"The work of the acclaimed Czech chemist has improved the lives of millions suffering from HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and may other viral diseases." He died two months after the U.S. FDA approved a major new drug combination based on his work, Truvada, developed by Gilead Sciences for the treatment of HIV. Named in article: Antonin Holy Czech Academy of Sciences Vaclav Paces Erik De Clercq Michael Riordan Gilead Sciences Article by Christian Falvey

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CS I DE I EN I ES I FR I PY
Groundbreaking chemist Antonin Holy dies
at 75
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Groundbreaking chemist Antonfn Holy dies at 75
Length of audio 4:13
Antonf n Holy, photo: CTK
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As is often the case in science, you may not know the name of the Dr.
Antonf n Holy even if your life depends on it. The work of the
acclaimed Czech chemist has extended or improved the lives of
millions suffering from HIV/ AIDS, hepatitis Band many other viral
diseases. His theoretical work on the genetic code in the 1960s
preceded any practical application by decades. And his meticulous
and principled approach to scientific processes, and more than 400
discoveries, made him a role model for many and one of the most
outstanding modern Czech scientists. The 75-year-old Dr Holy died
on Monday after a prolonged illness, just two months after the US
Food and Drugs Administration approved a major new drug
combination, Truvada, for the treatment of HIV. Earlier today, Radio
Prague spoke with the former chairman of the Czech Academy of
Sciences and biochemist Vaclav Paces, who first met Antonf n Holy in
1965.

2. "First of all, he was an exceptionally hard-working scientist. He
devoted 100% of his time to chemistry, that's one thing. But at the
same time, he was lucky to find good collaborators. His prime
collaborator was Professor Erik De Clercq from Belgium, who had very
good tests for testing various kinds of chemical compounds in
biological activities. They began collaborating, with Antonfn Holy
synthesizing compounds and Erik De Clercq testing them for various
kinds of biological activities, namely viral activities, and through this
ping-pong system they eventually found these unique compounds that
had effects on viruses. And they patented this.
"They wanted to get it to the patients of course, but as you know, it
costs a tremendous amount of money to get a compound drug to
patients. So they got together with Dr. Michael Riordan, who had
founded the company Gilead Sciences in California, and these three
then started to - slowly but very efficiently - push all these
compounds on to the market. And today, they are saving the lives of
millions of people.
Aside from being a hard worker who, as you said, devoted himself
wholly to science, what kind of a man was he?
Antonfn Holy, photo: ISIFA/ Lidove noviny
"He was ambitious, of course. When
he had some results he wanted to be
credited for them, which I think is
human nature and the nature of
scientists in particular. He was very
modest. Particularly in that he never,
ever went to the public with his results
before they had been peer-reviewed in
the editorial boards of journals and
so-forth. Sometimes scientists go to the public before they are 100%
sure of their results, which is not good. And I think Antonfn Holy was
an example of someone who never did this. He only went to the public
after his results were confirmed and published and peer reviewed. I
think it is another important characteristic of Antonfn Holy."
Author: Christian Falvey
~ Science and technology