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Laureate Chemistry

Ing. Tomáš Cihlář, CSc.

Ing. Tomáš Cihlář, CSc.

Extraordinary Neuron Award laureate for a major scientific discovery, 2020

When the history of the coronavirus pandemic comes to be written, the name of Tomáš Cihlář will not be missing from it. The Czech virologist, who has risen to one of the leading positions at the American company Gilead, took part in developing the promising drug Remdesivir, which — as he says himself — even his family discusses over dinner at home. Tomáš Cihlář received the Extraordinary Neuron Award for a major scientific discovery. The ceremony at the State Opera took place on 28 September as a celebration of Czech science and a thank-you to all the scientists, staff of research institutes and others who did not idle for a minute and bravely helped where it was needed most. Watch the medallion of Tomáš Cihlář and read the story of the new laureate.

Tomáš Cihlář first heard about a new form of pneumonia in Wuhan, China on New Year's Eve last year. The disease had no name yet. “The first reports suggested it would probably be some respiratory virus. SARS of 2003 came to mind at once, and inwardly I mainly wished for it to be brought under control as soon as possible. My second thought was that if it could not be contained, we should be thinking about how to use remdesivir,” Tomáš Cihlář says.

Although the drug was originally intended to treat Ebola, it had already been through the final phases of experimental testing for potential effects against the new coronavirus strain. It is also currently the only antiviral to have been conditionally approved for the treatment of COVID-19 in Europe, the United States and a number of other countries. Gilead has so far produced and distributed more than a million doses of remdesivir around the world.

Looking for the sources of Tomáš Cihlář's inspiration in his work, one can trace the trail as far as the famous Professor Antonín Holý. Tomáš Cihlář and his team at Gilead used a number of his principles when selecting and testing the drug in question. And although he lives and works across the ocean, he still collaborates with the Czech research community, especially with the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in Prague, whose chemists contributed their experience and creativity to the drug's development.

A native of northern Bohemia, Tomáš Cihlář spent his whole youth in Chomutov, where he attended the local grammar school. He went on to study at the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, in bioengineering and fermentation chemistry. He took his postgraduate studies at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, researching antiviral substances, and in 1994 he was awarded the degree of Candidate of Sciences. He has stayed with virology, and with antivirals in particular, ever since.

After completing his studies he left for a placement at the American pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences. In his research he worked on developing antivirals, especially drugs against HIV infection. The HIV drugs Gilead has developed so far, including Viread and a number of drug combinations, treat more than 10 million people around the world today.

“For me as a virologist the greatest rival is clearly HIV, the virus that causes AIDS,” Tomáš Cihlář answers the question of which disease keeps him awake. “Above all because of how the disease has affected Africa and how fundamentally it has changed the working of whole communities there. More than 36 million people in the world live with HIV today, and to survive they have to take antivirals every day. Those are still not available to everyone with HIV, though.” A complete cure — the end of having to take drugs every day — is in his view a very complicated problem whose solution may take many years.

At Gilead Sciences, Tomáš Cihlář is today vice-president for virology and his team numbers more than a hundred scientists. The specialists in his department work on researching new substances for the treatment of viral diseases, especially HIV, but also hepatitis B and respiratory infections. They also develop further drugs against Ebola, MERS, dengue fever and much else.

However much the world public now considers the coronavirus enemy number one, he agrees — but adds: “There are many diseases that urgently need effective treatment. And every suffering patient is fighting their own disease, which for them is the greatest opponent of all. That must not be forgotten even at a time when everyone is concentrating on COVID-19,” he points out. “Of course we are aware of how dangerous COVID-19 is and how many people die of it tragically every day, but its secondary impact on all health care for patients with other dangerous diseases, especially in countries with unstable infrastructure, is talked about far less,” he warns. Tomáš Cihlář believes the coronavirus crisis will be solved; in his view it mainly takes a responsible approach from every individual and some time to develop an effective vaccine.

Tomáš Cihlář lives in California with his wife Gabriela and their three children, of whom he is duly proud. Although there is not much time left for hobbies, he runs regularly. And what hygiene rules apply at the Cihlář household at present? Perfectly simple ones. “We follow rules appropriate to an exceptional situation, so that the family is exposed to as little risk as possible. We wear protective equipment and keep our social distance.”

Tomáš Cihlář in the media (in Czech):

“Our work is teamwork, so it is above all a significant recognition not only of my own effort but of the long years of work of all my colleagues at Gilead who contributed to the development of remdesivir and of many other antiviral preparations. But it is also public recognition of the approach we have always taken, which lies in combining basic academic research effectively with corporate industrial development,” says the internationally respected virologist, and adds: “Personally I also see it as recognition of the support and patience of my family, without whom I could not do this work.”

“I have great respect for what Neuron does and for the way it supports talented scientists. That is why I would like to give part of the financial reward back to supporting science and young scientists, mainly in the field of the fight against infectious diseases.”

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