Innovative quest spurs scientist's decision to come home

Developing innovative and affordable medicines for Chinese patients was a major factor behind scientist Lu Xianping's decision to return from overseas and set up a pharmaceutical company more than a decade ago.

During the past 14 years, Lu and other medical scientists who returned from overseas have developed Chidamide, the world's first oral HDAC inhibitor.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors have long been used in psychiatry and neurology as mood stabilizers, and to combat epilepsy. More recently, they have been investigated as a possible treatment for cancer and parasitic and inflammatory diseases.