecular glues and PROTACs, and later expanded into the next generation of degrader antibody conjugates. In another fast-growing field, oligonucleotides, the company had scientists in place years before many biotech companies even hired their first experts. “Clients expect us to know what’s coming next,” she says, “and most of the time, we do.”

WuXi AppTec’s global infrastructure also makes a big difference. Expert scientists in Asia, the United States, and Europe allow projects to move faster. “We often have the same assays at multiple sites,” Mahnaz explains. “If a client’s sample is made in Europe, we can run the tests there instead of waiting for it to be tested across the ocean.”

That flexibility once saved a client who was struggling to manage studies across three different research providers. “They were very nervous about meeting deadlines,” she recalls. “After working with us once, they moved all their studies to WuXi Biology. They told me, ‘You make me sleep at night'.”

Having teams from different departments under one roof also saves valuable time. “Our scientists who run biological tests work in short distance from our chemists or DMPK colleagues,” Mahnaz says. “Sometimes they just walk to the next building or even the next floor to continue the project. That can save days or even weeks, and in drug discovery, that’s huge.”

A “Client Centric” Culture

Today, companies come to WuXi Biology not only for scientific services but also for complete solutions. Funding has become tighter, and startups need data quickly to attract investors. “Some clients have only one or two scientists,” Mahnaz says. “We become their virtual lab.”

Her team works with dedicated project managers to create study plans, draft tailored study proposals with clear milestones so clients can stretch their limited budgets. “It’s a partnership,” she says. “We share their urgency.”

That spirit of support often brings clients back. Mahnaz tells the story of a partner who briefly tried another provider. “They soon returned,” she says, “because they were used to WuXi Speed and quality.” One scientist even said WuXi Biology was “ten years ahead” in terms of infrastructure and know-how.

“This isn’t because we have a crystal ball,” she explains. “It’s by design.” When new modalities such as oligonucleotides or peptides began to rise, WuXi AppTec built the platforms early. When companies using next-generation technologies appeared, the team adapted to help them test several targets at once. And if WuXi Biology’s team doesn’t yet have a certain test, “we work with clients, study the literature together, and build it,” she says.

For Mahnaz, culture is the reason clients stay loyal. “Being client-focused is not just a slogan here,” she says. “It’s something you see from the leaders to the scientists in the labs to the business development team on the ground. If you truly care about people’s success, they will trust you.”

“Earning trust is sacred,” she adds. “Once you have it, you’d better keep it.”

Writing the Next Chapter

To Mahnaz, the future of drug discovery will depend on finding solutions, not just providing services. Biology is becoming more complex, targets are harder, and funding is limited. “Clients are no longer asking, ‘Can you run this test?’ They are asking, ‘How can you help me reach the next milestone quickly?’” she says.

WuXi Biology is growing with that need—adding new tests, exploring new drug modalities, and finding faster ways to help ideas turn into treatments.

Her view connects with WuXi AppTec’s mission: every drug can be made and every disease can be treated. “Whether it’s a small startup or a large company,” she says, “we give every project the same attention. Any one of them could change lives.”

That trust often shows in small, heartwarming ways. “Clients bring caps, hoodies, and mugs,” she smiles. “Our scientists wear them proudly around the lab. It reminds us that the work we do matters to real patients.”

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