| Dimension | Scoring Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Study Design | Extensive Phase III RCTs for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and immunocompromised patients. Approved in 35+ countries (Zadaxin by SciClone). Multiple RCT meta-analyses published. Highest design quality. |
25 / 25 |
| Sample Size | Pivotal hepatitis B trials enrolled 200-400+ patients. Meta-analyses include thousands of patients across indications. |
20 / 20 |
| Replication | Independently replicated across Asian (China, Taiwan, Korea), European, and US research groups. Consistent immunomodulatory findings across decades and multiple independent investigators. |
20 / 20 |
| Journal Impact Factor | Published in Hepatology (IF ~17), Journal of Hepatology (IF ~25), and clinical immunology journals. High-quality clinical journals for the indications studied. |
12 / 15 |
| Funding Independence | Mix of academic/government-funded studies and SciClone Pharmaceuticals (developer). SciClone funded pivotal trials but substantial independent academic replication exists. |
10 / 10 |
| Population Diversity | Studied extensively in Asian hepatitis populations, immunocompromised patients, and COVID-19 cohorts. Diverse clinical populations. |
5 / 5 |
| Researcher h-Index | Daniel Hadden (original thymosin research), multiple international hepatologists with h-Indexes 30+. Strong academic pedigree. |
2 / 5 |