Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre
38 Irrawaddy Road, #06-51/52; Singapore 329563
Tel: +65 6254 6678
Fax: +65 6254 6676
Question and Answer with Dr Low Lip Ping and Prof Moon
Launch of Fimasartan 29th July 2018
Fimasartan (Kanarb) is the latest angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) anti-hypertensive agent to be launched, Uniquely it was developed by a Korean company; Boryung Pharmaceutical, Had a chance to meet the very impressive 86 year old founder, Dr Kim, Seung-ho, who founded the company in 1963 and made the bold decision to develop her own products (as opposed to making generic copies).
The research and development of a drug is a high cost and high risk endeavor and is to be commended. Boryung has teamed up with Zuellig Pharmaceutical to launch this in ASEAN.
I am proud to be part of its launch in Singapore with Dr Low Lip Ping (Low Cardiology Clinic, Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Directors of the Singapore Heart Foundation), Prof Moon Jeong Geun (Gachon University, Korea) and Dr Daniel Yeo (Apex Heart Clinic, Gleneagles Hospital) was chairman of the session.
Chairman Kim Seung Ho seated third from left at his welcome dinner at Valentino flanked by staff from Boryung and Zeullig. Prominent Singaporean Endocrinologists and Cardiologists were there to welcome Mr Kim.
European Society of Cardiology, Munich 25 - 29th August 2018
The annual European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress is the largest cardiology meeting in the world with more than 30000 delegates from around the world. This was held in Munich; a beautiful and historic city with friendly people and excellent public transport.
We met first with the European Affiliated Cardiology Societies; the Editor of the prestigious European Heart Journal (cardiology journal with the highest impact factor) made special mention of Prof Carolyn Lam's landmark paper on Heart Failure in an Asian population.
The next meeting was a joint Asia Pacific Society of Cardiology - European Society of Cardiology meet up chaired by Michel Komadja; a renown Heart Failure specialist and Past-President of the ESC.(below).
L to R: Ong Hean Yee; Jack Tan (President APSC); Michel Komadja; Kenny Sin (Councillor APSC); Wael Al Mahmeed (Past President APSC); David Quek (Secretary General APSC).
L to R: Poh Kian Keong (Past President SCS; Governor ACC-Singapore); David Robeck (International Liason-ACC); Richard Kovacs Vice-President ACC; Ong Hean Yee; Lim Toon Wei (Vice-President SCS).
L to R: Ong Hean Yee; Stephan Achenbach (President ESC); Isman Firdaus (ASMIHA, Harapan Kita)
Former mentors from Singapore and Ohio
L to R: Mrs Schoenhagen; Ho Kheng Thye (Mount Alvernia); Paul Schoenhagen (Cleveland Clinic)
20th Chiang Mai Cardiology Conference 6 - 9th September 2018
The Chiang Mai Cardiology Conference is the premier meeting for Thai cardiologists in the North away from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. This was the 20th CMCC.
Was invited to talk on PCSK9; the new lipid lowering drug / antibody which was launched in Singapore in 2017. This class of treatment was of interest to me as I was the Principle Investigator for the Odyssey Outcome study at my site in KTPH in 2013. I was also a Co-Investigator for the other major PCSK9 antibody made by AMGEN (Fourier). All in we had about 25 patients on this novel treatment for more than 3 years and we accrued quite a bit of experience using this product.
Menarini also held their "Invigorating Lives Symposium" concurrently and was tasked to speak on use of beta-blockers in Heart Failure and Hypertension. This was again of great interest to me as I was the co-investigator for COPERNICUS in 1997 which was one of the landmark beta-blocker study to look at its use in Heart Failure. I shared the podium with 3 other senior specialists; Dr Cheong Wai Kwong (Specialist Skin Clinic);' Dr Goh Yau Hong (ENT Surgery); Dr Leslie Leong (Orthopedics International) - they were all well respected senior clinicians. It was good to learn from experts outside of one's specialty.
(Left: L to R) Prof Aprichard Sukonthasarn and Dr Promphan Prukasakorn (Bangkok Hospital, Chiang Mai); Prof Chia Yook Chin (University Malaysia); Dr Ong Hean Yee
(Below: L to R) Dr Leslie Leong, Dr Goh Yau Hong, Dr Cheong Wai Kwong, Dr Ong Hean Yee at the Q&A session.
ACC-ASIA Shanghai 2018; 30 Nov – 2 Dec 2018
Honored to be invited to Shanghai for ACC-ASIA held in Shanghai; this is ACC's premier satellite meeting in Asia-Pacific region and we are proud to be asked to host this in 2020. Harlan Krumholz; Aaron Kugelmass from ACC Ge Junbo from were the co-chairs of the conference. I was impressed with the data and innovative research coming out of China and Shanghai was an epitome of how far China has progressed since.
