BioSpectrum Asia March 2021 | Celebrating Women Empowerment

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4 BIO EDIT

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Dr Milind Kokje SILENCING THE ‘SILENT KILLER’

Chief Editor As the world observes World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24, Asia continues
its battle against TB, better known as Asia’s silent killer. This pandemic now
[email protected] assails the continent with two deadlier variants, multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB)
and extremely drug- resistant (XDR-TB).

Increased instances of HIV infection make the human body more susceptible, thus
compounding the TB cases. With the second-highest mortality rate, globally, TB has
claimed the lives of 1.4 million in 2019. The same year, an estimated ten million people,
including 1.2 million children have contracted the deadly bacterial disease.

Out of the total of eight countries accounting for two-thirds of new cases, six are from
Asia. Across Southeast Asia, 4.4 million TB patients are added each year, killing more
than 650,000. By 2018, TB had claimed over 400,000 lives each year in India, 107,000
in Indonesia and 26,000 in the Philippines. Thailand, Vietnam, China, Myanmar and
Bangladesh are also greatly affected.

The UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was launched in 1999 to control
TB by 2030. To that end, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had adopted the ‘Stop
TB’ strategy in 2006 to eliminate TB by reducing the incidence to less than 1 case per
million people by 2050. Eleven member states of the WHO’s Southeast region launched
a joint front to end TB by 2030 by fighting latent TB – battling infection in its early stage
before it becomes a full-blown disease. One in three persons globally get infected by latent
TB, which transforms into fully active disease in one among ten people. Tackling latent
TB is expected to reduce 270,000 cases each year. Despite all efforts, TB still continues
to be a serious health challenge.

But two recent developments may give a new meaning to this year’s World TB Day.
Following key updates on new molecular assays announced by the WHO just last month,
it is expected to lead to significant advances in the diagnosis of TB and drug-resistant TB.
The evidence reviewed at the WHO-convened meeting of Guideline Development Group
to update policies on molecular assays showed high diagnostic accuracy for three new
technologies.

This is an important development considering that diagnosis of TB and drug-
resistance TB remains a challenge with a third of people with TB and over 50 per cent
people with drug resistance TB not receiving quality diagnosis.

Also, a new three-drug treatment is providing hope to patients in Tajikistan with
highly drug-resistant forms of TB. According to News Medical, after Ukraine, Tajikistan is
the second country in the world to provide access to the novel ‘BPaL’ regimen (comprised
of bedaquiline, pretomanid and linezolid) to patients suffering from the extensively drug-
resistant (XDR-TB) form of tuberculosis under operational research conditions.

Conventional treatment for XDR-TB consists of 7 to 8 antibiotics, including injectable,
for a minimum of 18 months. The new BPaL treatment excludes injectable drugs and
would need six months for recovery. It is developed by TB Alliance, a not-for-profit
organisation and is being implemented in Tajikistan by the National TB programme and
KNCV TB Foundation.

In Nix-TB trials in South Africa, conducted by TB Alliance, BPaL regimen showed 90
per cent success and its results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
This success is significant and is raising hopes since the worldwide XDR-TB cure rate is
just 43 per cent. The increase in MDR-TB cases in 2019 was 10 per cent over 2018 and
until now it had limited treatment options and poor prognosis.

Both the developments are particularly important in the current COVID-19 pandemic
time, as at several places, battling COVID-19 has taken precedence over the fight against
TB. A recent report of the Centre for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy (CDDEP)
has underlined the need for sustaining momentum against certain diseases, including
TB. A renewed war needs to be waged against TB, especially when we have two new
effective weapons in our arsenal.

BIO MAIL 5

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Acknowledgements included all the key information about the
SS656 regulations and what they mean for
The article ‘Enhancing vaccine confidence the industry.
during the time of COVID-19 and beyond’
turned out well. Makes it a very pleasant - Dr Zhou Lihan, Singapore
collaboration with BioSpectrum. Overall,
the process was smooth, clear and Thank you for featuring Vani Manja,
transparent communication on the topic, Country Managing Director for
as well as timelines for submission and Boehringer Ingelheim India. I would
publication. have preferred to meet you in person,
but under the circumstances we are
- Payal Sadhwani, Singapore settling for the second best option of an
e-introduction. Look forward to share our
Good job on the editing with my interview learnings and experiences with you.
titled ‘We will see either SS 656 standard
endorsed by the ISO or used as the basis - Magline Rufina FR, India
to develop their own standard’. The writer
made the piece much more concise and

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6 BIO CONTENT

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

COVER STORY 18 A large number of women in the Asia-Pacific
(APAC) region are excelling in their respective
CELEBRATING fields such as pharmaceuticals, diagnostics,
clinical research, biotechnology and rising
WOMEN as exemplary figures while putting their best
efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
EMPOWERMENT In fact, the majority of the countries that
have been more successful in stemming
the tide of the pandemic and responding
to its health and broader socio-economic
impacts, are headed by women. BioSpectrum
brings to you 24 women in the life sciences
sector at APAC who are making us proud
by combating COVID-19, as we celebrate
International Women’s Day on March 8.

BIO CONTENT 7

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com REGULARS

INNOVATION BioEdit............................................................. 04
BioMail............................................................ 05
32 Policy and Regulatory News............................ 08
Company News............................................... 10
3D realm in research Finance News.................................................. 12
Start-up News................................................. 13
Q&A World News..................................................... 15
WHO NEWS...................................................... 17
37 People News................................................... 44
R&D News........................................................ 46
“We consider the APA and Academic News............................................... 48
China markets as highly Supplier News................................................. 49
attractive, fast-growing and
very innovative” 08 13

Eva van Pelt, 47 50
Co-CEO & Chief Commercial Officer,
Eppendorf AG, Hamburg, Germany CONNECT
ENGAGE
39 SHARE

“We see opportunities CONNECT WITH US
across Asia with India
as one of the key markets” twitter.com/BioSpectrumMag
facebook.com/BioSpectrumMagazine
Jonathan Royce,
Chief Executive Officer, https://goo.gl/QY4nUp/BS-LinkedIn
Bio-Works Technologies AB, Sweden
W W W. B I O S P E C T R U M A S I A . C O M
41

“IT plays a pivotal role in
today’s era where collecting
and analysing data
could make or break the
organisation”

Ho Chye Soon,
Country Manager, Nutanix, Singapore

DIGITALIZATION

43

Pharma R&D:
Taking the digital route

Arno Tellmann,
Head of Novartis Global
Drug Development (GDD), India

8 REGULATORY NEWS BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Korea gives Australia provisionally approves
nod to first AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine
anti-COVID-19
mAb treatment The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia has granted

Celltrion Group has announced provisional approval to AstraZeneca for its COVID-19 vaccine, making it
that the Ministry of Food and
Drug Safety (MFDS) of South the second COVID-19 vaccine to receive regulatory approval in Australia,
Korea has granted conditional
marketing authorization after Pfizer. COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is provisionally approved
(MA) for the emergency use
of regdanvimab (CT-P59), an and included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG)
anti-COVID-19 monoclonal
antibody (mAb) treatment for the active immunisation of individuals 18 years and older for the
candidate. Conditional
Marketing Authorization prevention of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2. The use of this vaccine
allows emergency use of CT-
P59 in adult patients aged should be in accordance with official recommendations and given in
60 years and over, or with at
least one underlying medical two separate doses.
condition (cardiovascular,
chronic respiratory disease, TGA’s regulatory
diabetes, elevated blood
pressure) mild symptoms approval allows
of COVID-19, and in adult
patients with moderate the second dose to
symptoms of COVID-19. The
Korea Disease Control and be administered
Prevention Agency (KDCA) has
assessed and independently from 4 to 12 weeks
confirmed that CT-P59
successfully neutralises the after the first. The
SARS-CoV-2 variants first
identified in the UK (B.1.1.7) Australian Technical
in addition to the previously
identified six variant genome Advisory Group on
mutations of SARS-CoV-2
(variants S·L·V·G·GH·GR). Immunisation has

recommended that

the interval between

first and second dose

is 12 weeks. However, if this interval is not possible, for example because

of imminent travel, cancer chemotherapy, major elective surgery, a

minimum interval of 4 weeks between doses can be used. Provisional

approval of this vaccine is valid for two years and means it can now be

legally supplied in Australia.

Pfizer vaccine gets
authorization in Japan

Japan has formally approved Pfizer Inc.’s coronavirus vaccine. The
fast-track approval by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is a
major step forward in the country’s efforts to bring the pandemic under
control. Japan has received a shipment of around 400,000 doses from

Pfizer’s factory in Belgium. First
in line to be inoculated are about
20,000 doctors and nurses, who
have agreed to participate in a study
to track potential side effects and
the frequency with which they occur.
Vaccinations are taking place with
two shots to be administered three
weeks apart. After the initiation of the
vaccination procedure on February
17, the Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga visited the National Hospital
Organization Tokyo Medical Center in Tokyo. The Prime Minister
also viewed the novel coronavirus vaccination area, and then held an
exchange of views with members of the National Hospital Organization.

REGULATORY NEWS 9

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Moderna vaccine New Zealand opens
funding for equitable
reaches Singapore cancer outcomes

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has The Health Research Council of New Zealand, the
granted an interim authorisation under the Cancer Control Agency, and the Ministry of Health have
Pandemic Special Access Route (PSAR) announced the opening of funding applications for high-
for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to be quality research that will drive equitable cancer outcomes
used in Singapore for the prevention of for New Zealanders. The funding partners invite research
COVID-19 in individuals aged 18 years and proposals that address lung cancer screening, clinical
above. The vaccination regime submitted by lung cancer research, innovative approaches to delivering
Moderna requires two doses of vaccine to cancer care, and patient experience across the cancer
be administered 28 days apart. Singapore journey. A total funding pool of $6.2 million is available
Ministry of Health (MOH) announced that for research across all four research priorities. The funding
the first shipment of Moderna vaccines partners expect to fund a portfolio of research projects at
arrived in Singapore on February 17. a range of values within this funding pool. Applicants are
Ministry is monitoring the supplies closely, invited to apply for funding within two funding streams i.e.
to meet the country’s target of vaccinating all lung cancer screening with $1.94 million available for one
Singaporeans and long-term residents by the or more research projects; and improving clinical cancer
end of this year. Singapore is competitively care with $4.26 million available for approximately four to
equipped to store the vaccines. Moderna’s eight research projects.
vaccine can be stored at -20 degrees Celsius
and lasts in a fridge for 30 days, while Pfizer’s
vaccine has to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius
and lasts for only five days at standard
refrigerator temperatures.

COMIRNATY first to receive EUA in Hong Kong

BioNTech SE and Shanghai facilities in Germany, and
Fosun Pharmaceutical have
announced that according to supplied to Hong Kong for
the Food and Health Bureau
of the Hong Kong Special administration under the
Administrative Region of
China, the COVID-19 vaccine Hong Kong SAR Government’s
COMIRNATY (also known
as BNT162b2) based on COVID-19 Vaccination
BioNTech’s proprietary mRNA
technology has received Programme. COMIRNATY is
emergency use authorisation
(EUA) in Hong Kong. The a COVID-19 vaccine, which
vaccine will be produced in
BioNTech’s manufacturing is based on messenger RNA,

a natural molecule that acts

like a blueprint providing

instructions for human cells

to make a target protein, or

antigen, which activates the

body’s immune response

against the respective virus.

10 COMPANY NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Sinovac receives Yokogawa puts focus
on cancer screening test
marketing
Yokogawa Electric Corporation and Hirotsu Bioscience
authorisation for (HBS) have announced that they have signed an investment
and partnership agreement with the goal of expanding the
COVID-19 vaccine use of HBS’s N-NOSE cancer screening test service, which
utilizes the highly sensitive olfactory sensory functions of
Sinovac Biotech has announced that nematodes to detect cancer. Under this agreement, Yokogawa
the China National Medical Products will invest in HBS, and be responsible for the manufacturing
Administration (NMPA) has granted and maintenance of N-NOSE’s automatic analysis equipment.
a conditional marketing authorisation The two companies are also aiming to develop new automatic
(CMA) to Sinovac for CoronaVac, analysis equipment and promote the global growth of the
Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine in N-NOSE business. With Yokogawa’s manufacturing capacity
individuals aged 18 and above. Sinovac and life science know-how, the two companies will be able to
began rolling submission to the NMPA build a system for the mass production and maintenance of this
since September 2020 and the NMPA automatic analysis equipment and meet the expected growth
carried out rolling reviews when the in demand for testing. They will also explore collaboration
submission was made. As of February in the development of next-generation automatic analysis
4, 2021, the company made more than equipment and the global expansion of the N-NOSE business.
40 submissions to the NMPA. After
obtaining the preliminary efficacy results,
Sinovac formally filed for application of
a conditional marketing authorisation
on February 3, 2021. The approval is
based on the results of the two-month
data of Phase III clinical trials. The
final results are not yet available, and
the efficacy and safety results shall be
further confirmed. CoronaVac is being
used under emergency use approval
(EUA) in Indonesia, Brazil, Turkey and
Chile. Sinovac is also actively seeking
regulatory approval of CoronaVac in
other countries and regions around the
world.

Seegene develops world first COVID-19 variant test

South Korea’s biotechnology startup Brazil. Furthermore, it can pre-screen
Seegene has developed the world’s a suspicious new variant, providing
first COVID-19 diagnostic variant test, insight on additional variations, also
capable of screening COVID-19 and a key feature of Seegene technology.
identifying multiple mutant variations in Seegene’s new product integrates at
a single reaction. Seegene’s new variant least ten of its proprietary technologies,
test, the Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Variants I including multiplex real-time PCR
Assay, can detect and differentiate virus method of mTOCE, which is the cutting-
variations, including those found to be edge technology that only Seegene can
more contagious and fatal. The new leverage. This innovative technology
variant test not only detects COVID-19, allows the test to detect a target specific
but can also identify major genetic spot where mutation occurs, enabling
variations that seem to have originated precise detection and differentiation of
from the UK, South Africa as well as the coronavirus as well as its mutated
other regions including Japan and versions with a single tube of reagent.

COMPANY NEWS 11

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com Bioalpha

Roche enters strengthens
precision oncology
partnership in Singapore COVID-19

Roche, Singapore Translational Cancer Consortium (STCC), vaccine distribution
National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), the National
University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS) at the National in Malaysia
University Hospital (NUH) have announced a unique and
groundbreaking partnership between public and private Bioalpha International Sdn Bhd
sector institutions in Singapore aimed at establishing a critical (BISB), a wholly-owned subsidiary
infrastructure to advance the adoption of personalised healthcare of Bioalpha, has entered into a
in Singapore. Personalised healthcare, which includes precision Procurement and Distribution
oncology or personalised cancer care, leverages insights from Agreement with Shanghai Bukun
medical and genomic data to help make more precise treatment Trading Co. (SBTC), a wholly-
decisions for each individual based on their clinical profile. As owned subsidiary of Sinopharm
part of the three-year partnership, the STCC, NCCS and NCIS will (Hainan) Health Industry Co. for
offer their medical expertise, research insight and data resources the procurement and distribution of
to build a clinico-genomic database (CGDB) in Singapore that vaccines in Malaysia, including but
combines clinical insights and real-world evidence – anonymised not limited to the COVID-19 vaccine
data from patients’ responses to medicine and care, with the goal developed by Sinovac Biotech Co.,
of yielding better patient outcomes. Ltd., subject to relevant authorities’
approvals, which include the National
Fujifilm launches novel Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency
screening centre in India (NPRA). This arrangement has also
been endorsed by Sinovac Biotech
Japanese firm Fujifilm in collaboration with Dr Kutty’s Healthcare, with regards to the vaccine. The
an institution with deep roots in healthcare space, has announced initial order volume is for 100,000
the launch of ‘NURA’ – their first health-screening centre in the doses, with subsequent orders of up
country, in Bengaluru, India. The centre is built on three elements - to 1 million doses. Bioalpha shall
trust, automation between doctors & machines - for reducing time fund the working capital of the
and delivering quality and introducing the culture of screening. procurement and distribution of the
Equipped with the best of artificial intelligence (AI) enabled vaccines with internally generated
imaging and expert healthcare, NURA centre can correctly test funds and/or bank borrowings. BISB
10 common cancers, including oral cancer, breast cancer, cervical has also entered into a Memorandum
cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer, prostate of Understanding (MoU) with
cancer, oesophageal cancer, laryngeal cancer and early signs of Zuellig Pharma Sdn Bhd to facilitate
leukaemia along with other lifestyle diseases. Bringing together the importation, warehousing
Fujifilm’s cutting-edge technology and Dr Kutty’s Healthcare and distribution of the vaccine in
expertise, NURA is a step forward towards inculcating a culture Malaysia. In addition, the company
of early screening and securing the lives of people while providing has entered into a MoU with iHEAL
and accessible and high-quality healthcare expertise. Medical Services Sdn Bhd (iHEAL)
in Malaysia, which outlines the
intention of both parties to work in
collaboration to provide vaccination
services to the public.

12 FINANCE NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Australia invests $8M for research into neurofibromatosis

The Australian government is condition that can causes tumours
to form around nerves, including
investing $8 million to support the in the brain and spinal cord. It is
more common in children and
Children’s Tumour Foundation and young adults and while there
currently is no cure, treatments
research into neurofibromatosis, a can help manage this condition.
The initiative helps to support
devastating condition, which can high quality biomedical, clinical,
health services and population
cause cancer, blindness, deafness health research that improves
patient care, find new diagnoses,
and chronic pain. The $7 million treatments and cures for those
suffering from rare and debilitating
Medical Research Future Fund conditions and translate new
discoveries into clinical practice.
(MRFF) Neurofibromatosis

Research Grant Opportunity

will support ground breaking

research projects to develop

new interventions and improve

healthcare and outcomes for people

living with neurofibromatosis.

Neurofibromatosis is a genetic

Carlyle Group, Brighton Eli Lilly acquires
Park Capital buy stakes
in Indegene for $200M chronic pain drug

The Carlyle Group, Brighton Park Capital and Indegene, from Japanese firm
the India headquartered enterprise health tech solutions
provider, have announced that Carlyle and Brighton Park Eli Lilly and Company and Asahi Kasei
Capital will acquire minority stakes in the company for Pharma Corporation have announced
$200 million. The transaction, which is subject to customary a license agreement whereby Lilly will
regulatory approvals, consists of a secondary sale from acquire the exclusive rights for AK1780
existing shareholders of Indegene and a primary investment from Asahi Kasei Pharma. AK1780 is
into the company. Carlyle’s commitment to the healthcare an orally bioavailable P2X7 receptor
sector with their global network and deep pharmaceutical antagonist that recently completed
expertise, coupled with Brighton Park’s deep experience in the Phase I single and multiple ascending
technology sector and nuanced understanding of their space, dose and clinical pharmacology studies.
makes the two firms the ideal partners to support Indegene’s P2X7 receptors have been consistently
continued growth. Over the last decade, Indegene has made implicated in neuroinflammation, a
significant organic and inorganic investments in building a driving force in chronic pain conditions.
technology portfolio that caters exclusively to healthcare. This Under the terms of the agreement, Lilly
has enabled the company to grow at more than 25 per cent will be responsible for future global
revenue CAGR over a decade. This growth rate is accelerating development and regulatory activities for
with strong industry tailwinds driving a rapid shift towards AK1780. Lilly will pay Asahi Kasei Pharma
digital-first operations. an upfront payment of $20 million and
Asahi Kasei Pharma may be eligible for up
to $210 million in potential development
and regulatory milestones. Asahi Kasei
Pharma will retain the right to promote
AK1780 in Japan and China (including
Hong Kong and Macau). If AK1780 is
successfully commercialized, Asahi Kasei
Pharma would be eligible for up to $180
million in potential sales milestones, as
well as tiered royalties ranging from the
mid-single to low-double digits.

START-UP NEWS 13

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Japan invests Yesmom brings
at-home female
in microbiome fertility testing kit

therapeutics Health startup Yesmom, based in Thailand, has
announced the launch of Asia’s first at-home blood testing
based startup kits for female fertility, designed to help women stay
on the front foot of their reproductive health from the
MyBiotics Pharma, a microbiome comfort of home. Building on four years of expertise in
therapeutics company based in Israel, women’s health, Yesmom is becoming the go-to brand in
has announced that it has received an Thailand in the ‘proactive health’ category. With a simple
investment from Mii Fund, a partnership finger-prick, it’s new blood testing kit allows women to
with Maruho Co, Japan’s preeminent receive results on their
leader in dermatology. MyBiotics will reproductive health
use the funds to advance its microbiome within a few days in
therapeutics pipeline and continue to an online dashboard
enhance its unique microbiome platform that provides clear,
technologies. In addition, the company is comprehensive, clinical-
initiating a development programme in grade insights. By
the field of skin microbiome, leveraging examining the six fertility
the support of the Mii Fund & Lab, and the hormones Anti-Mullerian
relationship with Maruho Co. MyBiotics Hormone (AMH),
has developed breakthrough, scalable and Follicle Stimulating
robustculturing,fermentation,anddelivery Hormone (FSH), Thyroid
technologies for generating a highly stable Stimulating Hormone
and diverse bacterial community that can (TSH), Free Thyroxine
be used to restore microbiome equilibrium. (ft4), Prolactin (PRL),
These technologies are effective for single and Testosterone (TT), Yesmom’s kit shows how hormone
microbes, complex microbial consortia levels can affect egg freezing or IVF, screens for thyroid
and whole microbiome products, and are dysfunction that could negatively impact conception and
integrated with a computational artificial flags anything that could affect normal ovulation and the
intelligence (AI) platform. fertility window. It also enables women to learn more
about menopause and make informed and timed decisions
on their reproductive future.

Indian startup MFine triples investment in AI

Bengaluru based digital health integration; expanding its hospital
startup MFine has raised $16 network across the country;
million in a new funding round scaling the recently launched
led by Heritas Capital with services which include delivering
participation from Singapore- medicines, preventive health
based family office of Y’S screenings and diagnostic tests.
Investment Pte Ltd. Existing The investors see huge potential
MFine investors including SBI MFine’s state-of-the-art AI and
Investment, SBI Ven Capital, mobile technology platform and
BEENEXT and Alteria Capital its ability to scale beyond India
have also followed-on in the as COVID-19 has accelerated the
round. MFine will deploy the funds use of telemedicine and digital
towards tripling its investments in health in India and other regions
AI, mobile engineering and device in South East Asia.

14 START-UP NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

HKSTP, AstraZeneca Illumina, Sequoia
push Hong Kong as
biomedical innovation hub Capital boosts

AstraZeneca and the Hong Kong Science and Technology genomics startup
Parks Corporation (HKSTP) have launched a co-incubation
programme to support biomedical startups in their mission ecosystem in China
to develop integrated oncology solutions to accelerate
innovation in oncology, foster local biomedical technologies Illumina, Inc, the global leader in DNA
and enhance Hong Kong’s status as a leading biomedical sequencing and array-based technologies,
innovation hub. This programme will attract local and and Sequoia Capital China, a leading
overseas startups to investment firm, have announced a
embed themselves in collaboration to catalyse the startup
the Science Park and ecosystem in China with the launch of
develop comprehensive the Sequoia Capital China Intelligent
oncology diagnosis and Healthcare Genomics Incubator,
treatment solutions. Powered by Illumina. The company
Successful applicants creation engine will focus on building life
of the programme will sciences startup companies advancing
be eligible to a series of breakthrough applications in genomics.
professional support from Sequoia Capital China Intelligent
HKSTP, including the Healthcare Genomics Incubator,
funding support of up to HK$6 million, working space and powered by Illumina, will leverage the
advanced laboratory facilities, as well as leverage HKSTP’s expertise of Illumina for startups in
value-added services platform, which provides business building genomics companies with the
matching opportunities with strategic partners and potential unparalleled track record of Illumina
investors, and talent support. In the programme, AstraZeneca Accelerator in San Francisco Bay Area
will support startups and assist in connecting them with and Cambridge, UK. Sequoia Capital
industry stakeholders and partners, so that they can have a China will dedicate to this genomics
clearer understanding on industry information and related incubator its investment expertise and
opportunities. Additionally, AstraZeneca will also leverage its unmatched community of entrepreneurs
existing networks with Mainland China and global markets to to advance genomics founders, which
provide platforms for exploring opportunities overseas. marks another strategic step following
the launch of Sequoia Capital China
Digital Intelligent Incubator.

Doctor Anywhere builds regional
tech hubs in Vietnam and India

Doctor Anywhere (DA) is tech teams based in Bengaluru
establishing regional tech hubs and Gurugram will form part of
in Vietnam and India, as well the expanded India hub. DA will
as expanding the core product also be hiring fresh graduates
development and engineering from local universities, and
functions in the Singapore providing opportunities for
headquarters. This expansion growth and regional exposure
will play a critical role in DA’s within the company. The new
continued growth in the region. tech hubs will triple DA’s product
The Vietnam hub will also have development and engineering
the opportunity to collaborate capacity, as the company
closely with the local DA offices continues to expand and deepen
to tailor solutions that align with their presence in the regional
market demands. DA’s existing healthcare landscape.

WORLD NEWS 15

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

FDA approves Gavi inks MoU with
Novavax for 1.1 B COVID-19
monoclonal Abs vaccine doses supply

for COVID-19 US based Novavax, Inc., a biotechnology company developing next-
generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, has announced
treatment a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gavi, the Vaccine
Alliance, to provide 1.1 billion cumulative doses of NVX-CoV2373,
The US Food and Drug Novavax’ recombinant protein-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate,
Administration (FDA) has for the COVAX Facility. The vaccine doses will be manufactured and
issued an emergency use distributed globally by Novavax and Serum Institute of India (SII), the
authorisation (EUA) for latter under an existing agreement between Gavi and SII. NVX-CoV2373
bamlanivimab and etesevimab is being studied in two ongoing pivotal Phase III clinical trials in the
administered together for the United States and Mexico, as well as in the United Kingdom (UK), for
treatment of mild to moderate the prevention of COVID-19. COVAX is the vaccines pillar of the Access
COVID-19 in adults and to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which is co-led by the Coalition
paediatric patients (12 years of for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, and the World
age or older weighing at least Health Organization (WHO), who are working in partnership with
40 kg [about 88 pounds]), developed and developing country vaccine manufacturers, UNICEF,
who test positive for SARS- the World Bank, civil society organisations and others to guarantee
CoV-2 and who are at high fair and equitable access to the vaccine for every country in the world.
risk for progressing to severe COVAX currently includes more than 190 participating economies.
COVID-19. The authorised
use includes treatment for World Federation of Neurology
those who are 65 years of age emphasise on brain health
or older or who have certain
chronic medical conditions. The World Federation of Neurology (WFN), based in the UK, has
The EUA was issued to Eli Lilly announced launch of the Brain Health Initiative, a global campaign to
and Co. In a clinical trial of promote the importance of brain health. This initiative centers upon
patients with COVID-19 at high free, comprehensive information on a variety of topics such as why brain
risk for disease progression, a health is important and what happens when brains are not healthy.
single intravenous infusion of The programming aims to reduce the burden of brain diseases and
bamlanivimab and etesevimab disorders, which are the second leading cause of death globally. This
administered together webinar is open to the public and features WFN’s leaders and regional
significantly reduced COVID- presidents. The Brain Health Initiative simplifies complex topics in
19-related hospitalisation and neurology to help maintain, improve and promote brain health around
death during 29 days of follow- the globe, including in underserved and under-resourced regions. Each
up compared to placebo. The lesson is a standalone package but with a common format comprising a
safety and effectiveness of this professionally produced video and supporting written documents.
investigational therapy for use
in the treatment of COVID-19
continue to be evaluated.
Bamlanivimab and etesevimab
are not authorised for patients,
who are hospitalised due to
COVID-19 or require oxygen
therapy due to COVID-19.

16 WORLD NEWS BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Rockefeller US sends isolation
Foundation capsules to Argentina
issues grant
for COVID-19 The Ministry of Health in be used in the disinfection of
testing in Africa Argentina has received 22 reduced environments. The
isolation capsules for the equipment will be used to
The Rockefeller Foundation safe transfer of patients with reinforce the logistical capacity
has announced a new grant of COVID-19 donated through to respond to the virus, and
$12 million to the Africa Public the humanitarian assistance distribute it in the provinces
Health Foundation to help programme of the United according to their needs.
expand the geographic coverage States Department of Defense.
of testing and to strengthen The donation was made after
contact tracing for COVID-19 the joint work between the
in Africa through the Africa agency and the Argentine
Centres for Disease Control and Ministry of Defense. The
Prevention (Africa CDC). This capsules, 9 flexible and 13 rigid,
funding will support a broader are elements used to reduce the
effort to accelerate equitable risk of contagion in situations
access to testing technologies, of patient transfer, both by land
increase testing of asymptomatic and air. In addition, 13 ozone
persons, and reducing generators were delivered to
community transmission
of SARS-CoV-2 in the sub- Merck bolsters Rwanda’s plan to
Saharan Africa region. Through eliminate schistosomiasis by 2024
the Partnership to Accelerate
COVID-19 Testing (PACT), an Merck, a leading science and technology company, and the END
initiative rolled out in August last Fund have announced their partnership to provide Rwanda with 8
year, Africa CDC is establishing million additional tablets of praziquantel per year. The tablets are
partnerships across the globe to needed for treating adults endangered by schistosomiasis and will
mobilize technical, material and complement Merck’s annual donation for the treatment of school-
financial resources to support aged children. The new partnership is an integral part of Rwanda’s
African Union Member States in Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Strategic Plan to eliminate
expanding testing, tracing and schistosomiasis and other NTDs as a public health problem by 2024.
treatment for COVID-19.
Merck’s donation also
represents a significant
contribution to the
Deworming Innovation
Fund, a four-country
initiative of the END
Fund to progress
towards the elimination
of schistosomiasis
and intestinal worms
in Rwanda, Ethiopia,
Kenya, and Zimbabwe.
Schistosomiasis is a chronic condition and one of the most common
and most devastating parasitic diseases in tropical countries. It is
estimated that more than 240 million people are infected worldwide
and that around 200,000 people die from it each year. The disease
is transmitted by parasitic flatworms and the infection rate is
particularly high among school-aged children.

WHO NEWS 17

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com WHO reveals

WHO releases essential new molecular
diagnostics list for 2021
assays for TB
To address the lack of access to tests and testing services in multiple
countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) since 2018 has diagnosis
published a yearly essential diagnostics list (EDL), a basket of
recommended in vitro diagnostics that should be available at point-of- Significant advances to the
diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB)
care and in laboratories in all countries to and drug resistance in adults,
increase timely and life-saving diagnoses. adolescents and children
The latest edition, published, includes are expected, following key
WHO-recommended COVID-19 tests (PCR updates on new molecular
and Antigen), expands the suite of tests for assays, have been announced
vaccine-preventable and infectious diseases by the World Health
and non-communicable diseases (such Organization (WHO) in a
as cancer and diabetes), and introduces a Rapid Communication released
section on endocrinology, which is important recently. Diagnosis of TB and
for reproductive and women’s health. The drug-resistant TB remains a
recommendations in the list are based on challenge with a third of people
robust evidence and take into account country with TB and more than a half
suitability. The process is overseen by the Strategic Advisory Group of of people with drug-resistant
Experts on In Vitro Diagnostics (SAGE IVD), a group of specialists from TB not receiving quality
around the world with long standing experience in the field of IVDs and diagnosis and care globally.
their implementation, their use, regulation and evaluation. To address this challenge,
WHO convened a meeting of a
WHO highlights paediatric Guideline Development Group
chronic pain management in December 2020, to update
WHO policies on molecular
New WHO Guidelines on the management of chronic pain in children assays used for the diagnosis
provide recommended physical, psychological and pharmacological of TB and drug resistance.
interventions for pain relief in children aged 0-19 years. The guideline Highlights from the evidence
supports member states and their partners to develop and implement reviewed and presented in
national and local policies, regulations, pain management protocols the Rapid Communication
and best practices for pain relief. Care for children with chronic pain show high diagnostic
must be child- and family-centred and included in all universal health accuracy for 3 new classes
coverage schemes. Based on the most current scientific evidence, of technologies- Moderate
the recommendations include complexity automated
three areas of inventions: physical Nucleic Acid Amplification
therapy, psychological therapy, and Tests (NAATs), for detection
pharmacological management, which of TB and resistance to
may include the use of morphine rifampicin and isoniazid; Low
for end-of-life-care or when chronic complexity automated NAATs
pain is associated with life-limiting for detection of resistance to
conditions. The guideline highlights isoniazid and second-line anti-
the importance of opioid stewardship TB agents; High complexity
to address worldwide concerns hybridization-based NAATs
about harms arising from misuse for detection of resistance to
of these medicines. Opioid stewardship refers to a series of strategies pyrazinamide.
and interventions involving the appropriate procurement, storage,
prescribing and use of opioids, as well as the disposal of unused opioids
when opioids are appropriately prescribed for the treatment and
management of specific medical conditions.

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CELEBRATING

WOMEN

EMPOWERMENT

A large number of The International Women’s Day theme for
women in the Asia- 2021, celebrated on March 8 every year,
Pacific (APAC) region is #ChooseToChallenge, which highlights
are excelling in their the importance of challenging biases and
respective fields such misconceptions in the interest of creating a more
as pharmaceuticals, inclusive and gender-equal world. At the same
diagnostics, clinical time, the United Nations (UN) has issued a 2021
research, biotechnology theme: Women in leadership- Achieving an equal
and rising as exemplary future in a COVID-19 world. The UN’s 2021 theme
figures while putting celebrates efforts from girls and women in creating a more
their best efforts in equal future and COVID-19 pandemic recovery.
fighting the COVID-19
It is also aligned with the priority theme of the 65th session of the
pandemic. In fact, Commission on the Status of Women that says- ‘Women’s full and
the majority of the effective participation and decision making in public life, as well as
countries that have the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the
been more successful empowerment of all women and girls’, and the flagship Generation
in stemming the tide Equality campaign, which calls for women’s right to decision making
of the pandemic and in all areas of life, equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and
responding to its health domestic work, an end to all forms of violence against women and girls,
and broader socio- and healthcare services that respond to their needs.
economic impacts,
are headed by women. Women across the globe are standing at the front lines of the COVID-19
BioSpectrum brings to crisis, as healthcare workers, caregivers, innovators, community
you 24 women in the organizers, business leaders and as some of the most exemplary
life sciences sector at and effective national leaders in combating the pandemic. The
APAC who are making crisis has highlighted both the centrality of their contributions and
us proud by combating the disproportionate burdens that women carry. Women leaders and workers
have demonstrated their skills, knowledge and networks to effectively lead
COVID-19, as we in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts throughout 2020. Today, there
celebrate International is more acceptance than ever before that women bring different experiences,
perspectives and skills to the table, and make irreplaceable contributions to
Women’s Day on decisions, policies and laws that work better for all. Majority of the countries
March 8. that have been more successful in stemming the tide of the pandemic and
responding to its health and broader socio-economic impacts, are headed

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by women. Another major development was seen around November 2020
when Kamala Harris got elected as the Vice President of the United States,

as the first black woman and the first person of Indian descent nominated
for national office by a major party and only the fourth woman on a
presidential ticket
According to a recent study published in the Centre for Economic
Policy Research and the World Economic Forum, countries with women
leaders at the helm seem to have handled the coronavirus pandemic
significantly better than their male counterparts. The study, carried out
by the UK based University of Liverpool and the University of Reading,
revealed that agile policy measures in the initial three months of the
pandemic in female-led countries saved nearly two times more lives
than those run by male leaders despite having similar numbers of cases.
Moreover, an important facet the study highlighted is the fact
that women were less willing to take risks with lives and imposed
a nationwide lockdown significantly earlier than male leaders.
Concurrently, they were more willing to take risks in the domain
of the economy. In almost all cases, they locked down earlier
than male leaders in similar circumstances. While this may have
longer-term economic implications, it has certainly helped these
countries to save lives, as evidenced by the significantly lower
number of deaths in these countries.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has risen to 37th on Forbes’
annual World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list for 2020 due to her
exceptional leadership during the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak,
setting a global model. And the recent re-election of the Jacinda
Ardern-led Labour government in New Zealand offers leaders an
important lesson about how best to respond to COVID-19.
Jeong Eun-kyeong, the Head of South Korea’s Centre for
Disease Control, has become a national icon after overseeing
a ‘test, trace, contain’ strategy that has made the country the
world’s coronavirus role-model, with daily infections in single
digits. Adding to this list of women leaders is Yuriko Koike who has

been re-elected for a second term as governor of Tokyo. This former defense
minister has been praised for the capital’s response to the pandemic.

Likewise, India has a history of electing female leaders to top positions.
India’s Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs and President of

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) are
women. In addition, Indian women, such as the Chief Scientist of
the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Chief Economist of
International Monetary Fund (IMF), are providing crucial leadership
in the global arena during the COVID-19 crisis.
On the whole, a large number of women across APAC are excelling
in their respective fields such as pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, clinical
research, biotechnology and rising as exemplary figures while putting
their best efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. On the frontline of
the pandemic, with their courage and determination, these women are
inspiring countless people.
BioSpectrum Asia brings to you 24 women in the life sciences
sector at APAC, who are making us proud by leading the fight against
COVID-19.
Dr Manbeena Chawla
[email protected]
with inputs from Hithaishi Bhaskar

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AGNES HO SUCHITRA ELLA

 Head, Developed Growth Markets  Joint Managing Director
 Roche Diagnostics Asia Pacific, Singapore  Bharat Biotech, India

Bringing over 25 years of healthcare industry India based Bharat Biotech, co-founded by Suchitra
experience, Agnes Ho is the Head of the Ella and her husband Dr Krishna Ella, is currently
Developed Growth Markets at Roche expanding its annual capacities to deliver 700
Diagnostics Asia Pacific, which covers Hong million doses of COVAXIN, India’s first vaccine
Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore candidate for COVID-19. The approval of COVAXIN for
and Taiwan. At Roche Diagnostics, she has been the emergency use is being considered as a giant leap for
General Manager for Hong Kong and Taiwan and innovation and novel product development in India.
after 13 years, she moved back to Singapore in 2018 But this journey of COVID-19 vaccine development has
to assume her current role. When the pandemic been an arduous task for Suchitra Ella and her team
started, Agnes knew it well that the quest for effective throughout 2020, and continues to be so. It was all the
treatments and a preventive vaccine starts with, and more tough for her when controversies started swirling
depends on, the broad availability of fast, accurate around India’s homegrown COVID-19 vaccine, right
and reliable testing. In a remarkably short period, after the government’s approval. Adding to her tension
Agnes and her team have created a comprehensive has been the recent observation that less number
testing portfolio for this entirely new disease. They of people are coming forward for the vaccine shots,
have been manufacturing millions of tests per month probably based on the hasty approval of the product,
to help combat the pandemic. Across the region, her which is still in Phase III trials. Simultaneously, her team
team’s engineers and applications specialists have is in the process of co-developing the vaccine product
been at the forefront supporting laboratories, and with Ocugen for the US market. Alongside, Suchitra
she had her teams across sales/marketing, supply is working with the University of Wisconsin–Madison
chain and regulatory affairs work alongside healthcare and FluGen in the US for testing of a unique vaccine
professionals and other stakeholders to tackle this against COVID-19 called CoroFlu that will be delivered
public health emergency. At the same time, she intranasally. The company is also pursuing a COVID-19
has continued to make substantial contributions to vaccine candidate with US based Thomas Jefferson
healthcare through new tests and solutions for cancer, University.
HIV, women’s health and more.
WE ENDURED DAILY RIGOROUS 12-15 HOUR
BATTLES TO GET TO THE NEXT DAY, WITH
COMPOSURE, COURAGE AND CONFIDENCE TO
CONTINUE. THE PRESSURE WAS ALL MULTIFOLD, AT
HOME AND WORK, BOTH TO BE PRESERVED, BUT
LITTLE DID WE SUCCUMB TO IT.

HAVING AN AGILE MINDSET AND WILLINGNESS
TO COLLABORATE DEFINITELY HELPS, AS DOES
WORKING WITH COLLEAGUES AND STAKEHOLDERS
TOWARDS A SHARED PURPOSE, OF SAVING LIVES
AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

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RACHEL CHAN YVONNE LUNGERSHAUSEN

 Vice President, Clinical and  Chief Executive Officer
Commercial Operations (Asia)  Avance Clinical, Australia

 Biofourmis, Singapore Yvonne Lungershausen began her career in
academic bench research with Adelaide
Rachel Chan is the Vice President, Clinical University and Commonwealth Scientific
and Commercial Operations (Asia) at and Industrial Research Organisation
Biofourmis, a fast-growing digital health (CSIRO). Yvonne then moved into clinical
company augmenting personalised care trials research at a dedicated Phase I unit where she
and empowering people with complex was one of the first in Australia to test a new chemical
chronic conditions to live better and healthier lives. entity in healthy volunteers, giving rise to what is now
Under her supervision, the Biovitals Sentinel, a turnkey a strong Phase I sector in Australia. Yvonne also spent
solution was developed within two weeks of the onset time in the biotech world as Clinical Development
of the pandemic, and deployed to remotely monitor Manager then moved into senior Contract Research
thousands of COVID-19 patients in Community Care Organisation (CRO) roles. With over 25 years of clinical
Facilities and Swab Isolation Facilities nationwide. trial experience gained across most therapeutic
Together with her team, she raced against the clock areas, she brings a deep understanding of all Phases
to establish workflows and processes for smooth of the drug development process. With a passion
patient and clinician onboarding. From quality checks for exceeding client expectations, Yvonne is highly
on each deployed device, 24/7 virtual and on-site regarded within the industry for her expertise and
support, to translations of instruction manuals across ability to solve complex clinical trial issues. And owing
6 languages, clinicians could increase throughput to this expertise, the key contribution that she shared
and efficiency by effectively triaging patients and with her organisation at the onset of COVID-19 was
effecting early intervention to prevent clinical to acknowledge the challenges and accept that
deterioration in patients, thus saving thousands of lives. key elements of the clinical research business have
As the pandemic accelerated the demand for digital changed as a result of the pandemic, and that they
healthcare services and hospital-at-home solutions need to be constantly adapting. Most importantly she
worldwide, her key challenge was meeting surging focused on supporting her staff through this past year
product and manpower demands. She ramped up and beyond.
production capacities at the manufacturing plant in
Zurich, and her teams worked tirelessly to support IT HAS BEEN BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR OUR CLIENTS
thousands of device configurations weekly. WITH AVANCE CLINICAL AS WELL AS AT SITES AND
PHASE I UNITS ARE ALL OPEN TO MANAGE THE
GLOBAL DEMAND FOR HIGH-QUALITY CLINICAL
STUDIES THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.

THE COORDINATION ACROSS SITES, ON-GROUND
SUPPORT AND RESOURCE PLANNING MEANT THAT
I DIDN’T SLEEP MORE THAN 5 HOURS PER NIGHT
DURING THE DEPLOYMENT PERIOD. I SLEEP MORE
NOW AND AM GRATEFUL THAT OUR SOLUTION HAS
FACILITATED REMOTE MONITORING, INCREASED
CLINICAL CAPACITY AND CONTINUES TO DETECT
EARLY SIGNS OF DETERIORATION, THEREBY
ALTERING PATIENT OUTCOMES.

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DR RENA DHARMAWAN THE KEY THING IS TO BE FLEXIBLE
AND OPEN TO NEW CHALLENGES. THE
 Consultant, Department of Head & Neck Surgery, PANDEMIC DEFINITELY CREATED MANY
Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology CHANGES, NOT ONLY IN THE HOSPITAL
AND IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, BUT ALSO
 Singapore General Hospital and AT HOME AND OUR PERSONAL LIVES.
National Cancer Centre Singapore

Firmly believing that with the right innovation one
can improve the lives of millions at a time, Dr Rena
Dharmawan is a Consultant in the Division of Surgery
and Surgical Oncology, Singapore General Hospital (SGH)
and National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS). She also
holds a joint appointment as an Assistant Professor (Clinical
innovation) and Clinical Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Center of
Technology and Development (CTeD) at Duke-NUS Medical School.
During the pandemic when her team was rostered to do the
nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs for the diagnosis of COVID-19, they felt
that this procedure could be automated and done by a robot to not
only reduce the unnecessary exposure of healthcare professionals
to patients, who were potentially COVID-19 positive, but also to
increase efficiency and standardise the quality of the NP swabs
performed. Together with clinicians from NCCS, SGH and Duke-
NUS Medical School, she partnered with Biobot Surgical Pte Ltd to
develop SwabBot, a patient-controlled machine, which automates
nasal swabbing to diagnose COVID-19. SingHealth and Biobot
have filed a patent for this technology, which will be an important
addition to manual swabbing in Singapore and worldwide.

AS A WOMAN LEADER, I DO SOWMYA KAUR
BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A POINT
OF CONNECTION BETWEEN ‘WHAT  Head APAC Navitas Clinical Research and
YOU LOVE’ AND ‘WHAT YOU ARE Global Head Clinical Solutions
GOOD AT’. THIS CONNECTION IS
YOUR PASSION. IF THIS PASSION  Navitas Life Sciences, India
SERVES SOCIETY, IT WILL CREATE A
SENSE OF PURPOSE. With a career spanning over 18 years, Sowmya Kaur
has worked across multiple aspects of the industry
including operations, business development, and
strategy with leading industry players like Cognizant,
IQVIA, Kendle etc. She has a successful track record
of building and leading Clinical Development engagements across
Emerging Markets with successful delivery of portfolio of projects.
Currently serving as the Head APAC Navitas Clinical Research and Global
Head Clinical Solutions at Navitas Life Sciences, she took on her new
leadership role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her primary focus was on
safeguarding the health of her teams, while ensuring that the company
maintained business continuity so that there was no disruption to the
ongoing work. It helped immensely that the DNA of the organisation
has never been hierarchical, and colleagues were encouraged to be
innovative. Some of her key strategic contributions during this time
included adoption of online consultations, direct patient shipment, home
care visits to evaluate safety of patients and amendments to protocols.
Patient safety and data integrity remained one of her biggest priority
during the entire exercise. Logistic issues were handled fervently by the
virtual teams, while Sowmya steered with intense collaborations to find
innovative ways of risk mitigation, resulting in minimal or no disruptions.

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SOPHIA LIM AS A FEMALE COMMERCIAL LEADER
RESPONSIBLE FOR ASIA BUSINESS, I USED
 General Manager, Bioprocess TO TRAVEL 75 PER CENT OF MY TIME AND
 Cytiva Asia-Pacific, Singapore HAD LITTLE TIME AT HOME. FORTUNATELY,
I HAVE STRONG FAMILY SUPPORT.
Having over 20 years of commercial experience in the BUT EVEN WITH SUCH SUPPORT, IT IS
life sciences industry, Sophia Lim currently holds IMPORTANT TO SPEND QUALITY TIME
a General Manager position responsible for Asia WITH FAMILY.
BioProcess Commercial covering Asia Pacific region
at Cytiva. She started her career with a Singapore
company in 1999 and joined GE in 2002 through the Amersham
Biosciences acquisition. Since then, she has held various key
commercial roles within the company – General Manager -
ASEAN Life Sciences, Marketing Operation Leader, National Sales
Director, Strategic Key Account Manager. She has managed top
10 global biopharmaceutical accounts and developed strong local
support to their new infrastructure setup and operations. With
Cytiva, Sophia has been in this fight against COVID-19 together
with everyone. Her team has rolled out different initiatives to
ensure they stay close to the development of biopharmaceutical
companies and associates across different offices. In the midst of
different Asia countries rolling out their vaccination programmes,
Sophia is supporting vaccine manufacturers to scale up
production in manufacturing cycles and expansion of facilities. To
top it all, Sophia feels that it is most important to check with each
other through virtual connection to better manage the disruptive
effects like stress during this critical time.

I ALWAYS EMPHASISE TO MY TEAM KYOUNG LIM
THAT NO MATTER THE PROBLEM,
IT’S IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS FIND A  Vice President, Supply Chain Management
SOLUTION AND ‘MAKE IT HAPPEN’. THIS  Samsung Biologics, South Korea
MENTALITY THAT I’VE INSTILLED IN MY
TEAM ULTIMATELY DRIVES US TO ACTION As the Vice President of Supply Chain Management at
TO OVERCOME ANY CHALLENGE WE MAY Samsung Biologics, Kyoung Lim oversees end-to-end
FACE. supply chain activities related to strategic sourcing
& procurement, supplier relation management,
material planning, warehousing and logistics. As
the head of the Supply Chain Management team, her focus
has always been to maintain the highest standards. So during
the pandemic it was important for her early on to have supply
chain strategies and contingency plans in place to support the
operations, both internally and for external partners who were
working on the COVID-19 treatments and vaccine development.
Following the pandemic, she and her team remained committed
to building a stable supply chain, not only to withstand market
fluctuations and sudden disruptions, but also to support the
long-term business growth. As in the case of COVID-19, she
felt it was critical to ensure that there was no disruption to the
business cycles and that the company continues to maintain
routine manufacturing and GMP compliance. She is happy
about the fact that the company trusted and supported the
decisions her team was making in Supply Chain Management,
which allowed her to develop an effective strategy to withstand
pressures brought on by the pandemic.

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DR RACHEL COXON ROSHEL JAYASUNDERA

 Vice President, Healthcare  Director, Global Consulting
 Barco APAC, Singapore  Axios International, UAE

Possessing a deep interest in digital An experienced leader in healthcare
transformation and automation in healthcare, management, Roshel Jayasundera has
Rachel Coxon’s career has spanned remote designed and successfully delivered large
health technology, laboratory automation scale patient access solutions globally
and diagnostics, digital radiology, operating for 20 of the world’s most prominent
room integration and surgical robotics. Her key areas pharmaceutical companies and has overseen the
of expertise are in general leadership, commercial development of flexible and adaptive market access
strategy and execution (B2B and B2C), go to market strategies that successfully responded to complex
innovation, business process improvement and team healthcare needs of a diverse range of markets. She is
development. As a business leader in the healthcare the Director of Global Consulting at Axios International,
segment at Barco, she has seen a push towards where she oversees high-performing consulting and
digitalisation and remote working in hospitals and operational teams in Latin America, Europe, Africa
other healthcare organisations. In these difficult times and Asia; and spearheads Axios’ internationalization
of COVID-19, she led the team to drive digitalisation strategies. During COVID-19, her biggest contribution
efforts in the diagnosis and imaging sector in hospitals has been that she was able to continue supporting her
in Asia Pacific, as well as capture new opportunities patients despite the pandemic. As part of her efforts,
to expand business growth. Rachel has been her team contacted their full network of hospitals
educating hospitals as well as regional partners on the to gain an understanding of their restrictions and
importance of upgrading hospitals’ medical imaging mapped out all the patients accordingly, created
facilities to cope with the changes on the hospital schedules with set days for patients to visit the hospital
floor. Her team is also training the staff to improve in order to reduce the burden on the healthcare
customer engagement via remote meetings and infrastructure while ensuring continuity of treatment,
webinars. At the same time, technology such as Barco’s and set up a digital channel to receive patient
video conferencing tools played a big part in helping applications to support the hospital staff with patient
her to manage this change and enable productive referrals to their programmes.
collaboration with colleagues and customers.
THE PANDEMIC HAS EXACERBATED THE NEED
TO BUILD SUSTAINABLE HEALTHCARE ACCESS
SOLUTIONS THAT CAN REACH PATIENTS
IRRESPECTIVE OF WHERE THEY ARE. EQUIPPED
WITH THE DIGITAL TOOLS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO EFFECTIVELY CATER TO THE INCREASING
HEALTHCARE NEEDS OF PEOPLE DESPITE THE
DISRUPTION CAUSED BY COVID-19.

THE COVID-19 CRISIS HAS AFFECTED OUR
EMPLOYEE’S QUALITY OF LIFE AND CREATED
STRESS IN TERMS OF ADAPTING TO WORKING
FROM HOME AND THE LACK OF PHYSICAL
CONNECTION. THE PANDEMIC HAS ALSO RESULTED
IN BUDGET PRESSURES AND CHANGING PRIORITIES
IN HOSPITALS THAT HAVE IMPACTED OUR
BUSINESSES.

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KAWAL PREET SIGAL ATZMON

 President, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and  Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Africa region  Medix Global, UK

 FedEx Express, Singapore As the Founder of the Medix Group, Sigal
Atzmon is very passionate and committed
As the President of FedEx in Asia Pacific, to ensure that Medix offers people around
Middle East, and Africa (AMEA), Kawal the world innovative and advanced medical
Preet has been leading nearly 40,000 management solutions that really make a
employees across the region to tackle difference in their lives. Prior to founding Medix, Sigal
the challenges brought on by the global held diverse management roles in the finance and
health crisis. Throughout the pandemic, FedEx investment sector. A major motivating factor behind
remained operational and continues to play a central her vision for launching Medix Global in 2006 was
role in delivering life-saving medicines and medical her innate belief in the life-saving and preventative
supplies to communities around the world. Under benefits of digital and remote health solutions that
her leadership, FedEx AMEA is ready to take on increase access and sustainability of quality care. While
COVID-19 vaccine deliveries in the region working COVID-19 was shocking countries into action, Sigal’s
with governments and public health authorities. Preet aim had been to help steer through this period of
stepped into her role when there was an urgent need industry wide disruption and effect positive change.
for PPE and medical supplies, and unprecedented As the pandemic spread around the world, her teams
disruption in the global supply chain. Her focus has were quick to mobilise technologies that they had
been on keeping the essential services operating, so been pioneering for years and offer solutions to ensure
that businesses can rebuild and chart new growth. that the customers have the continuity of support
The company has been preparing and planning and tools to manage their health. COVID-19 has
for COVID-19 vaccine shipping – which is the most spurred a lot of interest and demand for innovative
important work in its history. She along with her team health solutions and she is very proud that the teams
is prepared to flex the network to accommodate any at Medix, from India, through Singapore, Bangkok,
capacity shortage, as she did in 2020 stemming from Jakarta, Melbourne, Tel Aviv and other locations have
the grounding of passenger aircraft. She has been all stepped up during this challenging year to make a
quick to invest in cold chain solutions and technology difference in the customers’ and partners’ lives.
with real-time tracking.
MY GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO HELP SHAPE,
I’VE BEEN WITH FEDEX FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS OR RE-EVOLUTIONIZE, A HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY,
AND HAVE WITNESSED HOW THE COMPANY IS A WHICH DESPERATELY NEEDED TO STEP INTO THE
CHANGE-MAKER. WE ARE CONSTANTLY EVOLVING 21ST CENTURY.
OUR INNOVATION AND ADJUSTING OUR NETWORK
TO MEET SHIFTING DEMAND THROUGH ECONOMIC
EBBS AND FLOWS.

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SHARON TANTRAWAN I HAVE BEEN MOTIVATED TO TAKE A
LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THE JOHNSON
 Senior professional education manager & JOHNSON WISTEM2D INITIATIVE,
 Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies in EMPOWERING WOMEN AND GIRLS TO
PURSUE CAREERS IN STEM2D – AND
Asia Pacific, Singapore REMAIN FOCUSED ON THE PROFOUND
IMPACT WE CAN MAKE ON OUR
Sharon Tantrawan is a senior professional education COMMUNITIES DURING MOMENTS OF
manager for Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices CRISIS AND WELL INTO OUR FUTURE.
Companies in Asia Pacific, focusing on orthopaedic
training for surgeons through the DePuy Synthes
portfolio of solutions. Sharon fully believes that
professional education is a critical need for surgeons and
COVID-19 created significant barriers for delivering that education
across Asia Pacific. This prompted her at DePuy Synthes to
reimagine the way to deliver hands-on training, piloting a hybrid
virtual model with lectures, case discussions, and simulations
hosted at facilities throughout the region. This approach enabled
her team to both deliver immersive educational programmes
and extend their reach and impact to nearly three times more
surgeons. Following the programme’s success in Asia Pacific, the
model is now being brought to scale by DePuy Synthes globally.
Also, as the lines between professional and personal lives blurred
more than ever before, this experience reinforced the importance
of self-care, self-awareness, and self-connection for Sharon. She
cultivated newfound empathy and compassion for herself, which
has encouraged her to turn the chair outwards and deepen the
way she champions these values for others.

WE HAVE SUPPORTED EFFORTS BOTH IN DR SAMANTHA DU
CHINA AND WORLDWIDE BY DONATING
FUNDS AND URGENTLY NEEDED MEDICAL  Founder, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer
SUPPLIES TO SUPPORT THE FRONT LINE  Zai Lab, China
RELIEF EFFORTS. I BELIEVE IN WORKING
TOGETHER TO TIDE OVER THE DIFFICULTIES Dr Samantha Du founded Zai Lab in 2014 and has
AND WIN THE BATTLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. been its Director, Chief Executive Officer and
Chairperson of the Board since its inception. Prior
to founding Zai Lab, Dr Samantha spent two
years at Sequoia Capital China where she led four
healthcare investments and served on the boards. When
the pandemic broke out, she established a panel to closely
monitor and quickly respond to the development of COVID-19
so as to ensure the safety of her employees. She diligently
followed the guidance of health authorities and adopted
stringent pandemic prevention measures. For example, she
made teleworking mandatory during the most serious period
of the pandemic, suspended non-essential business travel and
group meetings, and limited on-site visitors. She, along with
biotechnology industry leaders, contributed their perspectives
about the efforts being made to battle the COVID-19
pandemic in the newly published book, ‘Biotechnology in the
Time of COVID-19’. In addition, her company collaborated with
its partner Novocure to donate medical supplies, including
external defibrillators, to Hadassah Medical Center, an Israel
based hospital. She also donated masks and other medical
supplies to partners and doctors in the US and Japan.

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BELINDA ANG I AM A MOTHER TO THREE YOUNG BOYS, WHO
TEACH ME SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY AND PUT
 Head of Supply Chain, Asia Pacific MY RESILIENCE TO THE TEST IN THE CHALLENGING
 Roche Pharmaceuticals, Singapore YET REWARDING ROLE OF BEING A WORKING MUM.
I’VE ALWAYS ENJOYED THE CHALLENGES OF THE
In her current role at Roche Pharmaceuticals, INDUSTRY, THERE’S TRULY NEVER A DULL MOMENT,
Belinda Ang leads the Asia-Pacific supply chain BUT WORKING FROM HOME REALLY CHANGED MY
team and is responsible for demand planning, sales PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT WORK MEANT TO ME.
and operations planning for the region in addition to
driving the supply chain strategy and transformation
for the region, building new capabilities where
required to sustain delivery of medicines to patients.
As the pandemic broke, her team experienced
volatility in demand of the products on one hand, they
witnessed a delay in oncology treatments while the
rise in personal hygiene measures meant influenza
cases dropped significantly. She had to manage these
abnormalities in her planning and forecast, constantly
monitoring to ensure her team could continue
delivering the medicines to patients in a timely way.
Despite severe logistical challenges during COVID-19
including protecting the cold chain, limited flight
options and freight space, the supply chain teams at
Roche, worked tirelessly to ensure they find a way to
get the medicines to patients. To do that, she and her
team had to think collaboratively and outside-the-box
to rapidly transport products to patients most in need.

IN OUR STUDY, WE HAVE FOUND DR ARUNEE THITITHANYANONT
THAT B. ROTUNDA, A CULINARY
HERB GENERALLY GROWN IN  Faculty of Science, Department of Microbiology
CHINA AND SOUTHEAST ASIA,  Mahidol University, Thailand
MAY SERVE AS THE PROMISING
CANDIDATES FOR THERAPEUTIC Dr Arunee Thitithanyanont is a faculty member of the
PURPOSES WITH ECONOMIC Department of Microbiology, Mahidol University since
ADVANTAGE DURING COVID-19 1997. After completing the clinical fellowship programme
SITUATION. in pediatric infectious diseases at Ramathibodi Hospital
Faculty of Medicine, she joined the international Fogarty
programme at Harvard AIDS Institute, Harvard School of Public Health,
for three years. She has carried on her research interest with emerging
viral infections, the avian influenza H5N1, especially on the interplay
between the virus and the immune system. Currently, she serves
as the Director of the BSL-3 Core Facility, directing a team of skilled
personnel to research risk group 3 (RG3) pathogens. Dr Arunee has
been recognised with L’Oréal Thailand For Women in Science Special
Fellowships for COVID-19, a special fellowship programme that supports
healthcare workers, salon businesses and underprivileged people in
Thailand under the L’Oréal Thailand COVID-19 Solidarity initiative. She
has received her award in the field of life sciences to develop COVID-19
diagnosis, treatment and vaccine as well as investigate genetic mutation
and epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2. She has been working with several
research teams on a number of projects addressing COVID-19 pandemic,
including an isolation of SARS-CoV-2 from Thai patients at the early
stage of the outbreak, the development of a diagnostic method, and the
development of a drug screening platform for COVID-19.

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DR WENG RUIFEN HARJIT GILL

 Vice President (Chief of Product  Chief Executive Officer
Development and Project Management)  Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association

 Diagnostics Development (DxD) Hub, (APACMed), Singapore
Agency for Science, Technology and Research
(A*STAR), Singapore Harjit Gill was appointed the Chief Executive
Officer of APACMed in February 2019.
With strong passion for diagnostics Founded in 2014, the Asia Pacific Medical
productisation and core Technology Association is the only regional
competencies in diagnostic association to provide a unified voice
technology feasibility, product for the medical technology industry in Asia Pacific.
optimisation, in-vitro diagnostics Harjit was formerly EVP and CEO of Philips ASEAN &
(IVD) design control verification and validation, and Pacific until October 2015. In this role, she managed
regulatory strategies, Dr Weng Ruifen has led the a team of 10,000 people in 10 countries across its
development and commercial launch of diagnostics Healthcare, Lighting and Consumer Lifestyle sectors.
ranging from molecular diagnostics, immunoassays, Harjit spent over two decades with Philips holding a
cyto- and histo-pathology based diagnostics and variety of international roles in General Management
software as medical devices. During the COVID-19 in England, Holland, Singapore, Dubai and Hong Kong.
pandemic, Dr Weng led the teams that co-developed When the pandemic struck, the medtech industry
several diagnostics products, including the Fortitude was propelled to the forefront of the fight as countries
Kit, which was among the first regulatory-approved scrambled to secure essential medical devices. Harjit
COVID-19 in-vitro diagnostics in the world, as well as the is incredibly proud of how the industry was able to
RESOLUTE kit, a direct-PCR kit that does not require step up, including front line staff who continue to
RNA extraction and works with the Rapid Automated work tirelessly. As a way to share the learnings, she
Volume Enhancer (RAVE), a robotics solution for the and her team organised one of Singapore’s first
automated processing of patient samples. She also hybrid conferences bringing together 130 medtech
oversaw the development of reference panels and leaders from over 34 countries and more than 1450
standardisation protocols, which provide an objective delegates. Building on this, throughout the year she
evaluation of commercial kits to support various conducted over 35 webinars and produced 12 position
testing strategies that underpin Singapore’s pandemic papers all supporting the aim of accelerating access to
efforts. The Fortitude kit has since been deployed in the healthcare in this region.
clinical diagnosis for COVID-19 in Singapore, the region
and more than 45 countries globally. LIKE MOST LEADERS I HAVE LEARNT TO ADAPT
TO THE NEW REALITIES OF MANAGING PEOPLE
AND ACTIVITIES VIRTUALLY - EXERCISE HELPS
ENORMOUSLY, THAT AND KEEPING MY SENSE OF
HUMOUR!

THE INITIAL MONTHS OF THE PANDEMIC WERE
TOUGH. I RELAXED BY LISTENING TO MUSIC,
PARTICULARLY SYMPHONY AND SONGS BY KENNY
G AND LESLIE CHEUNG. I HAVE ALSO TESTED
OUT A COUPLE OF BAKING IDEAS, AND EVEN
MANAGED TO MAKE AN ICE-CREAM CAKE FOR MY
DAUGHTER’S SIXTH BIRTHDAY IN SEPTEMBER!

COVER STORY 29

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YE (NICKY) XU CHRISTINE FAJARDO

 General Manager - Diagnostics  Head Communications and
 PerkinElmer, Greater China Patient Engagement

As an expert in maternal fetal testing and  Novartis Asia Cluster, the Philippines
analysis with both business and clinical
acumen, Ye (Nicky) Xu has been General Christine Fajardo is the country public
Manager of Diagnostics for PerkinElmer, affairs and corporate responsibility head
Greater China since 2019. In this leadership for Novartis and Sandoz in the Philippines.
role, she is responsible for planning and executing She concurrently heads Patient Advocacy
PerkinElmer’s diagnostics portfolio strategy in for Novartis Asia Cluster and Patient Access
Greater China in line with the company’s global for Novartis Philippines. She started her professional
mission of innovating for a healthier world. When career in the pharmaceutical division of Procter &
the outbreak of COVID-19 took everyone by shock, Gamble. Before joining Novartis, she was Senior Vice
Nicky led the diagnostics team to work closely with President for Strategic Marketing & Corporate Affairs of
R&D and manufacturing through the 2020 Chinese St. Luke’s Medical Center. From 2010 to 2012, she held
New Year to develop a COVID-19 PCR test, which to concurrent Business Development & Licensing roles
her pride has become the gold standard in testing for Novartis Philippines. From 2013 to 2016, she served
worldwide. Meanwhile, she also organised donations as Public Affairs lead for Novartis Vietnam, Indonesia
of instruments and reagent kits worth over 10 and the Philippines. Supported by the Novartis
million RMB to hard-hit regions across the country, COVID-19 Response Fund, she contributed by leading
supporting local hospitals to screen and diagnose the the company’s pandemic response in the Philippines
disease. Owing to early preparation, the company’s in collaboration with Novartis leaders and external
independent clinical lab in Suzhou was approved by stakeholders, aimed at protecting healthcare workers,
the local government as the designated detection lab and improving testing and treatment capacity of the
for COVID-19 and has played a key role in providing healthcare system. Together with the Communications
tests to safeguard businesses and schools as they & Engagement teams in Asia Cluster countries, she
resume operations. The past year also saw Nicky communicated the response initiatives in 11 Asian
helping more than 100 hospitals in China to set up PCR countries internally and externally. She co-created the
labs and build up COVID-19 testing capabilities with company’s COVID-19 response materials to inspire
nucleic acid extraction instruments and testing kits. internal and external stakeholders to work together in
protecting health and rebuilding economies.

DURING MY MORNING AND EVENING FITNESS
WALKS, I REFLECT ON WHETHER I HELP BUILD
SELF-ESTEEM OF PEOPLE, I HELP EASE POVERTY
AND ANXIETY, AND WHETHER I SHARE STORIES
THAT HELP UPLIFT PEOPLE’S SPIRITS.

I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED EXERCISING AND SPORTS
ARE GOOD WAYS OF ALLEVIATING PRESSURE.
KEEPING OPTIMISTIC IS ALSO IMPORTANT IN
HELPING ME LEAD IN THE PANDEMIC. AS A LEADER,
WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE ROLE MODEL OF
THE TEAM. I ALWAYS TRY TO INSTILL AN OPTIMISTIC
AND ACTIVE SPIRIT INTO THE TEAM.

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LAU HUI LING SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES HAVE
IMPACTED THE NUMBER OF WORKERS
 Account Manager, Infrastructure & Life science PRESENT ON FACTORY FLOORS, EVEN IN
 Rockwell Automation, Singapore CRITICAL SECTORS SUCH AS BIOMEDICAL
SCIENCE. WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH
Lau Hui Ling is the Account Manager at Rockwell THESE CUSTOMERS TO IMPLEMENT
Automation SEA and is part of a team responsible for REMOTE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMMES USING
the Infrastructure & Life Science sectors in Singapore. AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY (AR/VR).
She started her career in Rockwell Automation, as
Account Manager for Infrastructure; supporting System
Integrators, EPCs and her portfolio expanded out of the
Infrastructure market and into Life Science End User Accounts.
Prior to joining Rockwell Automation, Huiling has more than
15 years of working experience in SME and MNC System
Integrator corporations. During the pandemic, amid varying
global lockdown restrictions, her team ensured continuity
for customers in essential industries such as life sciences
and pharmaceuticals, helping producers by expediting
their manufacturing setups via process control systems that
facilitate remote work. Her team played a crucial role in supply-
chain management, ensuring pharmaceutical manufacturers
could continue receiving access to reagents, tools, and
platforms, to support their therapy development efforts
and distribution. She along with her team also developed
facility management systems to help hospitals better oversee
and control isolation rooms for COVID-19 patients through
effectively regulating the air flow in these spaces.

I FIND MYSELF IN A SITUATION WHERE DR VIMALA SREENIVASAN
THERE’S A FINE LINE BETWEEN
PERSONAL AND WORK TIME. MY  Singapore Site General Manager &
TEAM AND I HAD TO PUT IN MANY Associate Vice President, Instrument Sales,
MORE HOURS OF WORK DUE TO South Asia Pacific & Korea
INCREASED DEMAND FOR LABORATORY
INSTRUMENTS AND TIGHTER  Agilent, Singapore
TURNAROUND TIME.
Dr Vimala Sreenivasan has been a business leader for
more than 25 years. Soon after completing her Ph
D in Microbiology, Dr Vimala took up the challenge
of becoming an entrepreneur. She thrived in this
capacity over 13 years before assuming a business
management position at Agilent Technologies (Sales) Singapore.
She currently heads a business division employing 70 and
operating across South Asia Pacific. Dr Sreenivasan is an alumnus
of National University of Singapore. Dr Vimala encourages younger
colleagues to aspire for positions of leadership and influence. She
is a firm believer in the individual assuming primary responsibility
for their career growth. While mentoring them, she highlights the
importance of networking and visibility. As Singapore Site General
Manager, she is part of a team that responds to government
directives and Agilent policies in regard to public health matters.
Her team quickly implemented a strict protocol to safeguard the
health of her colleagues. At the same time, her role as Associate
Vice President of Sales, gave her the opportunity to work with
laboratories in the region to scale COVID-19 testing capabilities
with automation and flexible technologies.

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DR SHERRY HO THE STRONG POSITIVE FEEDBACK
FROM DOCTORS AND PATIENTS
 Director (Laboratory) ENCOURAGES US TO KEEP GOING,
 INEX Innovate, Singapore KNOWING THAT WE HAD PREVENTED
POTENTIAL CLUSTERS IN SINGAPORE.
Dr Sherry Ho has more than 15 years’ experience in
both research and development, and clinical testing.
She pursued her PhD in Molecular Diagnostics
from the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology,
National University of Singapore (NUS) after a 4-year
stint as a Cytogeneticist. She developed a strong interest and
expertise in women’s healthcare, in particular, prenatal testing.
Her achievements include several scientific awards in various
conferences including a Young Scientist Award in Non-Invasive
Prenatal Testing (NIPT), as well as two patents during her stint as
postdoctoral fellow in NUS. During the pandemic, she put into action
in renovating the existing laboratory infrastructure and adjusting
the usual workflow to handle COVID-19 samples. After obtaining
regulatory approvals for COVID-19 testing, her team conducted
rigorous validation on various test kits to ensure they obtain accuracy
in test results. As they scale up to help Singapore increase testing
capacity, her team expanded manpower and trained people with
the right attitude even though they are inexperienced. In addition,
she ensured the laboratory performance is up to global standards
by participating in proficiency tests from USA and UK accreditation
bodies, and it is now accredited by College of American Pathologist
for COVID-19 testing for Molecular Microbiology including COVID-19.

WITH MANY OF US WORKING FROM DR INGRID RAJ
HOME, IT IS IMPORTANT TO CREATE
AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ENABLES  Vice President of Aviation
US TO THRIVE AND PERFORM. THIS  DHL Express Asia Pacific, Singapore
MEANS HAVING CLEAR BOUNDARIES
BETWEEN WORK AND LIVING SPACES, As Vice President of Aviation at DHL Express Asia
TAKING NECESSARY BREAKS, HAVING Pacific, Dr Ingrid Raj leads a high-performing team of
BALANCED MEALS, AND EXERCISING TO aviation professionals to deliver operational and service
ENHANCE OVERALL WELLBEING. excellence across the world’s leading express service
provider’s air network. Her responsibilities include
managing and driving network performance to ensure it achieves
industry-leading transit times, strengthening partner relations with
third party carriers and vendors, and optimizing hub and gateway
facilities. Dr Ingrid is proud of the fact that her aviation network
forms the backbone of cross-border express logistics. Despite an
unprecedented increase in shipment volumes due to e-commerce
growth last year, she continued delivering on time even during peak
season as she responded quickly to government precautionary
measures and doubled daily intra-Asia rotations and implemented
quick-turnaround of flights. A major contribution from her
came around for the shipment of COVID-19 vaccines. Under her
supervision, the vaccines arrived on a cargo flight from Brussels,
Belgium to Singapore. Temperature trackers equipped with
sophisticated GPS were also packed within each thermal shipper
box to provide full visibility throughout the shipment’s entire
journey. Her team was also instrumental in handling the customs
clearance and final delivery to a designated location in Singapore.

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realm in research

Drug discovery counts on realising the association between cells and the extracellular matrix
(ECM) in which they interconnect. Though 2D cell cultures have assisted in bringing to light
multiple biological and disease processes, they remain impractical to imitate a complicated tissue
microenvironment. Benefits of co-culturing cells in 3D, including close recapitulation on aspects of
human tissues and physiologically-relevant diffusion characteristics, are becoming more extensive
to drive translational biology and drug discovery.

Research laboratories and institutes across the Cancer Epigenetics LaboratoryAlfred I.
globe are the fastest growing sectors that are duPont Hospital for Children, US.
adopting different cultural techniques owing to
increasing demand for the same in biological research Asian countries have been at their forefront
on human diseases. In particular, three-dimensional in research and commercial headway for this
(3D) cell culture systems are expected to witness an technology. In 2020, more than 250 academic papers
increase in demand from hospitals and diagnostic were published by Asian researchers. This includes
centres in the coming years owing to the huge benefits research studies and review papers with authors/ co-
offered by 3D models in being more relevant and authors from Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea,
accurate in cellular environment investigation. Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand
scrutinizing the technology for its applications.
The potential to enable precise and barrier-free
definition of culture matrices, architecture, cell While 60 per cent of these studies concentrated
organisation, cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions on comprehending disease dynamics and drug
in 3D is playing a major role in morphological examinations, studies probing into advanced modus
characterization and functional evaluation for operandi for techniques of spheroid generation,
assessment of drug effects. While 2D cells are more imaging and analysis together made 40 per cent of the
sensitive to drugs due to the absence of normal total research. Oncology, osteology and hepatology
morphology, 3D cells display different responses given were the top three areas of study. Interestingly, 3D
disparate structure, the spatial arrangement of surface culture was also utilized in COVID-19 research.
receptors, gene expressions, cell-cell communication Cardiology, virology and ophthalmology are other
and presence of multiple cell stages. important areas while wound management, dentistry,
glands, pulmonology, nephrology and reproductive
To closely model real in vivo cellular responses, 3D health are emerging areas where Asian researchers are
cell culture methods such as tumor spheroids, stem attempting 3D culture.
cell organoids, organs-on-chips and tissue engineering
are currently in practice globally. Organoid technology Prioritising significant health burdens
has corroborated an alternative to pre-clinical
drug testing and is further translating a way for Tumour relapse, poor treatment response of
personalised medicine ensuring a patient’s unique conventional therapeutic approaches, drug resistance
genetic makeup. and far from ideal patient survival rates have driven
a surge of interest in translational cancer research
“The field of 3D cultures has grown exponentially for the need of new drug candidates. Additionally,
in the past few years and offers considerable promise nanodrugs, representing novel solutions in oncology
with broad applications in drug development and have shown poor clinical conclusions. Consequently,
toxicity testing for a wide variety of diseases ranging researchers in Asia are utilizing 3D culture for
from cancer to fibrosis to cardiac examining masked and unexposed channels in varying
and neurological disorders. The cancer types with most studies conducted for breast
major challenge will remain the cancer, colorectal cancer and hepatic cancer.
creation of 3D cultures, which
are biologically relevant and In 2020, Singapore-based Invitrocue, a firm
recapitulate micro-environmental specialising in developing 3D cell-based models
factors that resemble in vivo derived from liver and tumour tissues, screened its
tissue and disease pathology”, first commercial customer using its Onco- PDO test
says Dr Sigrid A. Langhans, for colorectal cancer. The platform tests various
chemotherapeutic options on patient-derived mini

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organoids to analyse the most appropriate drug. Top Global Players in 3D cell culture space
The test is further available for breast, ovarian, lung, (Arranged Alphabetically)
pancreatic, gastric and head & neck cancers. The
company has also generated patient-specific liver Company Name Country
cancer organoids for the study of hepatocellular
carcinoma (HCC). Greiner Bio-One International Austria

“We have completed CE Mark registration for our Merck KGaA Germany
Onco-PDO cancer test, enabling the sale of the product
in the European Economic Region. Onco-PDO will PromoCell Germany
soon be commercially available
to oncologists and patients across TissUse Germany
Europe, starting in Germany and
then Spain. Invitrocue also has REPROCELL Incorporated Japan
plans to enter other markets,
including Brazil”, shares Dr MIMETAS Netherlands
Steven Fang, Co-Founder
& Executive Director, InSphero Switzerland
Invitrocue, Singapore.
Lonza AG Switzerland
The use of personalised
liver organoids and limitations of current toxicity QGelSA Switzerland
tests have compelled human cell-based liver models
as a fundamental requirement for pre-clinical CN Bio UK
drug development. Mechanisms of non-alcoholic
steatohepatitis (NASH) pathogenesis and progression 3D Biotek US
remain unclear. Although several animal models were
developed to understand hepatic manifestations, Advanced BioMatrix US
alternative sources of hepatocytes are essential.
Corning Incorporated US
Researchers in Zhejiang University China have
recently devised a liver-on-a-chip model to provide a Emulate US
new concept for the construction of 3D liver models
in vitro and show the potential value for a variety of Hµrel Corporation US
applications including bio-artificial livers and drug
toxicity screening. Hamilton Company US

“Liver is fed by nutrition via diffusion across the Synthecon US
vascular wall from blood flow. However, hepatocytes
in liver models are directly exposed to the perfusion SynVivo US
culture medium, where the shear stress reduces the
cell viability and liver-specific Thermo Fisher Scientific US
functions. By mimicking the
mass transfer and structural neurovascular drug candidates.
features of the hepatic lobule, Simultaneously, comprehending complex
we have designed a microfluidic
liver-on-a-chip”, says Prof Qin properties of skin and drug discovery together with
Meng, College of Chemical clinical applications for chronic wounds is an emerging
and Biological Engineering, area. Japan-based chemical and cosmetics company
Zhejiang University, China. Kao Corporation is employing 3D cultured epidermal
models to study the effect of CO2 on skin scaling.
Convenient accessibility and
broad differentiation potential using 3D cultures is 3D culture is additionally providing impetus in
further expanding its applications for investigating functional advancements in metabolic disorders as
neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diabetes and heart diseases. Organoids are being
diseases and culturing brain organoids. For instance, developed to mimic pancreatic tissue and acquisition
researchers from the National University of Singapore of mature insulin-producing cells for in vitro drug
have developed a 3D microfluidic BBB chip (Blood testing, in vivo transplantation and biological studies.
Brain Barrier Chip) to probe cell interactions and test Further, heart-on-a-chip micro device (HMD)
is also under investigation led by scientists from
Kyoto University and RIKEN Center for Biosystems
Dynamics Research, Japan.

“Organ-on-a-chip is an emerging
concept to recapitulate organ function using
polymeric organosilicon compounds such as
polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) by utilizing Micro
Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology,
which would be applied for the establishment of
the bioassay system. MEMS-based organ-on-a-
chip technology potentially
facilitates the establishment of
micro-devices recapitulating
heart pump function as a highly
sensitive bioassay system for
drug discovery and cardiac
toxicity tests”, mentions Dr
Hidetoshi Masumoto,

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Top 7 Therapy Areas using 3D culture for Research Country of research & Study objective
Therapy Area Area of Study (Alphabatically) Taiwan: Tumor growth kinetics and stress responses
Japan: Novel drug target pathways
Cancer Biology Korea: Oncolytic Virus (Ovs) antitumoral characteristics
Therapeutic Agents New Zealand: Metabolism-targeted therapeutics
Pakistan: Chemoresistance
Breast Cancer Bangladesh: Drug Screening
China: Disease Modelling
Oncology Brain Cancers: GlioBlastoma, Metastatic brain cancer Thailand: Novel molecular targets
Korea: Disease modelling & Drug Screening
Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Taiwan: Upregulated miRNAs
Korea: Cell viability to evaluate anti-cancer drug efficacy
Colon Cancer Japan: Drug Screening
Gatsroenteropancreatic (GEP) Neuroendocrine China: Drug Screening
Neoplasms (NEN)
Japan: Disease modelling
Liver Cancer
Thailand: Iron-mediated cancer cell growth
Neuroendocrine carcinoma India: Chemoresistance
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma Japan: Gene expression
Oral Cancer, Ameloblastoma, Oral squamous cell China: Engineering 3D hepatic tumor microtissue models
carcinoma Japan: hypoxia and disease differentiation
Ovarian Cancer China: Drug Screening, Photodynamic Therapy
Osteosarcoma Australia & Japan: Disease modelling
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) China: Drug Screening
Prostrate Cancer China: Disease modelling
Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) China: Drug Screening
3D cultivation methods Korea: Cell migration
Japan: Morphological characterization, Disease modelling
Hepatology Cytological studies Australia & Japan: Disease resistance
Korea: Morphology and biomarker expression
Drug Development Thailand, Korea: Construction of Liver Organoids
Liver medicine China: Microfluidic liver-on-a-chip
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) Japan: Cholangiocyte differentiation
China: Hepatocyte viability, function, and polarity
Osteology Bone Tissue Engineering China: Human-induced hepatocyte-like cells (hiHeps) for Bioartificial Livers (BALs)
Cartilage regeneration Taiwan: Hepatic differentiation of stem cells- SHED
Osteoarthritis (OA) China: Screening of drug metabolism and tumor infiltration
Korea, Japan: Drug hepatotoxicity
Cytological studies Japan: iPSC-hepatocyte fibers for drug screening
China: Cell therapy
Disease Modeling & Pathogenesis Japan: iPSC-hepatocyte fibers as implantation grafts to treat liver failure
Japan: Hepatocellular ballooning & NASH drug discovery, Identification of novel biomarkers for early
Neurology diagnosis of NASH disease
Korea: Osteogenesis
New therapeutic strategies China: Role of GelMA/CaCO3 microspheres, Role of IL-17, Studies on Cell proliferation, aggregation,
cell morphology maintenance, cartilage related gene expression and matrix secretion, Phenotypic
Dermatology Anti- Ageing redifferentiation of dedifferentiated microtia
Diabetology Cosmetic Peptides Japan: Osteogenesis, Cartilage regeneration to manage cartilage defects
Depigmentation Korea: Cell therapeutics to treat OA based on adipose-derived stromal/stem cells (ASC) spheroid forms
China: meniscus extracellular matrix (mECM) for long-term repair of meniscus tissue & preventing
Hair Growth osteoarthritis, Senescent cells (SnC) elimination via navitoclax for OA therapy
Japan: Scaffold Free Tissue using osteoblasts, PTH treatment for osteoblastic differentiation and
Keratinization mineralization
Skin scaling Australia: Pathological process of tendinopathy
Taiwan: Ligamentum flavum hypertrophy (LFH)
Pseudo-tissue constructs Korea: Modeling of Neurological disorders, mutation underlying Noonan syndrome (NS)
Japan: Neuronal death in schizophrenia
COVID-19 Pseudo-tissue constructs China: Application for scaffold materials in Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
China: Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) neurotoxicity
Singapore: BBB Chip
Taiwan: Ischemic stroke
Korea: Cell-based therapeutics for neural injuries as spinal cord injury, developmental research
of human brain and glial specification to facilitate patient-specific disease modeling, Stem cell
transplantation for brain injury treatment
Australia: Nanoparticle design for neurodegenerative diseases as Friedreich’s ataxia
China: Colla Corii Asini (CCA)- a traditional chinese medicine for anti aging
Korea: Dual function cosmetic peptides with anti-melanogenic effect
Korea: Melanosome transport and skin pigmentation
Korea: Screen hair growth promoting compounds, Polygonum multiflorum extract (PM extract) for
hair growth
Japan: Molecular mechanism of hair growth
Japan: Role of all-trans-retinoic acid (atRA)
Japan: Role of CO2 in skin scaling
Korea: In vitro model to mimick insulin resistance, pancreatic tissue
China: Generate functional β cells/ insulin-producing cells (IPCs), define glucose and lipid
metabolism profiles and screening therapeutic agents for metabolism disorders
China: iPSC-organoid as an ex vivo infection model for investigating the virus; Kidney organoids to
study kidney functions, drug discovery and safety evaluation; microengineered ‘gut-on-chip’ to study
gastrointestinal symptoms

I N N O V AT I O N 35

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

TOP THERAPY AREAS USING 3D CULTURE FOR DISEASE DYNAMIC STUDIES 24%
Others
30%
27%

25%

20%

15% 4% 3%
13% Diabetology COVID 19
12%
11%

10%

6%
5%

0% Osteology Hepatology Neurology Dermatology
Oncology

Research Leader, RIKEN Center for of organ cultures that show the mechanical and
Biosystems Dynamics Research, Japan. functional properties of organs in the human body.
These organoids are useful tools for drug testing,
On the other hand, scientists from the Indian disease research and regenerative medicine, as these
Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore and Indian replicate human physiology, diseases, and drug
Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) have utilized responses reasonably more reliably. 3D-culture
this technique as a model for screening potential anti- systems provide cost-effective
HCV drug candidates. in vivo information plus a better
translational model compared
“The 3D cell culture models serve as the interface to cost-intensive experimental
between conventional 2D monolayer culture and animal testing”, says Dr
animal models. 3D culture offers Soumya Swaminathan,
the best possible model system to Chief Scientist, World
understand the pathophysiology Health Organisation,
of human pathogens such Geneva.
as hepatitis C virus (HCV)”,
says Dr Saumitra Das, Industry providing effortless protocols
Professor, Department
of Microbiology and Cell Companies worldwide are driving innovation to
Biology, Indian Institute of progress platforms, which will make it easier for
Science, India. researchers in their explorations using 3D cell
culture. With global key players such as Thermo
COVID-19 is yet another area of consideration Fisher Scientific, Corning, Merck KGaA, Lonza and
and use of functional human organoids is suggested Reprocell, the worldwide market of 3D cell culture
for a definitive and realistic ex-vivo infection model technologies are expected to reach $1.84 billion in
instead of animal models. For instance, a research 2024, according to a research report by Markets &
team, led by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science Markets.
and Technology (KAIST), has developed a 3D human
alveolar model to study the disease mechanism. Specifically in Asia, elevated focus on R&D for
Additionally, researchers in China have micro- oncology, stem cells, and regenerative medicine,
engineered a ‘gut-on-chip’ to mimic features of increase in the number of elderly patients and high
intestinal epithelium-vascular endothelium barrier to incidence of cancer are expected to be the key growth
study the response of the human intestine to the virus drivers for the market. Hence, companies are in a
as the organ has been reported as high-risk for SARS- drive of innovation and are ceaselessly developing
CoV-2 infection. the latest product versions together with executing
collaborations.
“A significant breakthrough in the recent past
has been the development of 3D-human-derived Japanese firms are leading the channel of
models being utilized for translation as non-animal transformation compared to their Asian counterparts.
technologies. The ability to grow cell populations in 3D Recently, Japan-based Nichirei Biosciences announced
in controlled environments has aided the development

36 INNOVATION

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Key Asian Players in 3D culture market & their products binding culture ware, to MiCAN Technologies, which
is developing cells for research on SARS-CoV-2.
Company Name Products
Through a global lens, American multinational
Japan Corning and UK-based CN Bio introduced new products
in 2020. Corning has launched Matrigel Matrix-3D
CellBed Silica cell culture scaffold Plates as a ready-to-use cell culture option and 3D Clear
Tissue Clearing Reagent for tissue imaging.
Cellfiber 3D cell fibers
“Organoid models help create a more life-like
CellSeed 3D cell sheets environment, resulting in more physiologically
relevant data in support of areas such as drug
JSR Corporation ExoCap kits for exosome isolation and discovery, disease modeling, personalized medicine,
enrichment and cancer research. The increasing popularity of
these 3D models has expanded the demand for
Koken Collagen technologies that provide consistent and reproducible
results. These new tools not only increase convenience
Kyodo Live Cell Imaging Chamber and and consistency but also help
International Incubation Observation System Chamlide boost the volume of spheroid
and organoid generation and
Molecular Devices Imaging and analysis assays essential to advancing
research in critical areas such as
Nichirei Hydrogels pancreatic, ovarian, prostate and
Biosciences intestinal diseases”, says Kim
Titus, Director, Business
Nippon Shokubai Cell Culture Vessels Operations, Corning Life
Sciences, US.
Nissan Chem Medium & Modules
On the other hand, CN Bio has come up with
Sumitomo Bakelite Cell Culture Microwells, Low Cell its Drug Metabolism and Safety Toxicity Testing
Adhesion Products Services using the company’s PhysioMimix Organ-
on-Chip system and in vitro 3D Liver-on-Chip model.
China Additionally, Switzerland-based InSphero AG has
recently entered into partnerships with Japan-based
CytoNiche Microcarriers & Drug screening Yokogawa Electric Corporation for advance high
Biotechnology content imaging and analysis (HCA) for 3D in vitro
models and signed a license agreement with Bio
Australia Engineering Laboratory of ETH Zurich for InSphero’s
Akura Flow organ-on-a-chip platform.
Gelomics Hydrogels
Further, to streamline the ordering process
Korea for researchers in the COVID-19 era, the company
has launched an online store to order its flagship,
Nexel Stem cell-derived cell products for 3D assay-ready 3D InSight Human Liver Microtissues.
spheroid culture InSphero has also started offering free safety testing
for exploratory SARS-COV-2 medications and vaccine
Singapore formulations based on its 3D InSight Human Liver
models.
Invitrocue Limited 3D cell-based personalized oncology
testing 3D cell culture is proving its potential to entirely
change the way for drug discovery and preclinical
its collaboration with US-based UPM Biomedical to drug testing advancements by reproducing processes
offer a full range of UPM cell culture products to life in vitro and has provided confidence to the scientific
sciences researchers in Japan. community and industry to embrace the technology.
However, the lack of infrastructure for 3D cell culture-
“We are strengthening our existing product based research in certain countries and the high cost
portfolio with UPM’s GrowDex hydrogels. We have of cell biology research are some of the challenging
an established network in the cell biology community, factors to look into.
developed through decades of selling media and
animal serum in Japan, where Swati Shrivastava
3D cell culture and organoids
research is booming. We believe
that these new animal-free,
regulatory-friendly products
will provide fresh insight and
help lots of researchers”, points
out Masato Takenaga,
President, Nichirei
Biosciences, Japan.

Another Japan-based firm, Nippon Shokubai, has
developed a 3D cell culture vessel MicoCell, using
non-biological material having the ability to form a
large number of mildly attached cells and the company
has further successfully fabricated cell aggregates. The
company has also agreed to provide adipose-derived
stem cell aggregates to Saiseikai Sobajima Clinic, a
medical corporation.

Further, Japan-based CellSheet Inc, which is
into developing cell sheets for functionally impaired
organs, has started supplying HydroCell, a low cell-

Q&A 37

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

“We consider the APA and China
markets as highly attractive,
fast-growing and very innovative”

Founded in Hamburg, Germany in 1945, «
Eppendorf AG has more than 3,300 employees
worldwide and has subsidiaries in 26 countries Eva van Pelt,
and is represented in all important markets by Co-CEO & Chief
distributors. In an interaction with BioSpectrum Commercial Officer,
India, Eva van Pelt, Co-Chief Executive Officer & Eppendorf AG,
Chief Commercial Officer, Eppendorf AG, who was Hamburg, Germany
appointed to this position on December 6, 2019
shared her view about the company’s contributions in
the fight against COVID-19 and the growth plans of
the company. Edited excerpts;

What have been your key contributions within are essential for tackling COVID. Therefore, we
expanded our production capability to the maximum
the organization towards fighting COVID-19? currently possible using a shift system enabling
production 24/7. Furthermore, we increased the size
The current challenges posed by the corona virus of one of our production sites, adding more floor
are both a mission and a motivation for us. Since space and machinery for the production line. This
the company’s beginnings more than 75 years ago, construction process will also continue in 2021. In
Eppendorf has pursued the mission of “improving doing so we ramp up production of consumables by
human living conditions”. The importance of this about 30 per cent.
mission, yesterday and today, is also evident in the
current situation concerning the coronavirus. As Our global sales and service teams also remained
part of this mission we focus on two main aspects actionable due to the same high adaptability and
– the safety and health of our global workforce and commitment under these challenging circumstances.
providing laboratories with the best and reliable Even throughout the lockdown phases across the
equipment. different regions we remained in close contact with
our customers – be it to support on-site or via virtual
All employees, who are able to do so, to work from support mechanisms. Our e-shops for example
home. This measure in return not only protects them offer our customers the opportunity to order goods
and their families but also all colleagues who cannot digitally in over 30 countries, including China. The
work from home, such as in production and logistics. platform is being updated continuously, the new
Furthermore, amongst other aspects, wearing version will be available in the course of this year.
personal protection equipment is mandatory as well
as complying with the needed social distance. Generally speaking, the utmost commitment to
support and serve our customers characterizes our
Protecting our employees also contributes to the entire workforce at Eppendorf. My colleagues from
second aspect – serving our customers on the front- the Management Board and myself remain deeply
line of the battle against the coronavirus. Here our impressed and proud of how adaptable and agile our
primary goal is to ensure Eppendorf’s production and employees continue to be.
delivery capacity. Our customers can count on us to
deliver and support their tireless effort of developing How is Eppendorf supporting the vaccine
vaccines and medications.
development? What is the progress so far?
How have you been able to tackle the
I am personally very happy that we already have
pressure created by the pandemic? several approved vaccines on the market and many
more underway. And I am proud that Eppendorf
The high demand for our products, especially plays an active role in supporting these activities.
consumables such as pipet tips is unbroken as they

38 Q&A

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

From the development of vaccines to the extensive hubs to enable us to even better serve our customers
analysis of patient samples and research into early locally as well as finding new partners for all aspects
detection: Researchers around the world are engaged of our value chain. And we will continue to increase
in the fight against COVID-19, with Eppendorf our investments in Asia, not only in our Go-to-market-
at their side. We support scientists in all regions strategy, but also addressing local R&D, production
researching and developing vaccines against COVID and innovation capabilities and capacities.
with e.g. manual and electronic pipettes, pipetting
robots, liquid handling consumables and centrifuges What are the major goals set in for 2021?
as well as high-quality bioprocess equipment.
Eppendorf will continue to drive forward its future
How was your performance in the FY20? How initiative and the targeted transformation of the
much growth is expected in the FY21? company in 2021. The investments planned for
this purpose in the company’s global sites and
The Eppendorf Group has had an impressive and infrastructure will be made as planned. Digitalization
never seen before growth in 2020 with a sales growth plays an important role for the company’s future,
of more than 20 per cent worldwide. We are aware therefore we continue to work intensively on the
that this is due to an exceptional situation created by development of customer solutions for the digital lab
the pandemic in 2020, which is why our expectation of the future.
for this year is a single digit growth worldwide.
In terms of strengthening our market presence
How did the year go by in the APAC region? we continue the rollout of our new centrifuge brand
Where was maximum revenue generated? “himac”, especially in Asia and work at full speed on
the topic of e-commerce in 2021. Our eShop activities
The APA region was amongst the top three regions in have made a major step forward with a new technical
2020 regarding sales growth with a plus of approx. platform, which went online for the German market
24 per cent. China was able to achieve a plus of last year, and will be rolled out internationally as
around 11 per cent. A very impressive result, looking well. The further improvement of our customer
at the fact that China went into a hard lockdown at management and communication with our customers
the beginning of 2020. The maximum revenue was is also an important goal this year. And last but not
generated in Europe due to a very strong market least, a relevant aspect for the company’s success is
development in the last quarter of the year. the perfect fitting global footprint of Eppendorf, which
we strategically and sustainably develop. In January
What are your plans for the APAC market? 2021, we therefore moved into a new and very modern
additional sales office in Tokyo, Japan, after opening
Eppendorf considers the APA and China markets as new offices and expanding warehouses in Malaysia,
highly attractive, fast growing and very innovative. China and South Korea during the past two years.
And since we have started to invest in these regions
we are experiencing a tremendous growth. We are Ankit Kankar
right now planning additional offices in various Asian [email protected]

Q&A 39

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

“We see opportunities
across Asia with India
as one of the key markets”
Headquartered in Sweden, Bio-Works
Technologies AB carries out R&D, «
manufacturing and supply of agarose-
based resins used to separate proteins and other Jonathan Royce,
biomolecules. In this large and well-established Chief Executive
area, the company’s products stand out as innovative Officer, Bio-Works
and cutting edge with exceptional performance. Technologies AB,
They are used in academic research laboratories, Sweden
biopharmaceutical companies and many more areas.
Amidst the pandemic, the company announced the under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). We
appointment of Jonathan Royce as the new Chief also concluded a number of studies designed to
Executive Officer (CEO). Royce has a background in strengthen the data offered to users in our Regulatory
senior leadership roles within large-scale suppliers Support Files.
to the biopharmaceutical market including Merck-
Millipore and GE Healthcare Life Sciences (now What are the major plans for 2021?
Cytiva). BioSpectrum interacted with Jonathan
Royce to find out what Bio-Works has in store for the In 2021, we will continue our establishment of local
Indian market. Edited excerpts; commercial representatives in key markets, starting
with the addition of a Regional Sales Manager in
What were the highlights at Bio-Works in 2020? the United Kingdom. We will also be increasing
our production capacity so that we stay ahead of
2020 was a year in which Bio-Works expanded its
global reach in several key markets. We established growing customer demands, most notably
a US-subsidiary and hired two sales via validation of a new reactor, which will
managers in the US market (one double our capacity for our most popular
in Boston, one in San Diego) and resins, WorkBeads 40Q and WorkBeads
substantially grew our business in 40S. We are planning a number of digital
key Asian markets, most notably
South Korea. We brought on Dr Ravi events in the first half of the year where
Rayanade in India as a Director we will give customers the opportunity
Regional Sales to better be able to to hear from experts in the field of
serve our growing base of customers peptide purification, while later in the
in the Indian biotech market. And year, we are looking forward to the
we added new distributors in India return of in-person events where we can
(Arihant and BioLinx) and Taiwan share some of the great new data that
(Yong Chien Technology). Also our applications team is working on.
during the past year, Bio-Works
continued its quality improvements What are the emerging
with a successful re-certification applications of chromatography
against the ISO 9001:2015 quality resin? Are you planning to launch
standard. This certification ensures any new product in 2021 or later?
that Bio-Works resins meet the
strict requirements of users, who There are so many great emerging fronts
are producing biopharmaceuticals for protein purification, and Bio-Works
is engaging directly with end-users to

40 Q&A

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

help identify the most pressing needs. Our primary How do you foresee the company’s growth in
efforts in the first part of the year will focus on India this year & beyond?
the needs of peptide purification. This market is
expected to grow rapidly during the coming years, We believe that the Indian market is one of several
with an annual growth of 9.4 per cent. There are geographies where Bio-Works can provide real,
over 200 peptide-based therapies in early clinical differentiated value to customers. We are a company
development (phase 1 and earlier) where Bio-Works’ that is highly focused on personalized customer
products can provide real savings in terms of cost- service, and we believe that the Indian market is
of-manufacturing and product yield. This market one where we can forge strong relationships with
is underserved by traditional resin suppliers and purification teams who deserve a higher level of
Bio-Works can offer users a combination of best- service than what traditional resin suppliers have
in-class products and a strong internal knowledge. been providing. India is an important part of the
In March, we will be launching a screening kit for biotechnology industry and its significance is
peptide purification applications, which will make poised to increase in the coming years due to the
it easier for purification scientists to select the right high level of skill and competence present in local
resin for their particular peptide structure. Similar organizations.
dynamics exist in the oligonucleotides market, which
is expected to grow even faster with an annual growth What are the current challenges facing Bio-
rate of 13.7 per cent. Biogen’s approval of Spinraza Works in the Indian market?
in late 2016 has fuelled a renewed interest in
oligonucleotides in therapeutic applications, and Bio- Bio-Works biggest challenge in India and several
Works’ products have shown similar performance other markets has been related to our lack of local
advantages in oligonucleotide purification as with presence. This is something we are working hard
peptides. We see that developers of oligonucleotides to change by hiring skilled team members, who are
are actively searching for new and better solutions, close to customers and who can provide the type of
and we believe that Bio-Works can step in and fulfill personalized service that I mentioned previously. Our
this need with our existing products and by offering products are highly competitive, in many cases best-
customized solutions to these users. in-class, but we must ensure local availability and
support if we are to be considered when purification
Which are the markets for Bio-Works currently? scientists are making their selection of tools.

Are you planning to enter more countries? What are your views on the growth of the
Indian biosuppliers market catering to the life
Our sales are well distributed across the globe, sciences industry?
and we are growing in all markets. Certainly, our
recent investments in the US market are expected The market is clearly developing quickly, but it is
to return positive results to the company, but we important that users consider the reliability and
see opportunities across Asia with India as one of longevity of the suppliers that they work with. Many
companies “burn out” and disappear, and that can
the key markets and Europe as well. This leave users in a predicament if they have designed
year, we will definitely add a local processes around tools that are suddenly not
resource in the UK market and we available. At the same time, sticking to traditional
are currently looking at distributor suppliers, who have been in the business for
50+ years can have its downsides as well. Large,
agreements to expand our reach in established companies do not always have strong
areas where we currently do not incentives to drive technological development,
have coverage. as they must focus on protecting their existing
business from cannibalization. Striking a balance
is important when choosing and oftentimes the
best choice of supplier is made by finding a ‘rising

star’ who has been around long enough to be
established but still has a strong interest in
furthering technology development through
organic investments and/or tight collaboration
with users of chromatography resins.
Dr Manbeena Chawla
[email protected]

Q&A 41

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

“IT plays a pivotal role in today’s era

where collecting and analysing data

could make or break the organisation”

While the vaccine race is underway, speed «
is the name of the game as nations
attempt to outdo each other in vaccine Ho Chye Soon,
research and administration. However, amid
larger concerns of supply shortages and equitable Country Manager,
distribution, other key aspects of vaccine delivery are
overlooked. It’s crucial to build an efficient supply Nutanix, Singapore
chain infrastructure necessary to support the vaccine
race. Governments and businesses are revamping data instantly available, enabling better care. It also
their deployment strategies to tussle the pandemic becomes the basis of telehealth services, making it
impact. The Healthcare Industry is taking massive possible for doctors to monitor patients’ conditions in
strides in digital transformation to improve public detail remotely. Operationally, the switch also helps
safety and access to healthcare by embracing digital to cut management time by up to 70 per cent and IT
delivery systems. As we explore advanced vaccine power usage by 80 per cent.
delivery systems, Ho Chye Soon, Country Manager at
Nutanix (Singapore) shares his insights on the role The future of healthcare is powered by technology,
of digital healthcare deliveries. Edited excerpts; and IT needs to be viewed more strategically within
healthcare organisations.
How can healthcare organisations in APAC
build a digital pathway to achieve a value- How challenging is the accessibility of
based healthcare system? improved care delivery models to rural
populations across Asian markets?
The healthcare industry has seen rapid and
unprecedented technology transformation, from Asia Pacific is facing a challenge with a rapidly aging
staggering telehealth adoption, enabling remote population. In fact, the number of promises to put
healthcare workers to increasing pressure for further pressure on healthcare systems. While plans
innovative care delivery models and expediting to introduce universal health coverage are underway
vaccine distribution plans. and this is an encouraging step forward, a more
robust infrastructure is essential to ensure these
In a bid to build a digital pathway and support schemes work as they should, especially considering
evolving demands, healthcare organisations have that much of the population is rural.
been nudged to address security, privacy and
regulation concerns pertaining to the storing, Further challenges, which the industry faces
sharing, and accessing of patient information. include expanding preventive healthcare practices,
Maintaining the security and compliance of speeding up research implementing a value-based
healthcare data ranks high for healthcare system that truly prioritises patient health outcomes
practitioners (49 per cent), according to the latest and safeguarding data. Our research shows that
Nutanix Enterprise Cloud Index report. healthcare practitioners in Asia Pacific worry more
about security than their global counterparts, with
Cloud technology – hybrid IT models, in almost 60 per cent describing it as a significant
particular – have proven effective in delivering value- challenge. Close to half of these healthcare
based healthcare. By simplifying the management practitioners also struggle with cost control and
of clinical and business applications, healthcare business continuity.
organisations have been able to deliver enhanced
patient care while keeping security and cost at top of These issues obstruct the industry from fulfilling
mind. its ultimate purpose — to save lives. The effective

Some hospital chains in India are migrating
IT systems to cloud platforms. This makes patient

42 Q&A

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

adoption of technology will be central to allowing organisations may be taking a range of approaches to
healthcare professionals to focus on what matters cloud, almost everyone recognizes that it is essential.
most, and to reach out universally across populations. Our research shows that healthcare organisations
Bearing in mind the need for agility, flexibility and plan to shift away from legacy data centres to a
control, healthcare organisations recognise the need 32-point increase in hybrid cloud deployments over
to build that technology on hybrid or multi cloud the next five years.
models.
Cloud is readily available, easier to manage than
This approach will also help position the industry ever before and less of a roadblock to research and
for further innovation in areas such as Artificial analysis.
Intelligence, Internet of Things, Augmented Reality,
Virtual Reality and robotics, which are likely to play What are some concerns of the healthcare
an increasing role in enhancing both operational
efficiency and patients’ experience. industry in onboarding modern technologies

How can organisations develop a sound such as cloud computing? How may we allay

framework and robust supply chain for the these concerns?

deployment of the vaccine with the right With digital transformation at the top of mind, the
healthcare industry is more bullish than any other
technologies? sector about adopting a hybrid IT model. According
to our research, 95 per cent of global respondents
As vaccine distribution takes centre stage at the agree that hybrid is their ideal choice, as healthcare
start of 2021, it is clear that supply chains need to organisations are in a critical phase of expediting
be streamlined, yet resilient. More than ever, supply their digital transformations to better meet patient
chain process models have to be highly robust and healthcare worker needs.
but agile enough to accommodate rapidly shifting
variables and respond at speed to any emerging That said, data security, privacy, and compliance
events and threats. pose significant challenges for healthcare IT
providers in transitioning to modern technologies
IT plays a pivotal role in today’s era where such as cloud computing. Our research has shown
collecting and analysing data could make or break that just over half (51 per cent) of respondents
the organisation. IT is the essential group that must globally, across industries, described these security-
be able to deliver the right technology stack, services, related issues as a ‘significant challenge’, while 58
and enablement to leverage the value of data in the per cent of healthcare respondents did so. With the
desired way. But inefficiencies, complexity, and costs dramatic uptick of ransomware attacks on healthcare
associated with traditional IT infrastructures are organisations and increasing patient loads due to the
creating frequent roadblocks that inhibit companies COVID-19 and flu season double whammy, there is
from achieving their life-altering goals. Healthcare no better time to ensure protection of all healthcare
organisations are exploring new and improved data.
methods to deliver IT services in an agile, cost-
effective, and secure manner. Improved availability Healthcare respondents also ranked cost control
of analytics and real-time data processing are some of (45 per cent) and business continuity (45 per cent)
the keys to accelerate drug discovery and delivery. more often as significant challenges than any other
industry.
Data is one of the most critical elements in the
healthcare space, as it can make or break businesses. Despite these concerns, we have already seen
Value-based decision-making, the speed at which examples of successful transformation. Tane General
an insight can be derived, and the time it takes Hospital of Japan has considerably improved their
to implement or act on that insight can make the stability, performance and operational efficiency in
difference between curing a disease and failing a IT. The hospital can now deploy electronic medical
drug approval. Hence, for companies to achieve record systems (EMR) and run newer healthcare
success and derive essential insights, they must make applications as well as explore switching to a
effective use of data analytics tools and technologies. central data aggregation model for more accurate
analytics, which has helped in formulating hospital
Healthcare organisations will need to look to plans and policies. Management operations have
the cloud as the foundation of their framework been significantly reduced, and the time and costs
of their supply chain. We can expect technology saved can now be diverted to more business-critical
growth to accelerate, with cloud computing making operations.
it possible for almost anyone to have unlimited,
secure, safe computing and storage. While healthcare Hithaishi C Bhaskar
[email protected]

D I G I TA L I Z AT I O N 43

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Pharma R&D: Taking the digital route

With the integrated predictive analytics available «
today, health-specific data can be used for generating
invaluable clinical insights to tackle various disease Arno Tellmann,
burdens with novel strategic approaches.
Head of Novartis
Drug development is considered one of the
most critical engines that drives the growth Global Drug
story of pharmaceutical industry. Penetration
and adoption of emerging technologies, like artificial Development (GDD),
intelligence and machine learning combined with data-
reliant predictive analyses, is expected to transform India
pharmaceutical R&D operational models.
on Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) was
Digital revolution: Pacing it up $7.5 billion in 2019. The purpose of this investment is to
ensure that companies are better able to communicate
The global pharmaceutical industry has been shoring new clinical data and use this data for accurate analysis.
up their R&D capabilities through steady inflow of The Novartis innovation lab in Hyderabad, India is
investments and resource developments, especially in working with external partners to enable rapid proof-
emerging markets in the Asia Pacific region. In fact in of-concept digital solutions. One example of this is the
India, Novartis has a digital hub called Biome India, which mixed reality solution to troubleshoot in real time the
is aimed at establishing a network between Novartis and problems in R&D labs by experts located anywhere
external partners from across the digital ecosystem. in the world, to improve cycle time and quality of
This is the first such hub in Asia and owing to India’s laboratory activities. Emerging markets supported by
technological capabilities, offers great opportunities to effective digital ecosystems are implementing innovative
provide patients with digital-led solutions. Clearly, there technologies for pharmaceutical research with greater
is a digital revolution on the horizon and countries are efficacy. Consequently, with the increase in the adoption
keenly embracing it to stay ahead of the curve. of analytics and automation tools, there is a greater need
for talent that is adept at programming and analyzing
Digital in pharma R&D health data. The APAC region is home to immense talent
pool in biosciences, computer sciences and data analytics,
Pharmaceutical research costs the industry billions of and this advantage will allow for quicker adoption of big
dollars in drug development research. In contrast, the data technologies by pharmaceutical companies.
innovation progress is slow and the introduction of new
molecular entities is low. One solution, and possibly Post pandemic: Shifting industry’s focus
a game-changer in pharmaceutical research, is the
potential for mining and processing health-data assets Since last year, pharma industry has had to prioritize
such as molecular pathways, DNA mutations, and gene critical R&D efforts and essential projects in the drug
expression, with the help of cutting-edge technologies. development pipeline, supported by changing guidelines
The opportunity to combine ever-growing data sources, from regulatory authorities. With industry’s emphasis
increasing digital power, and evolving technological on accelerating the product pipeline to respond to this
sophistication of service providers, makes way for a evolving situation, failures will have to be detected
compelling R&D strategy for pharma companies. sooner and greater accuracy of targeting will become
critical. Here, the use of digital tools will become core
Health data can be organized into structured as well enablers for us to gain access to real-time information
as unstructured datasets, and with the help of integrated on clinical trials, to enhance our understanding of both
predictive analytics, using artificial intelligence and the effectiveness and exactitude of a potential product as
machine learning algorithms, it can be analyzed to well as its side effects. Today, digital tools have become
uncover complex patterns for generating invaluable imperatives not only for better patient outcomes but also
clinical insights. Concurrently, such evaluation can also for long-term business success. What is required for us
increase our understanding of how to gather datasets as an industry is not just to accept digital as a simple
from clinical trials in combination with other data combination of individual tools but as the silver bullet to
sources in a better manner. To give some perspective of reinvent ourselves.
the immense potential-in Asia Pacific (APAC), spending

44 PEOPLE NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

S. Sridhar takes over as OPPI President

The Organisation of chaired its Finance and Taxation
Pharmaceutical Producers of Work Group. Sridhar is a strong
India (OPPI), which represents voice of healthcare transformation
research-based pharmaceutical in the country and was the chair of
companies in the country, has Federation of Indian Chambers of
elected S. Sridhar as its next Commerce & Industry (FICCI)’s
President. The term is for a period Pharma Committee till recently.
of two years and is effective from Sridhar is a Chartered Accountant
February 15, 2021. He takes and has led various finance roles
over from Sharad Tyagi, former before joining the Pfizer Ltd 13
Managing Director, Boehringer years ago. At Pfizer, he expanded
Ingelheim India. Sridhar is the from his role as Chief Financial
Managing Director of Pfizer Officer to Business Unit head,
Limited and is heading Pfizer Inc’s took over the responsibility as
commercial business in India. the Managing Director of India
Sridhar has been a member of Commerical Business, a position
the Executive Committee of OPPI he has been holding for the past
for the past six years and has also five years.

Everest appoints Dr Michael Shi
joins Transcenta
Kevin Guo as CCO Holding as EVP

Everest Medicines, a biopharmaceutical Transcenta Holding, a Shanghai based
company focused on developing and biotherapeutics company with fully-integrated
commercializing transformative pharmaceutical capabilities in discovery, development and
products that address critical unmet medical manufacturing of antibody-based therapeutics, has
needs for patients in Greater China and other announced the appointment of Dr Michael Shi as
parts of Asia, has announced the appointment of the Executive Vice President (EVP). He will also be
Kevin Guo as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). taking charge as the Head of Global R&D and Chief
Guo brings more than 22 years of commercial Medical Officer. Dr Shi will lead the global research
leadership and business management and development of all its pipeline molecules
experience across a number of multinational and registration approvals. Dr Li Xu, current
pharmaceutical companies. Guo joins Everest acting Chief Medical Officer, will continue to help
Medicines after holding leadership positions company and will serve on its scientific advisory
at Eisai, where he most recently served as board and as a strategic advisor to CEO. Before
vice president and deputy global brand lead joining Transcenta, Dr Shi was Global Programme
for LENVIMA, driving the development and Clinical Head at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.
execution of global product launch strategies, in East Hanover, New Jersey, USA. He
including in markets such as China, Japan played key leadership role in the
and other Asia regions. Prior to this, he was clinical development of multiple
vice president and head of the pharmaceutical novel oncology/hematology
business division of Eisai China Inc., where products. Most recently, he led
he managed several key business functions the development teams to achieve
and was also appointed as chairman of the accelerated approval of Tabrecta
Board and president of Eisai (Suzhou) Trading and Zykadia in lung cancer
Co. In addition, Guo was the vice president indication and Adakveo in sickle
of Oncology Business Unit 1 in Shanghai cell disease, all under the US FDA
Roche Pharmaceutical Ltd., among other key breakthrough therapy designation.
commercial and business development positions
at prominent global pharmaceutical companies.

PEOPLE NEWS 45

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com Swift

BioCurate eyes more Biosciences
growth with new CEO
adds Bruce
BioCurate, an independently operated joint venture between the University
of Melbourne and Monash University in Australia, and with support of the Zhang to
Victorian State Government, has announced the appointment of Dr Damien
Bates as Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with Founding CEO Dr C. global team
Glenn Begley transitioning to a specialist scientific, commercial and strategic
advisory role for the organisation. An internationally experienced biotech A pioneer in the
executive, Dr Bates joined BioCurate as Chief Scientific Officer and Head of development of DNA and
Translational Medicine nearly two years ago. He has played a critical role RNA library preparation
in driving the progression of projects along their respective development kits for Next-Generation
pathways through close collaborations with the Universities’ researchers Sequencing (NGS)
and innovation staff, implementation of industry best practice across all systems, US based Swift
aspects of project management, portfolio evaluation, industry engagement Biosciences has announced
and resource allocation, and strong staff support and management. the addition of Bruce
Zhang, Director of Sales
Dr C. Glenn Begley Dr Damien Bates and Marketing, APAC
to its global commercial
CareCapital Advisors ropes in team. Zhang comes to
Bindusaran as Executive Director Swift with ten years of
rich experience and has
CareCapital Advisors, based planning and patient experience led efforts in increasing
in China, have announced the technology into their operations, product adoption in his
appointment of A P A Bindusaran and to invest in businesses that previous companies and
as Executive Director and Head share this focus across Asia, Europe a proven track record
of DSO Clinical and Business and Americas. Bindusaran was for driving continuous
Development. Prior to joining previously working at Straumann business growth. He
CareCapital, Bindusaran spent as the Global Head of Orthodontic is set to strengthen
16 years in R&D, clinical affairs, Technology in Switzerland and took the collaboration
treatment planning operations charge of the development strategy with customers and
in different companies ranging of technology and clinical operation partners in China and
from dental technology startups to of ClearCorrect, one of the main APAC as a whole. He
global dental leaders. Bindusaran’s brands in Europe and the United is recruiting additional
role is to help large dental service States. He was also responsible for distributor partners
organizations operate even better, multiple M&A and co-operation in China to provide
by integrating diagnostic, treatment projects. better service to their
customers and looking
into other collaboration
opportunities that could
help the customers be
more successful. With
MGI, a subsidiary of BGI
Group, gaining more
traction in APAC, Zhang
will work with them
closely to deepen the
collaboration announced
in January 2020. Swift will
also be developing more
products compatible with
the MGI platform.

46 R&D NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Singapore designs portable device for 3D skin imaging

A team from Nanyang depth of the ridges and grooves
of the skin at up to 2mm, it
Technological University, could also help with monitoring
wound healing. The made-in-
Singapore (NTU Singapore) NTU prototype is developed at
a fraction of the cost of devices
has developed a portable device with comparable technologies,
such as optical coherence
that produces high-resolution tomography (OCT) machines,
which may cost thousands
3D images of human skin of dollars and weigh up to
30 kg. To further validate its
within 10 minutes. The team efficacy, the team is exploring
conducting clinical trials later
said the portable skin mapping this year to test the feasibility
of their device, as well as other
(imaging) device could be used potential therapeutic uses.

to assess the severity of skin

conditions, such as eczema and

psoriasis. 3D skin mapping

could be useful to clinicians, as

most equipment used to assess

skin conditions only provide

2D images of the skin surface.

As the device also maps out the

India provides Australia develops
world-first 3D printed
solution for implant oesophageal stents

associated infection World-first 3D printed oesophageal stents developed by
the University of South Australia could revolutionize the
A study by a research group at the delivery of chemotherapy drugs to provide more accurate,
Department of Materials Science effective and personalized treatment for patients with
and Engineering, Indian Institute of oesophageal cancer. Fabricated from polyurethane filament
Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) has proposed and incorporating the chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil
a non-leachable antimicrobial coating (5-FU), the new oesophageal stents are the first to contain
as a measure to deal with the danger of active pharmaceutical ingredients within their matrix.
infections related to implants. The team Their unique composition allows them to deliver up to 110
has created a biodegradable 3D printed days of a sustained anti-cancer medication directly to the
polymeric implant, which is modified cancer site, restricting further tumour growth. Importantly,
with anti-infective polymer brushes. the capabilities of 3D printing enabling rapid creation of
The implant itself is fabricated from individually tailored stents with patient-specific geometries
a blend of completely biodegradable and drug dosages.
polyesters, i.e., polyester of tartaric
acid - a natural acid found in tomatoes,
grapes and raw mangoes and polylactic
acid originated from corn starch. Using
the polyester as a scaffold, infection
resistant polymer brushes are chemically
bonded to its surface. The surface
tethered brushes, fabricated from
poly[(2-methacryloyloxyethyl] trimethyl
ammonium chloride) (PMETA),
are of nanometre
dimensions,
which possess
antibacterial
activity.

R&D NEWS 47

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Japan uses Hong Kong builds
Spermine Risk Score for
stem cells to cure prostate cancer diagnosis

neurodegenerative disease Researchers from Hong Kong Baptist University
(HKBU) and the Faculty of Medicine at The
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a Chinese University of Hong Kong (CU Medicine)
neurodegenerative disease resulting in the gradual have jointly developed the Spermine Risk
loss of motor nerve cells (neurons) that control Score which, coupled with the use of a urine
certain muscles, ultimately leading to fatal paralysis. test, provides a non-invasive and more reliable
As there is no cure for the disease, therapeutic method for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. The
strategies are highly needed. Now, scientists from findings have just been published in the scientific
Japan’s Okayama University and colleagues have journal Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases.
investigated the potential of a particular kind of This study confirms that urine spermine and the
Spermine Risk Score are effective at identifying
stem cells men at higher risk of prostate cancer and the test
(Muse cells), could help reduce the number of unnecessary
which can biopsies. It successfully demonstrated that
recognise the Spermine Risk Score, developed based on
damaged patients’ urine spermine levels and other clinical
sites in the parameters, can serve as a novel and promising
human approach to address the limitations of the
body, for diagnostic methods currently in use.
treating
ALS.
Experiments
in mice
reveal promising potential therapeutic benefits
for ALS patients. Muse cells are a kind of stem
cell occurring in the bone marrow, blood and
connective tissues in the human body. They can
identify damaged tissue, and when injected, they can
locate a damaged site, this is possible because Muse
cells produce molecules that recognize substances
created in damaged or apoptotic or dying cells. This
study represents a valuable result in the context of
establishing a potential strategy for treating ALS.

Korea unravels strategy behind spontaneous brain circuitry

Researchers at the Korea orthogonal organization of is mirrored onto the primary
Advanced Institute of Science retinal mosaics in the periphery visual cortex and initiates the
and Technology (KAIST) have clustered topography of higher
explained how the regularly visual areas in the brain. This
structured topographic maps new finding provides advanced
in the visual cortex of the brain insights into the mechanisms
could arise spontaneously underlying a biological
to efficiently process visual strategy of brain circuitry for
information. This research the efficient tiling of sensory
provides a new framework modules. These findings
for understanding functional would make a significant
architectures in the visual cortex impact in understanding of the
during early developmental developmental strategy of brain
stages. The research team circuitry for efficient sensory
has demonstrated that the information processing.

48 ACADEMIC S NEWS BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Asia’s 1st HKBU launches cognitive
Masters behavioural therapy programme
Programme
in Expressive A Hong Kong Baptist University- It adopts a blended mode of
Movement led (HKBU) research team has service delivery including both
Therapy sets in launched an online cognitive online and offline counselling.
behavioural therapy (CBT) The online service comprises nine
Sancheti Healthcare Academy programme named EASE Online weekly online modules delivered
(SHA) in India has announced to help people with social anxiety on the programme website or
the launch of Asia’s 1st Masters disorder (SAD). It incorporates mobile app. The online modules
Programme in Expressive virtual reality (VR) scenarios that include a CBT skills briefing, case
Movement Therapy (dance are common triggers for social demonstration videos, exercises
therapy) fully approved by anxiety, allowing participants to and feedback, a forum and self-
Pune University, India. This respond as they would to real-life assessment.
news comes after five years situations and receive counselling
of relentless effort in building services from mental health
a strong foundation towards professionals. The programme is
developing this course and recruiting 600 participants aged 18
the awareness about the use to 70 with social anxiety disorder.
of creative art therapies in It will also provide training to
the healthcare sector. The around 100 local mental health
use of dance therapy has now professionals on how to operate
widespread application in the programme, with the aim of
medical and mental healthcare serving more people in need in
system. It is also used widely the long run. Having started in
for introducing creative tools 2020, the four-year EASE Online
in pedagogy and detecting programme will run until 2023.
issues in early childhood.
Dance therapy becomes Singapore opens centre
an adjunctive tool both for to study female fertility
diagnosis and as well as
treatment in non-intimidating To be established at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in Singapore,
ways to children, adolescents, the Bia-Echo Asia Centre for Reproductive Longevity and Equality
young professionals, senior will study ways to advance female fertility, lifespan and health-
citizens, special populations, span. Research initiatives at the Centre will be led by scientists and
patients suffering from chronic clinicians from NUS Medicine and other Singaporean institutions as
diseases and prolonged well as the Asia-Pacific, US and Europe, and specialising in women’s
hospitalisation. It allows for
effective ways to keep the reproductive health, ageing, and digital
individual or group motivated medicine. The effort will seek to find ways to
and mentally resilient to improve and lengthen female reproductive
respond to medical care. health and longevity, helping women to
This course offers highest preserve and improve their reproductive
quality education at extremely systems for conception and general health,
affordable prices to students. potentially enabling women to conceive
It also prepares India with safely in their later years. The Centre was
the much needed army of made possible by a $8 million gift from the
healthcare professionals who Bia-Echo Foundation, based in the USA,
understand holistic healthcare whose founder is an attorney and entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan.
and work the beautiful balance The vision of the US-based Bia-Echo Foundation, a private enterprise
of science and art. founded to accelerate social change to establish a fair and equitable
society for generations to thrive, aligns with that of NUS Medicine.

SUPPLIER NEWS 49

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Waters unveils new liquid chromatography solution

Waters has launched Acquity the system and column. By mitigating,
Premier Liquid Chromatography or eliminating altogether, non-specific
Solution, which combines the adsorption, the Acquity Premier
Acquity Premier System with Acquity Solution offers increased analyte
Premier Columns with MaxPeak recovery with 10-100X improvement
HPS technology. It is designed to in detection sensitivity for low-level
alleviate the problem of analyte/metal phosphorylated and carboxylated
surface interactions when analysing analytes. The other benefits include
organic acids, organophosphates, sharper peak shapes and greater peak
oligonucleotides, phosphopeptides, capacity for more accurate analyte
acidic glycans and phospholipids identification and data interpretation;
by reversed-phase and hydrophilic greater reproducibility for separations
interaction chromatography. prone to adsorptive losses meaning
MaxPeak HPS technology is a hybrid less re-work or troubleshooting; and
organic/inorganic surface technology no more system passivation to waste
that forms a barrier between the valuable sample material or tie up
sample and the metal surfaces of both instrument cycles.

Mindray unveils Thermo Fisher,
efficient infusion system
for healthcare industry JW Therapeutics

Mindray, based in China, has unveiled its BeneFusion announce CAR-T
e Series, a revolutionary efficient infusion system for
the healthcare industry. Available in three models, partnership in China
eSP, eVP and eDS, the BeneFusion e Series delivers
efficiency in workflow, safety, application and Thermo Fisher Scientific has signed an
informatics. This brand-new series will be available agreement with JW Therapeutics to ensure
in select countries and regions. Infusion pumps are in non-exclusive commercial access to Thermo
widespread use in clinical settings such as hospitals. Fisher’s Gibco CTS Dynabeads CD3/CD28. The
However, errors or failures caused by these systems agreement will support the clinical development
can have significant ramifications for patient safety. and commercial manufacturing of leading CAR-T
Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) found that (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cells) therapies in
medication errors caused by infusion pumps rank China, including JW Therapeutics’ lead product
among the world’s top ten health technology hazards. relmacabtagene autoleucel (relma-cel). Relma-
Efficiency is the key to minimising the risks associated cel is an anti-CD19 CAR-T therapy for third-line
with infusion pumps, thereby enhancing patient treatment for relapsed or refractory (r/r) B-cell
safety and improving clinical workflow. Mindray lymphoma. The therapy’s new drug application
BeneFusion e Series streamlines workflow via a 3.5” (NDA) has been accepted by China’s National
coloured capacitive touchscreen, which features an Medical Products Administration (NMPA).
intuitive UI for smooth touch operation. Relma-cel is expected to be the first CAR-T
therapy to be approved as a Category 1 biologics
product in China. The CTS Dynabeads platform
is part of Thermo Fisher’s proven Cell Therapy
Systems (CTS) product portfolio designed to
ease the transition from clinical development to
commercial manufacturing of T-cell therapies.
The CTS product line is a comprehensive portfolio
of products designed to work together, from cell
isolation/activation and gene transfer to cell
expansion, to address cell therapy developers’
manufacturing workflow challenges.

50 SUPPLIER NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | MARCH 2021 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Bio-Works, Amicogen Agilent provides
promote agarose resins
production in South Korea improved immune cell

The agreement entails a technology transfer from metabolic analysis
Swedish firm Bio-Works to Amicogen to establish
in-country production of chromatography products Agilent Technologies has introduced the
in South Korea. According to the agreement, Bio- Agilent Seahorse XF HS Miniplate designed
Works will deliver documentation and consultation specifically for the Agilent Seahorse XF HS
to Amicogen to establish local production of resins, Mini Analyser for improved immune cell
which are equivalent to Bio-Works’ existing product metabolic analysis. The XF HS Mini is the
portfolio. Amicogen will pay $2.22 million upon latest addition to Agilent’s range of Seahorse
signing and $1.95 million after 90 days. The remaining XF platforms, which analyse mitochondrial
$830,000 will be paid when Amicogen has validated respiration, glycolysis, and
their production. The technology transfer is expected ATP production in live
to take up to 12 months. Amicogen will gain exclusive cells, in real-time.
rights to the South Korean market and according These metabolic
to the agreement Amicogen will pay Bio-Works a measurements enable
royalty on their net sales until 2031. The Korean researchers to better
market for chromatography resins, which are used in understand cell
biopharmaceutical production is expected to grow to health, function,
over $94 million by 2025. Bio-Works expects to enter and signalling. The
into further discussions with Amicogen regarding highly sensitive XF
future collaborations. HS Mini analyser
offers improved
performance and
precision, requiring fewer cells per well,
an improved more consistent suspension
cell workflow, and streamlined analytics.
These improvements enable researchers to
confidently generate XF data from quantity
limited or low respiring cell types, such as
immune cells, where measurements were
previously not possible.

Olympus introduces single balloon enteroscope

Japan based Olympus 2.8mm of the conventional
scope to 3.2mm. In addition,
Corporation has launched incorporating technologies such
as Passive Bending and High Force
SIF-H190 single balloon Transmission that are equipped
with Olympus’ colonoscopes,
enteroscope, incorporating facilitates smoother passage
through acute flexures in the small
functions to advance deep into the intestine. The SIF-H190 launch is
part of Olympus’ contribution to
small intestine with a smoother safer, more efficient endoscopic
diagnosis and treatment as
passage. The product is a single a company that offers total
solutions in the field of small
balloon enteroscope for use in intestine diseases, from screening
to diagnosis and treatment.
the diagnosis and treatment of

diseases of the small intestine deep into the small intestine
that is typically difficult to
such as obscure gastrointestinal reach. The SIFH190 improves
maneuverability of inserted
bleeding. By manipulating the endo-therapeutic instruments
by increasing the diameter of
angle of the endoscope and the the instrument channel from

balloon at the tip of the splinting

tube mounted to the scope,

this solution supports access