Bandung, July 16, 2025 — A student team from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), named “Faqih Goes to Apoteker”, successfully secured second place in the Pharmaceutical Industrial Case Study (PICS) competition, part of the Pharmanova ITB 2024/2025 event. This prestigious competition was organized by Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) and attracted participation from hundreds of students representing universities across Indonesia.
The team consists of Muhamad Yusuf Alfaqih (team leader), Yohan Budianto, and Afnan Syifa’ Muhammad, under the supervision of Prof. Dr.rer.nat. apt. Adam Hermawan, M.Sc. In this competition, the UGM team proposed an innovative project titled “NatriGenix: A Dual AAV9-Based Gene Therapy Innovation as a Revolutionary, Effective, Safe, and Noninvasive Approach for the Treatment of Brugada Syndrome.” This concept involves the development of gene therapy using Adeno-associated Virus 9 (AAV9) combined with a cardiac-specific promoter (cTnT), enabling direct treatment of abnormal heart cells without damaging healthy tissue.
The competition journey began with an online proposal selection stage, where UGM’s team advanced as one of five finalists to compete in the Grand Final at ITB’s Ganesha Campus. In the final round, the participants presented their ideas directly to a panel of judges. The “Faqih Goes to Apoteker” team ultimately earned the runner-up title in the PICS category, outperforming several teams from other leading universities.
This achievement reflects the active role of UGM’s young generation in producing groundbreaking innovations in the pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors. Furthermore, it aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) through gene therapy for rare cardiac diseases, SDG 4 (Quality Education) through student-led research, SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) through advanced medical development, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through collaboration among students, faculty, and academic institutions.
