Richard Stead, CEO of Qures Group, explores the rise of pandemics, the ongoing battle against infectious diseases, and how innovative treatments offer hope for the future.
It is a fact that many industries develop their own specialised vocabulary, using terms that may be well understood within the profession but not as clearly recognised by the general public.
When I entered the medical field from the world of chemicals, I quickly realised that the terminology was different and required careful understanding. For instance, I needed to distinguish between an epidemic and a pandemic or understand what is covered by the term “germ” compared to “pathogen” or “bacteria.”
To ensure clarity in communication, I decided to document these definitions, which I present in this article. While this is not intended to be an industry dictionary, my goal is to clarify the terms I use in discussions about disease (or should I say sickness or illness?) so that they convey the intended meaning to my audience. After all, if I am explaining what my molecule can achieve – whether in terms of treatment, relief, or cure – it is essential that my listeners understand me correctly.
This article is structured into three sections. First, I introduce key health-related terms. The second section highlights infections that require close monitoring before they escalate into pandemics – many of which are more prevalent than commonly realised. Finally, the third section outlines the journey from medical discovery to patient access, emphasising the need for new treatments for conditions that currently lack effective therapies. QURES aims to offer hope and a cure. Let us hope we succeed before Disease X emerges.
I believe my molecule can bring significant benefits to patients because hypothiocyanite, a natural defence mechanism created when humans and animals were first formed, is designed to protect against these threats. As the world and healthcare evolve, we must adapt, as traditional treatments lose effectiveness against new and resurgent diseases.
The definitions below come from a wide range of sources and, I trust, are easy to understand.
Definition of a germ
A germ is a microscopic bacteria, virus, fungi, or protozoa that can cause disease. But what is the difference between a germ and a virus?
A virus is the simplest of germs – it is nothing but genetic material encased in protein. Researchers debate whether a virus is even “alive.” By itself, a virus can accomplish nothing – it needs to enter a living thing to perform its only function, which is to replicate.
Definition of disease:
Patients: Suffer “illnesses.”
Doctors: Diagnose and treat “diseases” and “illnesses.”
Are these two different?
Illnesses: “Experiences of discontinuity in states of being and perceived role performances.”
Diseases: In the scientific paradigm of modern medicine, these are “abnormalities in the function and/or structure of body organs and systems” or “a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms.”
Definition of infection
The invasion and growth of germs in the body. The germs may be bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi, or other microorganisms. Infections can begin anywhere in the body and may spread all through it. An infection can cause fever and other health problems, depending on where it occurs in the body. When the body’s immune system is strong, it can often fight the germs and cure an infection.
What defines an outbreak?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a disease outbreak is when cases of a disease are in excess of what we would normally expect to see. The number of cases that would be classed as an outbreak varies according to what causes the disease and the size and type of previous and existing exposure to the cause.
For meningococcal disease in the UK, for example, we unfortunately see around 1,200 cases every year. Around 97% of cases are sporadic and will not lead directly to any further cases. However, if two or more confirmed or probable cases of meningococcal disease occur in the same location within four weeks, and they have a common link, this would be investigated by public health teams and may well be treated as an outbreak.
What defines an epidemic?
An epidemic is defined by WHO as “The occurrence in a community or region of cases of an illness, specific health-related behaviour, or other health-related events clearly in excess of normal expectancy.”
This is very similar to the definition of an outbreak. In fact, some health organisations have the same definition for outbreak and epidemic. However, outbreak is usually used when diseases happen in a more limited geographic area. If an outbreak of a disease spreads quickly to more people than experts would expect and moves into a large geographic area, it is often then called an epidemic.
Authorities consider a disease to be an epidemic when the number of people with the infection is higher than the forecast number within a specific region.
Influenza requires an explanation all to itself. Coronavirus is not flu! Symptoms may be similar but deserve separate treatments. The differences are important to know and understand.
Influenza viruses are classified into types A, B, and C (and a less common type D). The differences mainly lie in their genetic makeup, severity, and the species they infect.
Influenza A
Most severe and causes pandemics.
Infects humans, birds, pigs, and other animals.
Divided into subtypes (H and N proteins), e.g., H1N1, H3N2.
Mutates rapidly, leading to new strains each flu season.
Responsible for major outbreaks, including the 1918 Spanish flu and 2009 swine flu.
Influenza B
Almost exclusively infects humans.
Less severe than Influenza A but still causes seasonal flu epidemics.
No subtypes, but there are two main lineages: Victoria and Yamagata.
Mutates slower than Influenza A, making it more stable.
Not known to cause pandemics.
Influenza C
Mild infections, rarely cause epidemics.
Infects humans and some animals (like pigs).
No subtypes, but it has limited genetic diversity.
Symptoms are similar to the common cold rather than severe flu.
Influenza D (less common)
Primarily affects cattle and is not known to infect humans significantly.
In summary, Influenza A is the most dangerous due to its ability to mutate and spread across species, while Influenza B mainly affects humans with seasonal outbreaks. Influenza C is much milder and rare.
The terms H1 and N1 in H1N1 refer to specific subtypes of proteins found on the surface of the influenza A virus:
H (Haemagglutinin): This protein helps the virus attach to and enter host cells. There are 18 known subtypes (H1–H18).
N (Neuraminidase): This enzyme enables newly formed viruses to exit infected cells and spread to others. There are 11 known subtypes (N1–N11).
Each combination of H and N represents a different strain of influenza A. For example:
H1N1: Responsible for the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic and the 2009 swine flu pandemic.
H5N1: Known as avian flu, it primarily affects birds but sometimes humans.
H3N2: A common strain in seasonal flu epidemics.
These classifications help scientists track and develop vaccines against different flu strains. For that reason, we need a different vaccine for each winter season.
Back to pandemics…
As you will have started to see, there aren’t always distinct rules for describing the scale of infection. Some diseases have to have a specific number of cases in a given country to be defined as an outbreak or epidemic because we have a lot of experience with them, but for new diseases, it takes an element of expert judgment.
What defines a pandemic?
A pandemic is defined as “An epidemic occurring worldwide or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of people.”
Note that the pandemic definition includes the word epidemic, but not vice versa. This tells us that an epidemic can be reclassified as a pandemic once it passes a critical point.
In late 2024, COVID, HIV and AMR were the only health conditions that were recognised by WHO as pandemics.
According to the WHO, a pandemic involves the worldwide spread of a new disease. While an epidemic remains limited to one city, region, or country, a pandemic spreads beyond national borders and possibly worldwide.
History of pandemics
The Spanish flu pandemic, from 1918 to 1920, claimed 100 million lives. Experts consider it to have been the most severe pandemic in history. The Black Death was fatal for more than 75 million people in the 14th century.
Some pandemics that have occurred throughout history include:
541–542: Plague of Justinian
1346–1350: The Black Death
1899–1923: Sixth cholera pandemic
1918–1920: Spanish flu (H1N1)
1957–1958: Asian flu (H2N2)
1968–1969: Hong Kong flu
2009–2010: Swine flu (H1N1)
2020: COVID-19
However, there are many other conditions that can be covered by the definition of an epidemic that is not known internationally, but several should and will come under the description of a pandemic unless we take action more urgently than we are achieving currently.
Here are just a few, and as we can see, they are not restricted to third-world countries; many occur in the Western world, and many are the result of human actions, allowing infections to become established:
Diagnostic error
Misdiagnosis is a critical healthcare issue, leading to approximately 795,000 cases of severe harm or death annually in the US alone. These errors occur in all clinical settings and result from systemic failures, cognitive biases, and inadequate diagnostic tools. The impact is especially significant in conditions like cancer, infections, and vascular events.
Congenital syphilis
A preventable but rising global concern, congenital syphilis causes stillbirths, neonatal deaths, and severe congenital infections. In 2020, the global rate was 425 cases per 100,000 live births, far exceeding the WHO’s elimination target of 50 cases per 100,000. Cases are increasing in high-income nations, often due to healthcare gaps in prenatal screening and treatment.
Anhedonia (loss of pleasure)
A core symptom of depression, anhedonia affects up to 75% of patients but remains one of the hardest to treat. It reduces motivation and enjoyment in daily life, contributing to the burden of mental illness. Standard treatments, including SSRIs and therapy, often fail to fully address it, underscoring the need for new approaches.
Foodborne illnesses
The US has seen a resurgence of foodborne illnesses to pre-pandemic levels, with some infections even surpassing previous records. The CDC reports increasing cases of Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, driven by factors such as inadequate food handling and antibiotic resistance. Each year, 48 million Americans suffer from foodborne illnesses, leading to 128,000 hospitalisations and 3,000 deaths.
Tuberculosis (TB)
TB remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide. According to the WHO, 1.25 million people died from TB globally in 2024, making it a persistent global health threat.
Bird flu (H5N1)
H5N1 does not easily infect humans, but its spread among mammals, including mink in Finland, raises concerns. Studies indicate mammal-to-mammal transmission with mutations adapting the virus for replication in mammalian cells. If further mutations occur, a pandemic risk could emerge. Since 2003, H5N1 has caused over 860 human cases with a 50% fatality rate.
Surgical Site Infections (SSIs)
SSIs remain a significant post-surgical complication, often caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A study at Emory University tracking 20,000 patients found that improving antibiotic prophylaxis reduced SSIs by 33% (from 2.8% to 1.9%). However, SSIs still contribute to thousands of deaths annually, increasing hospital stays and costs.
West Nile Virus
A mosquito-borne virus resurged in the 2021 Arizona outbreak, causing over 1,400 cases and more than 100 deaths, the largest US outbreak since 1999. Due to the focus on COVID-19, public awareness was low. Climate change and urbanisation are increasing the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, raising concerns about future outbreaks.
Sepsis and septic shock
Sepsis affects around 50 million people worldwide annually, leading to 11 million deaths, many among newborns and new mothers. In ICUs, sepsis is present in 1 in 3 critically ill patients. It often results from hospital-acquired infections, and delayed treatment significantly increases mortality risk.
Candida Auris (C. auris)
A dangerous, drug-resistant fungal infection is emerging globally, particularly in hospitals. First identified in 2009, it has now spread to over 30 countries. C. auris is difficult to treat, with some strains resistant to all available antifungal drugs, posing a serious public health risk.
Drug-resistant gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea is the second-most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide, with rising drug resistance. In the US, drug-resistant strains are also increasing, threatening fertility and public health.
WHO fungal priority pathogens
Fungal infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals, are rising globally. Drug-resistant bacterial infections contribute to 1.27 million deaths annually, but fungal infections receive little attention. WHO’s 2022 report highlights the lack of diagnostics and antifungal treatments, making them a hidden but severe threat.
Mental Health
Mental health disorders are increasing, with conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, autism, ADHD, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s under growing scrutiny. The need for better diagnostic clarity is critical, especially for depression, which is often misunderstood as general sadness rather than a clinical disorder.
ESKAPE pathogens
A group of highly drug-resistant bacteria responsible for over 2 million infections and 23,000 deaths annually in the US. These hospital-acquired infections pose a major treatment challenge. The ESKAPE group includes:
Enterococcus faecium
Staphylococcus aureus
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Acinetobacter baumannii
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Enterobacter species
New antibiotics targeting these bacteria are urgently needed.
Disease X
A hypothetical but inevitable future pandemic caused by an unknown pathogen. WHO and global authorities anticipate it could be a zoonotic virus with rapid human-to-human transmission. Preparations include vaccine development, monitoring systems, and international cooperation, but a key missing piece remains an effective treatment and cure for those who become infected.
Of the numerous conditions for pandemics listed above, my molecule has shown the capability to remove, destroy or cure the named cause of the illness. It has a wide scope of activity, being the only molecule that can be used against bacteria, viruses and fungi. This wide-ranging effect competence against pathogens is not a surprise. After all, the molecule was designed by nature to destroy pathogens.
Nature has the answer: Chemistry is the key
In addressing this challenge, Qures is undoubtedly introducing a new category in medical education and government-approved treatments. Yet, this approach has existed since time immemorial and has been recognised by medical researchers for over a century, with numerous papers published on the subject.
The pharmaceutical industry, however, turned its back on it for financial reasons. A naturally occurring molecule cannot be patented, making it commercially unattractive. Its short half-life, broad efficacy against various pathogens, and classification as an oxidant – long viewed with caution due to potential cellular damage – further contributed to its dismissal.
Despite these challenges, we found ways to overcome them. Through extensive lab-based research, we deepened our understanding of the molecule’s chemistry, developed a method for stable manufacturing, extended its shelf life, and determined its optimal use.
When we approached academic institutions to collaborate, we faced an unexpected barrier: there was no ‘discovery element’ left for them. Since we had already conducted the necessary research and validation, there was little incentive for academics to participate, as their careers and funding depend heavily on publishing novel findings. It was understandable, though disappointing, that they declined involvement rather than simply repeating our work.
This may sound like a complaint, but it is not – it’s simply an acknowledgement of the realities we encountered. Taking a non-traditional path ultimately led to a novel way to combat infections. We have now secured a patent for our manufacturing process from the EU Patent Office and in several other countries that follow the EUIPO framework, with more expected to grant approval.
The next step is conducting the required ‘safety in humans’ trial. Given the molecule’s well-established role in the human immune system, we are confident it will pass with ease.
Source link
