BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2022

Biospectrum Clare
Asia Excellence abou
econ
Awards 2022 Mark

Brought to you by: Dario
also
Technology Partners: Digit
innov

Industry Partners: Dr. Sa
imple
THE 2022 AWARDS ARE JUDGED BY AN ESTEEMED PANEL He co
OF INDUSTRY LEADERS AND EXPERTS! found
Foun
India

The Executive Director of the Genome Institute of Singapore, Professor at Duke-NUS
Medical School Singapore and Executive Director of PRECISE, Prof. Patrick Tan is also an
elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) and a Board
Member of the International Gastric Cancer Association from Singapore.

Clare Blain, Chief Executive Officer of Life Sciences Queensland, Australia (LSQ) is passionate
about highlighting the integral role life science innovation plays in Queensland's diverse
economy. She has been a Chief Operating Officer and Operations Manager at LSQ from
Marketing Manager at Queensland Clinical Trials Network.

A Physician Scientist, Professor at Christian Medical College, Vellore (India) and
Laboratory Director, Gagandeep Kang. Is the first Indian woman to be elected to the
Fellowship of the American Academy of Microbiology and to the Royal Society and the
only physician-scientist to receive the Infosys Award in Life Sciences.

Dario Heymann, founding member and Chief Research Officer of Galen Growth, Singapore has
also successfully built HealthTech Alpha; the world's only analytics platform dedicated to
Digital Health, delivering accurate and regularly curated information to investors, industry
innovation leaders and startup CxOs.

The Director at Hello Tomorrow Asia Pacific, Xin Yi Tow from Singapore was also an
investment banker. Her expertise in investment, private equity, capital, and asset
management inspired her to co-found Slate Alt, an ecosystem of alternative investors,
future-forward innovators, and curious tech experts.

Dr. Satya Dash is a national innovation ecosystem designer, technology strategist, policy and
implementation expert, Board Member at Venture Center, Pune, India's largest S&T incubator.
He contributed to the growth of the Indian biotech & medtech innovation landscape as the
founding Head Strategy at DBT-BIRAC & In-Charge Head of IP & TT. Recently, he joined as the
Founding CEO of BITS BioCyTiH Foundation, funded by the Department of S & T, Government of
India.

Haven't Filled Your Entries Yet? Nominate Now

For more informa�on, visit: www.biospectrumasia.com/bsa-awards

4 BIO EDIT

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Dr Milind Kokje A DEFICIENT PROPOSITION

Chief Editor To keep pace with the changing needs, time and technology, the Government of
India is proposing a totally revamped new Act for drugs that will replace the
[email protected] 82-year-old Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940. For this, the Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has drafted the ‘Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics
Bill, 2022’, which is published on its website to seek opinions and suggestions from
stakeholders. Although the existing legislation along with its rules made in 1945,
were repeatedly amended to stay relevant, several parts of the Act became obsolete,
requiring a modern version.

The Draft Bill deals with medical devices, clinical trials, e-pharmacies and import
of drugs. It empowers the government to waive the requirement of clinical trials for
importing a new drug in case of extreme urgency. If there is an emergency induced by
an epidemic, the government may regulate or restrict the import of drugs. In case of
risks involving a new drug, the government has been empowered to stop its import. The
new Bill includes an elaborate description of what constitutes misbranded, adulterated
and spurious drugs.

In line with emerging developments in healthcare and medicine, the introduction of
provisions for ‘Medical Devices’ in the Draft Bill is quite crucial. From robotics, used in
complicated surgeries, to simple and common ‘home-use’ devices like pulse oximeters,
blood pressure/ sugar level monitoring gadgets and high-level artificial intelligence
(AI) to machine learning, various devices are now deployed in monitoring, controlling
and improving health. It’s no surprise, the medical devices market in India is estimated
to reach $50 billion in just the next three years, growing at 37 per cent CAGR.

The field of medicines and healthcare is being revolutionised by developments
like the introduction of new techniques, new diagnostics and treatment procedures,
the concept of big corporate hospitals, widespread use of private and public medical
insurance, and in general, privatisation of healthcare.

The Bill makes two important proposals- setting up of technical advisory boards
for medical devices and testing centres for medical devices, like the drug laboratories
in states and at the central level. The key difference is that unlike in the old Act, the
medical devices will not be regulated on par with the drugs. Although medical devices
have been given their due recognition in the Draft Bill, the Association of Indian
Medical Devices Industry (AiMeD) is disappointed, as its aspiration for a separate Act
for devices is not addressed. Its argument has some merit given the sector is growing so
fast, it would have been prudent to bifurcate drugs and devices at this juncture, rather
than revisiting this issue again, just a few years later.

It is important to note here that Malaysia has had two separate Acts in force since
2012 - the Medical Devices Act and the Medical Device Authority Act, to regulate the
manufacturing and distribution of medical devices. Taiwan also recently introduced the
Medical Devices Management Law, separating pharma products and medical devices.

On the clinical trial front, the Bill has provisions for penalties and imprisonment
for failing to pay compensation to trial victims. Currently, all matters related to clinical
trials are regulated through the clinical trial rules.

However, one glaring lacuna is the absence of good manufacturing practices (GMPs)
and the transparency in new drug approvals. GMPs were included in India in the rules
drafted by the government in 1988. But the required corrective measure to incorporate
GMPs in the Act itself has not been done even now. The Bill is silent about the GMPs.

The Bill also fails to address the issue of uneven enforcement of the Act. Each state
has its own enforcing agency, which has created a problem of uneven enforcement. Way
back in 2003, the Mashelkar Committee had recommended centralising drug licensing
with the central regulator. Although this is the most opportune time to introduce this
change, the Bill remains silent over the issue. The government may consider it while
presenting the Bill in Parliament.

BIO MAIL 5

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Acknowledgements/ Feedback insights on advancing precision health
and strengthening digital healthcare in
Rise in pharmaceutical R&D has led the Asia-Pacific region.
to develop cost-effective and efficient
cell and gene therapies (CGTs) - Chris Khang, Singapore
while focusing on biomanufacturing
innovations. Thank you BioSpectrum The information captured in the story
Asia for featuring insights by Avantor on drones in the August edition was
on Asia’s CGT Biomanufacturing very well aligned with the current
ecosystem. industry trends. Including ongoing
industry facts and figures supported
- Narayana Rao, Singapore by industry experts’ quotes makes the
story very crisp, informative and at the
One of the key objectives of GE same time an easy read for anyone who
Healthcare’s spinoff to become an may not possess prior knowledge of the
independent company is to meet subject.
the demands of our markets with
greater speed and agility. Thank you - Aarti Chitale, India
BioSpectrum Asia for publishing my

Vol 17; Issue 9; September 2022 MM Activ Singapore Pte. Ltd. Taiwan
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6 BIO CONTENT BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

COVER STORY 24

INCUBATORS
IGNITING

BIOSCIENCE

ECOSYSTEM

Incubators and accelerators are driving small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Asia
through the development of novel therapeutics and encouraging innovations and

commercialisation. Biotechnology incubators provide a stimulating environment that
attracts investors, talent, and companies to collaborate on research, thereby fostering
industry growth. While the appetite for laboratory space is constantly growing among

biotech ventures, countries in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region are actively investing
to construct life science hubs that foster innovation strategies and strengthen R&D
capabilities. Let’s explore prominent startup incubators and accelerators in key APAC

economies that are cultivating biotech innovations to create unicorns.

BIO CONTENT 7

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES

31 Scan
QR code
Taming the Enemy Within to access
BioSpectrum
SPEAKING WITH
Asia
33 Digizine

“Asia is constantly SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
strengthening its
digitisation and connectivity, 40
making it an attractive
market to invest in” Expanding Toolbox
Spurring Opportunities
Eva van Pelt,
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Ruplekha Choudhurie,
Eppendorf SE Senior Industry Analyst/
Team Lead (Health & Wellness),
36 TechVision, Frost & Sullivan

“Growing demand REGULARS
for low-cost remote
patient monitoring services, BioEdit.........................................................................04
CIS & EMRs will propel BioMail........................................................................05
digital healthcare platform Policy and Regulatory News...................................08
adoption” Company News........................................................10
Finance News............................................................12
Suresh Venkatachari, Start-Up News...........................................................13
Chairman and CEO, People News..............................................................43
Healthcare Triangle R&D News..................................................................46
Supplier News...........................................................48
38 Lets Talk Health........................................................50

“Lack of sufficient capacity
is a greatest challenge
facing the biomanufacturing
industry today”

Mathias Garny,
Chief Executive Officer,
Univercells Technologies

8 REGULATORY NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

India approves Corbevax as first
heterologous COVID-19 booster shot for 18+

Indian firm Biological E has announced the vaccine for emergency use as a
that its COVID-19 vaccine Corbevax heterologous COVID-19 booster dose
has been approved by the Union Health for individuals aged 18 years on June 4,
Ministry as a heterologous COVID-19 2022. Corbevax had received emergency
booster dose under emergency use use authorisation as a primary two-dose
authorisation for individuals aged 18 vaccination regimen in adults, adolescents
years and above after six months of and children five years and above, in a
administration of primary vaccination series of approvals from December ’21
(two doses) of Covaxin or Covishield to April ’22. Corbevax is expected to be
vaccine. The Union Health Ministry’s available as a precautionary dose on
approval is based on the recommendations the CoWIN App in public and private
made recently by the COVID-19 Working vaccination centres. The price of Corbevax
Group of the National Technical Advisory for private COVID-19 vaccination centres
Group on Immunisation (NTAGI). This is Rs 250, inclusive of GST. For the end-
approval came after the Drug Controller user, the price is Rs 400, including taxes
General of India (DCGI) approved and administrative charges.

Singapore grants interim Australia’s new
authorisation for AstraZeneca’s
antiviral mAb Evusheld ‘missing link’

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in Singapore, in lab to boost local
consultation with its Medicines Advisory Committee, has
granted an interim authorisation under the Pandemic vaccine capability
Special Access Route (PSAR) for AstraZeneca’s antiviral
monoclonal antibody, Evusheld. Evusheld comprises two Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial
monoclonal antibodies, namely tixagevimab co-packaged Research Organisation (CSIRO), an
with cilgavimab, & is administered by intramuscular Australian Government agency responsible
injection. It is authorised to be used for the prevention for scientific research, has opened a new
of COVID-19 in adults who have not had a known recent $23.1 million national lab in Melbourne
exposure to an individual with COVID-19 infection (pre- that will bolster the nation’s ability to
exposure prophylaxis) & are unlikely to mount an adequate produce vaccines & drug treatments locally.
immune response to COVID-19 vaccination due to a medical Researchers at CSIRO’s National Vaccine
condition or are taking immunosuppressive medications and Therapeutics Lab will turn vaccine &
or treatments or for whom COVID-19 vaccination is not drug candidates into products that can be
recommended. Examples of such people include those who manufactured in large quantities for clinical
are in an immunocompromised state from blood or bone trials. The ability to do this within Australia,
marrow transplants or have human immunodeficiency rather than needing to go overseas, has been
virus (HIV) infections. However, pre-exposure prophylaxis the ‘missing link’ in the country’s biomedical
science sector being able to produce vaccines
with Evusheld is not a substitute for & drugs. The new lab follows a successful pilot
vaccination in individuals for whom facility in the early stages of the COVID-19
COVID-19 vaccination is recommended. pandemic, when CSIRO scaled up vaccine
The treatment must be prescribed by a candidates that had been developed onshore
doctor and the suitability as part of a national strategy to combat this
of use on the individual emerging threat. The facility was completed
patient will require a careful with funding from the Federal and Victorian
clinical assessment by the Governments & was officially opened on
prescribing doctor. August 11, by Federal Minister for Industry
and Science Edham Nurredin Husic.

REGULATORY NEWS 9

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

UNOPS partners Novavax’s COVID-19
vaccine receives approval for
with Japan to aid adolescents in Asian region

COVID-19 preparedness US-based Novavax, Inc., a biotechnology company
dedicated to developing and commercialising next-
in Indonesia generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, has
announced that Nuvaxovid (NVX-CoV2373) COVID-19
In collaboration with the Government of vaccine has received expanded manufacturing and
Japan, the United Nations Office for Project marketing approval from Japan, expanded emergency
Services (UNOPS) has delivered essential use authorisation in Thailand, post
medical equipment, medical supplies and approval change application by
personal protective equipment to support South Korea, provisional registration
the Government of Indonesia’s COVID-19 in Australia, and expanded
preparedness and response. Since May provisional approval in New
2020, UNOPS and the Government of Zealand, for primary immunisation
Japan have been working with the Ministry to prevent COVID-19) in adolescents
of Health of the Republic of Indonesia to aged 12 through 17. The company
equip hospitals with medical equipment, has also filed for expanded
and medical supplies for COVID-19 emergency use authorisation in
patients, as well as strengthen the health Taiwan. Novavax has partnered with
preparedness and COVID-19 response of Takeda to develop, manufacture,
the country’s healthcare system. With $4 and distribute Nuvaxovid in Japan,
million in funding from the Government and partnered with SK bioscience
of Japan, UNOPS delivered medicines to provide the first protein-based
and medical equipment - including ICU COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in adolescents aged 12
Ventilators, COVID-19 testing kits, PCR through 17 years in South Korea. Novavax has established
machines, an ambulance and other items partnerships for the manufacture, commercialisation
aimed at preventing and treating COVID-19 and distribution of its COVID-19 vaccine worldwide.
cases in an effective and timely manner. Existing authorisations leverage Novavax’s manufacturing
Since the start of the project, the joint partnership with Serum Institute of India, the world’s
partnership is estimated to have helped largest vaccine manufacturer by volume.
over 16,000 critically-ill patients, as well as
supported the work of 1,750 health workers
across 30 hospitals.

NZ evaluates Māori Influenza and
Measles vaccination programme of 2021

The Ministry of Health in New vaccination rates. Its 2021 report
finds that providers built on the
Zealand, which oversees the learnings and capacity developed
through MIVP 2020, applied
Māori Influenza and Measles these strategies to their COVID-19
activities as relevant, and new
Vaccination Programme relationships and ways of working
emerged. The report makes
(MIMVP) has released a report on a series of recommendations
around how immunisation and
its findings for 2021, identifying vaccination rates could be further
bolstered, some of which are being
which initiatives worked and addressed by the establishment of
the Maori Health Agency.
what could be improved in future.

The report finds that while the

overall flu vaccination rates and and previous years. The MIMVP
programme provides funding to
equity rates amongst the Maori providers around the country
for initiatives designed to boost
community were lower than 2020, Māori influenza and measles

the rates achieved were still a

notable improvement on 2019

10 COMPANY NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

AstraZeneca signs MoU to empower
breast cancer community in Singapore

AstraZeneca Singapore has signed Singapore and BCF aim to bridge early detection among targeted
a Memorandum of Understanding existing knowledge gaps about communities and the wider public
(MoU) with Breast Cancer breast cancer identification in Singapore. A comprehensive
Foundation (BCF) to improve the and diagnosis, and encourage care management plan will be
overall breast cancer awareness, regular screenings to help with established in partnership with
detection rates, and patients’ healthcare professionals and
access to breast cancer treatment patient groups to give advice and
in Singapore. The MoU creates support on cancer management
a new partnership to address the to breast cancer patients and
rising incidence of cancer and the caregivers in the community. This
cost-savings and lives saved that includes exploring the feasibility
would result from early cancer of a patient navigator programme
detection. It also aligns with the to guide breast cancer patients in
Healthier Singapore strategy negotiating the healthcare system
which supports the nation’s goal to and providing a range of support
shift from acute care to preventive such as psychosocial, diet, and
care. Under the MoU, AstraZeneca nutritional interventions.

Moderna to debut mRNA ROKIT Healthcare deploys
production & research
facility in Australia AI & 3D bioprinting

Australia’s Monash University has announced that US- for diabetes foot,
based firm Moderna will be joining other world-leading
research and technology companies in the Monash osteoarthritis treatment
Technology Precinct, under an agreement signed with
the Victorian government. Moderna will build its first South Korea-based ROKIT Healthcare
mRNA production facility in the Southern Hemisphere will provide a hyper-personalised medical
at Clayton in Melbourne’s south-east, and is expected platform that uses 3D bioprinting and
artificial intelligent (AI) technology built on
to produce up to 100 million vaccine doses Google Cloud, to innovate the treatment of
each year in Australia, including COVID-19, osteoarthritis and diabetic foot lesion ulcer.
influenza and respiratory syncytial virus ROKIT Healthcare’s AI solution accurately
(RSV). It comes six months after Moderna, recognises the affected area of the patient,
the Australian Government and the Victorian using computer vision and deep-learning
Government reached an in-principle technology, and then outputs a patch with
agreement to build the facility, and will be the the same size and shape as the affected area
world’s first mRNA production facility to be to a 3D printer. The goal for this platform is
located on a university campus. Not only will to increase the treatment rate for chronic and
it secure the production of mRNA vaccines complex diseases, improve access to medically
on Australian shores and ensure Australians underprivileged areas, and lower medical
have quick and easy access to vaccines, it will expenses. The company moved its existing
boost the country’s medical research and development, infrastructure to Google Cloud and used
clinical trials and global supply chain access. In addition Google Cloud’s AI tools to expand its medical
to the Moderna manufacturing site, Monash University platform. ROKIT Healthcare has established
is partnering with the Victorian government to establish a system that can reliably expand and operate
the Monash Centre for Advanced mRNA Medicines medical platforms in various regions using
Manufacturing and Workforce Training. Google Cloud’s scalable, high-performance
load-balancing service Cloud Load Balancing
and Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), which
provide a fully managed Kubernetes service.

COMPANY NEWS 11

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

First central Wipro GE Healthcare &
Boston Scientific to offer
oncology lab advanced heart care in India

for clinical trials Wipro GE Healthcare, a medical technology, diagnostics and
digital solutions innovator, has announced its collaboration
opens in Malaysia with Boston Scientific, a medical device manufacturer to provide
end-to-end innovative interventional cardiac care solutions in
Hematogenix, the first central India. The collaboration will enable easier access to treatment
oncology laboratory for clinical and is intended to improve heart care for patients, thereby
trials in Malaysia, has been formally addressing the disease burden prevailing in India. This is a
launched. This is expected to first-of-its-kind collaboration
move local pharmaceutical and between the two MedTech
healthcare industries further up companies in India, both with
the value chain into research and strong interventional cardiology
development (R&D) and related portfolios. The advanced medical
services. Hematogenix, a Global devices and capabilities from
Clinical Research Central Laboratory Boston Scientific, coupled with
specialising in Oncology/Cancer GE Healthcare’s strong medical
Research with accreditations from imaging systems like cardiac
College of American Pathologists catheterisation lab and related
(CAP) and Clinical Laboratory software, support diagnostics
Improvement Amendments (CLIA), through treatment and
has been in operation globally since monitoring of the cardiac patient-
2007 and in Malaysia since June care pathway. The companies will work to collectively support
2021. Hematogenix is headquartered the training and education of healthcare professionals and raise
in Chicago, Illinois with three other consumer awareness about the impact of vascular imaging
branches globally, covering the advancements within cardiac catheterisation procedures,
European market in Manchester, thus enabling better patient outcomes. Earlier this year, GE
United Kingdom, the China market Healthcare signed a similar partnership with Boston Scientific in
in Shanghai; and the latest market Southeast Asia which also offers combined cardiology solutions
for Asia Pacific is in Cyberjaya, to customers including in training and education.
Malaysia.

Vuzix tests smart glasses for emergency medical care in Japan

US-based Vuzix, a leading Shunto Izu Fire Department, nurses who are on standby at the
supplier of Smart Glasses and extended reality technology hospital to which they are being
and Augmented Reality (AR) provider AVR Japan. The smart transported. Previously, the only
technology and products, has glasses feature two-way audio and means of communication between
announced that its M400 video communications, which rescuers and doctors waiting
smart glasses are currently enable the sharing of medical in the hospital was via mobile
being tested in Japan for an information such as vital signs phone calls, and information
emergency medical care plan. and ECG readouts, as well as the sharing was only vocal. But in this
The objective is to provide early patient’s visual condition, in
treatment to improve patient real time to doctors trial, emergency medical
outcomes and life-saving rates for and technicians (EMTs)
critically ill patients while being are using Vuzix M400
transported to the hospital. smart glasses to convey
The trial involves medical information
the participation of from the ambulance
Juntendo University,
Shizuoka Hospital, the to the hospital from the
moment of patient engagement
to their delivery to the hospital.

12 FINANCE NEWS BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

China’s Everest Medicines, Gilead
announce $455M oncology
Jemincare, deal for Asian rights

nets $650M China-based Everest Medicines has entered into an agreement with
Immunomedics, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of California-based
deal with Roche Gilead Sciences, Inc., whereby Immunomedics will obtain exclusive
rights to develop and commercialise Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan)
for prostate in Greater China, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines,
Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Mongolia. Under the terms of the
cancer drug agreement, Everest will receive up to $455 million in total considerations
with $280 million in upfront payments payable subject to, among
Jemincare, a pharmaceutical other things, certain regulatory approvals, and up to $175 million in
company from China, has potential future milestone payments. In addition, Everest will be
entered into an exclusive released from payment obligations for up to $710 million in remaining
worldwide licence agreement milestone payments under a licensing agreement entered into with
with Swiss Oncology major Immunomedics in April 2019 to develop, register, and commercialise
Genentech, a member Trodelvy in Greater China, South Korea and certain other countries and
of the Roche Group, for territories. Everest received approval in mainland China and Singapore
the development and in June and January 2022, respectively, for Trodelvy in adult patients
commercialisation of its new with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast
prostate cancer drug, the cancer (TNBC) who have received two or more prior systemic therapies,
androgen receptor degrader, at least one of them for metastatic disease.
JMKX002992. Under the
terms of the agreement, Sosei Heptares, AbbVie
Genentech will be granted an enter new multi-target
exclusive licence to develop and collaboration worth $1.2B
commercialise the degrader
worldwide, and will be fully Japanese firm Sosei Group Corporation & US-based AbbVie, a research-
responsible for the development based global biopharmaceutical company, have entered a new drug
and commercialisation costs. discovery collaboration & option-to-licence agreement to discover,
In return, Genentech will pay develop & commercialise small molecules that modulate novel G protein-
Jemincare $60 million, upfront. coupled receptor (GPCR) targets associated with neurological disease.
Jemincare is also entitled to The new agreement will leverage Sosei Heptares’ StaR technology &
receive up to $590 million structure-based drug design (SBDD) platform & AbbVie’s extensive
in additional payments upon neuroscience and disease area expertise. The agreement expands the
meeting key milestones related breadth of the ongoing collaboration between Sosei Heptares and AbbVie,
to development, regulations building on the first multi-target discovery agreement signed between
and sales targets. Jemincare is the companies in June 2020, which is focused on the inflammatory and
also in line for tiered royalties autoimmune disease areas. Under the terms of the new agreement, Sosei
on net sales. JMKX002992 is Heptares will conduct & fund R&D activities through the completion of
a novel oral degrader of the Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies.
androgen receptor, a
confirmed disease driver in
prostate cancer. It has the
potential to treat patients
with prostate cancer who have
developed resistance to current
therapies. Roche was previously
working on another drug-
ipatasertib to treat prostate
cancer, but gave up on it, after
it failed a key test. Roche will
hope to have better luck with
JMKX002992.

START-UP NEWS 13

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Aussie immuno- Singapore’s MiyaHealth
raises additional funding
oncology startup Carina for global expansion

Biotech raises $7.5M MiyaHealth, a Singapore-based healthtech startup, has
raised an undisclosed sum in additional funding from
Australia-based startup Carina Biotech leading healthcare & technology investors including
has raised $7.5 million at first close of its HealthXCapital, Central Capital Ventura, & SEEDS Capital.
current funding round, welcoming on board This comes after MiyaHealth raised $6.5 million in a pre-
new venture capital business Tenmile as Series A round in February this year, which was one of the
the cornerstone investor together with largest pre-Series A rounds by a HealthTech startup in
strong support from existing investors. The Southeast Asia. The fresh funds will be used to accelerate
capital raise enables Carina to complete its the company’s product development, hiring, & expansion
Investigational New Drug (IND) enabling plans. The pre-Series A round earlier this year was led by
studies and to initiate a CAR-T clinical ST Engineering Ventures, the corporate capital arm of
trial of LGR5 CAR-T cell for patients with Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engineering)
advanced colorectal (bowel) cancer. Carina is and Elev8, a deep-tech business to business (B2B) focused
one of Tenmile’s first cohort of investments. venture capital fund based in Singapore. Together with
Tenmile is the new $250 million healthtech HealthXCapital, Central Capital Ventura, & SEEDS Capital,
venture capital fund backed by Andrew the funds will drive MiyaHealth’s aggressive growth strategy
and Nicola Forrest’s Tattarang investment across the globe, starting with Europe and Southeast Asia.
group. The capital raise also enables Carina
to progress its robust pipeline of CAR-T
programmes and its technology platform
which includes Carina’s Chemokine Receptor
Platform that is being used to develop
CAR-T cells expressing chemokine receptors
that drive CAR-T cells to ‘home in’ on
specific cancer cells. Carina’s proprietary
manufacturing process shortens the time
required for CAR-T cell generation producing
higher numbers of highly active CAR-T cells.

Carlyle to invest ¥7B, pick up minority
stake in Japanese MedTech CureApp

Global investment firm Carlyle of the transaction. CureApp’s the first to receive regulatory
has announced a strategic hypertension prescription approval in Japan in 2020. The
partnership with CureApp, digital therapeutic received strategic growth investment by
Inc., a leading Japanese regulatory approval in Japan in Carlyle will help support CureApp
medical technology startup and April 2022 and is the first-of-its- in the rollout of its hypertension
prescription digital therapeutics kind globally; while its smoking PDT app and enable the company
provider, through an acquisition cessation treatment app was to advance its digital therapeutics
of a significant minority stake in development pipeline. The
the company. The investment CureApp management team
is part of CureApp’s Series G will also be able to leverage
funding, whereby Carlyle will the strength of Carlyle’s global
be investing JPY 7 billion in healthcare sector experience as
the company. This brings the it looks to deepen its sales and
total amount of capital raised distribution network & strengthen
by CureApp to approximately its marketing & product
JPY 13.4 billion. Carlyle will development platforms in Japan,
have one board seat as part & expand globally in the future.

14 START-UP NEWS BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Indian Korea’s GenKOre develops new base-
editing tech to treat genetic diseases
medtech
GenKOre, a biotech startup in South Korea and a spin- off from the
startup Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), has
succeeded in the development of adenine base editors (ABEs) based on
Yostra Labs its own hypercompact gene-editing technology. The hypercompact ABEs

raises Rs 4 Cr developed by GenKOre are characterised
by their small size, ability to be delivered
in seed round via an adeno-associated virus (AAV), and
base-editing activity that is both selective
India-based Yostra Labs, a and flexible and has been verified in
medtech startup, has raised vivo. Previous base-editing technology
Rs 4 crore in its seed funding was created using a SpCas9 nuclease
round led by Indian Angel that is so large that it cannot be carried
Network (IAN) and was by AAV vectors that have a payload cap,
joined by co-investors Impact and is therefore restricted to hepatic
Innovators and Entrepreneurs distribution. Through AAV delivery, this
Foundation (Villgro new base-editing method is anticipated
Innovations Foundation) to offer a range of in vivo therapy options
and Centre for Cellular and for genetic illnesses. GenKOre recently expanded its research facility
Molecular Platforms. The in Seoul in an effort to attract a large number of human resources for
startup aims to utilise the the development of hypercompact ABEs-based gene therapy, seeking
infused capital for increasing collaborations with pharmaceutical companies and academia.
its workforce by expanding
in-house sales and marketing Insilico Medicine raises
teams. The funding will also be $95M from Aramco’s
directed towards expanding the Prosperity7 Ventures
market reach of the company,
the commercialisation of the Hong Kong-based startup Insilico Medicine, a clinical-stage end-to-end
product portfolio, optimising artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company, has completed
the bill of materials, and scaling a second closing of its Series D round, led by Prosperity7 Ventures, the
up the production. The startup diversified growth fund of Aramco Ventures, bringing the total Series
is currently addressing Diabetic D financing to $95 million. Other global investors with expertise in the
Foot, a complication of Diabetes
– which is widely neglected biopharmaceutical and life sciences sectors
even though the mortality rate also participated. The new Series D capital will
is more than that of cancer. The support the continued advancement of Insilico’s
company’s flagship product, pipeline, including its lead programme which
Neuro Touch is a point-of- is currently in a Phase 1 study in New Zealand
care comprehensive screening and in China, as well as several pipeline
device for small and large fibre programmes in (Investigational New Drug)
peripheral neuropathy that IND-enabling studies. The proceeds will also
helps clinicians to diagnose fund other key strategic initiatives, including
diabetic neuropathy. Velox further development of its end-to-end Pharma.
Care is an advanced wound AI platform, the launch of a fully automated, AI-
care solution for the treatment driven robotic drug discovery laboratory and biological data factory, and
of chronic wounds such as the establishment of regional centres. The investment from Prosperity7
diabetic foot ulcers. Yostra’s further diversifies the company’s investor base globally and brings a
devices have screened over potential strategic partner with deep expertise in high-performance and
40,000 patients across clinics, environmentally friendly energy R&D.
private and government
hospitals and diagnostics
centres in India.



















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INCUBATORS
IGNITING

BIOSCIENCE

ECOSYSTEM
Incubators and accelerators are driving small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Asia through
the development of novel therapeutics and encouraging innovations and commercialisation.
Biotechnology incubators provide a stimulating environment that attracts investors, talent, and
companies to collaborate on research, thereby fostering industry growth. While the appetite for
laboratory space is constantly growing among biotech ventures, countries in the Asia Pacific
(APAC) region are actively investing to construct life science hubs that foster innovation strategies
and strengthen R&D capabilities. Let’s explore prominent startup incubators and accelerators in

key APAC economies that are cultivating biotech innovations to create unicorns.

The development of innovative clinical to providing experimental space and equipment,
therapeutics involves a complex transition personnel exchange and support programmes help
from drug discovery to clinical trials to researchers translationally advance their ideas, to help
manufacturing and marketing. The APAC region is spin out businesses. In short, incubators are crucial
experiencing an increase in the demand for R&D avenues to unlock the commercial value of startups
facilities which can incubate innovative startup ideas through commercialisation.
in a cost-effective space. In national interest, state-
maintained incubators are offering infrastructure APAC biotech companies have demonstrated
and R&D facilities to meet the high-specifications substantial business process understanding and
while maintaining environmental standards and innovation strategies. A collaborative network
biosafety requirements. Many early-stage R&D involving public-private partnerships, biotech
and late-stage therapeutics developments are companies, and academia is essential for the
supported by government funding and initiatives, APAC startup ecosystem to flourish. The biotech
which incubate research endeavours before they incubators are thus shaping the industry by building
become commercially viable. Further, Accelerators up the pipeline of promising projects creating an
can reinforce the incubator through mentoring entire orchard of opportunities. A government-
and network-building opportunities to propel the academia-industry collaboration framework can
startup’s growth and strengthen its value proposition. assist in creating launch pads and growing high
value diversified biotech business ventures, while
The governments in the APAC region are making creating ample opportunities for knowledge sharing,
efforts to promote biotechnology activities in collaboration, networking and partnerships to help
their countries by setting up biotechnology parks, startups succeed in the marketplace.
incubators, as well as pilot projects through public-
private partnerships. The gradual emergence of APAC countries, notably Australia, India, Japan,
co-labs and incubator programmes strengthens R&D Singapore, and South Korea have cultivated startup
capability while governments facilitate financial and ecosystems by nurturing promising innovations
tax incentives to foster a startup ecosystem. In addition through a series of R&D, collaboration, innovation,
grants, venture capital investment, R&D tax credits

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and more. Here are some APAC biotechnology and life “Life Science Incubator’s
science clusters that are contributing to the growth of mission is to attract
SMEs (small and medium enterprises) by fostering
early-stage development and assisting spinoffs. and support local and
international startups in
SINGAPORE Singapore as we look towards
providing more resources
As a leading biomedical sciences hub at the heart for our local startups, and
of Asia, Singapore is the choice location for companies encouraging collaborations
to develop and produce new products that better meet between startups, MNCs and
Asia’s healthcare needs. The Singapore Government
announced in December 2020 that it will sustain academia.”
investments in Research, Innovation and Enterprise - Alvin Tan,
(RIE) activities at about 1 per cent of GDP, or S$25B,
for 2021 – 2025. Besides public funding, a healthy Minister of State for Trade and Industry (MTI),
research ecosystem featuring a large tenant pool also Government of Singapore
continues to encourage investments from private
sectors in well established biocluster such as Biopolis. “Funds raised
have increased
Biopolis, Singapore’s first-ever co-working space more than five
for biotech startups is a custom-built biomedical times to $464
research hub, located near the National University million in 2020,
of Singapore (NUS) which hosts research activity from about $86
in many life science firms. Biopolis hosts nine million in 2016.”
Agency for Science, Technology and Research
(A*STAR) biomedical research institutes and over - Audrey Lok,
60 companies, with a thriving R&D ecosystem for Health and Biomedical Director,
commercialisation of new scientific discoveries. The
co-location of research institutes and companies Enterprise Singapore (ESG)
within Biopolis, and its proximity as the LaunchPad
at one-north startup ecosystem, promotes joint lab a state-of-the-art BSL Level 2 coworking laboratory
collaborations. This allows companies to access talent that facilitates Biotech, Foodtech and Medtech
and cutting-edge R&D infrastructure under one roof companies to develop and grow in an accessible, agile
in Biopolis to efficiently scale up their operations. and affordable facility and to be a space conducive to
collaboration and cross-pollination. “LSI’s mission is to
There is a thriving startup scene in Singapore, attract and support local and international startups in
which is supported by infrastructure and innovation Singapore as we look towards providing more resources
programmes such as the A*STAR, Diagnostics for our local startups, and encouraging collaborations
Development Hub and MedTech Park. In addition, between startups, MNCs and academia” says Alvin Tan.
Enterprise Singapore (ESG) aims to work with more Structured innovation is one of Singapore’s national
than 3,000 small and medium-sized enterprises strategies. The A*STAR statutory board under the
including biotechnology with cash grants of up to Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore, launched
90 per cent to aid in their transformation journey in the Biomedical Sciences (BMS) initiative, which has
three principal areas: core capabilities, innovation & gone through three phases since 2000. A*StartCentral,
productivity, and market access. Audrey Lok, health an incubator lab established in 2016, assists biotechs
and biomedical director, ESG, said “Funds raised in bringing innovations to market while offering a low-
have increased more than five times to $464 million asset model for early-stage startups.
in 2020, from about $86 million in 2016”.
Further, A*STAR’s drug discovery and
In November 2019 Enterprise Singapore development units and the Experimental
launched Singapore’s first private biotech incubator, Biotherapeutics Centre (EBC) have integrated
NSG BioLabs, as part of its Startup SG Accelerator to form a national platform for drug discovery
program, to cater to the needs of the country’s and development, called the Experimental Drug
biotech startups. Development Centre (EDDC). More than 70 academic
institutions and 25 regional and international
Later in September 2021, the Cowork-CoLab of the companies have formed partnerships with them in
Life Science Incubator (LSI) was opened by German Singapore and overseas. Singapore has been providing
Ambassador Dr Norbert Riedel and Minister of State
for Trade and Industry (MTI) Alvin Tan. The LSI is

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a conducive ecosystem and infrastructure for life “CUREator will deliver
science and biotech startups. In its 6th Science and two streams of activity,
technology plan- Research, Innovation and Enterprise
(RIE 2020) the government has committed S$4 billion involving $20 million
($3 billion) to health and biomedical science including each with any SME, or life
grants for research projects. Between 2010 to 2021, science researcher at an
Singapore biotech landscape has incorporated more
than 90 regional biotechnology startups. Australian university or
research institute, eligible
Considering the demand for a conducive
ecosystem, JTC, formerly the Jurong Town to apply for funding.”
Corporation, a statutory board under the MTI, plans - Dr Simon Wilkins,
to further develop Biopolis to meet the needs of
startups. Biopolis Phase 6 is the latest development Head of operations, CUREator
in the Biopolis precinct, one of JTC’s key projects
to boost the biomedical industry in Singapore. The “Incubator residents would
Concept and Price Tender of S$171.8 million was benefit from CSL’s onshore
launched in 2019 to construct Biopolis Phase 6 in the translational R&D expertise
One-North innovation district and adjacent Buona
Vista neighbourhood to construct a 12-storey tower and capacity as they co-
block for biomedical sciences development. The mingle with employees at
project is expected to complete in the year 2022-23. its state-of-the-art R&D hub,
providing opportunities for
Phase 6 of Biopolis will address challenges faced cross pollination, learning and
by biotech startups, to access wet labs once they
graduate from incubator or accelerator spaces & the sharing of ideas.”
struggle to develop their own wet labs, constrained
by high capital requirements. The Biopolis Phase - Paul Perreault,
6 business park space will foster biomedical science CEO, CSL
research activities by providing well-equipped
laboratory spaces that will reduce startup costs & develop a research project by facilitating an incubating
shorten the time-to-market. ecosystem to develop next-generation therapeutics,
technologies, and treatments in association with
AUSTRALIA organisations mentoring these SMEs.

Australia with its pioneering biotechnology In late 2021, Australia established its first national
innovation industry has dedicated around $630 biotech incubator, CUREator, which received a $40
million on annual R&D spending. In March 2022, the million grant from the government’s Medical Research
Australian Federal Government announced its second Future Fund (MRFF) to promote Australian biotech
term Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), a 10- research and entrepreneurship. The incubator is run
year investment plan which will support health and by the Brandon Capital-managed Medical Research
medical research in Australia by investing $6.3 billion Commercialisation Fund (MRCF) and aims to nurture
between 2022–23 and 2032–33. The plan provides up to 40 promising research discoveries and early
funding for 21 initiatives over the 10-year period, to clinical stage assets over the next three years to boost
support life-saving research, create jobs, strengthen translational research and new age therapeutics.
the local industry base for commercialising research
and innovation, and boost Australia’s medical and Dr Simon Wilkins, Head of operations at
biotechnology research sector. CUREator, has trained over 350 researchers,
attracted over $6 million in investment, and
The BioMedtech Incubator Grant (2021) accelerated research worth $60 million across clinical
opportunity is a major part of MRFF and the Medical and pre-clinical streams along with the establishment
Research Commercialisation Initiative, which funds of nine research-based startups. “CUREator will
the organisations that can identify and collaborate deliver two streams of activity, involving $20 million
with Australian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises each with any SME, or life science researcher at an
(SMEs) who are undertaking early-stage medical Australian university or research institute, eligible to
research and medical innovation projects with apply for funding” says Dr Wilkins.
commercial potential. The grant provides up to $5
million in funding for an SME over five years to In July 2022, CUREator announced over $17
million in funding for 23 projects across six states
and territories. In round one funding $8.5 million is
awarded to 17 pre-clinical biomedical technologies
demonstrating proof-of-concept stages and $8.9

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“Industry-academia new biotech incubator by 2023 with a $95 million
framework is an important investment. Global biotechnology company
step towards creating strong Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (CSL) is leading
and effective partnerships the project from its Parkville headquarters in
Melbourne. CSL, WEHI (formerly Walter and Eliza
between Australia’s Hall Institute of Medical Research), the University of
biotechnology industry and Melbourne have joined forces to create an incubator
universities to commercialise and commercial wet lab space for biotech startups
backed by funding incentives from the Victoria State
high-quality ideas.” government.
- Lorraine Chiroiu,
CEO, AusBiotech The new incubator will have the capacity to
host 40 startups, and will be Australia’s first and
“The incubator would only incubator that is co-located with a leading
provide a strong innovative biopharmaceutical company, the CSL that will provide
comprehensive support to Australian biotech startups.
environment that will
nurture biotech startups, CSL’s CEO, Paul Perreault, said “Incubator
attracting more local and residents would benefit from CSL’s onshore
translational R&D expertise and capacity as they
international investors, co-mingle with employees at its state-of-the-art R&D
talent and companies into hub, providing opportunities for cross pollination,
research collaborations. It is learning and the sharing of ideas”.
strategically supported by
State government investment University of Melbourne’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor
(Research) Professor Jim McCluskey said “the
in translation of medical incubator would provide a strong innovative
research, drives economic environment that will nurture biotech startups,
attracting more local and international investors,
prosperity.” talent and companies into research collaborations.
- Prof. Jim McCluskey, The biotech incubator strategically supported by
State government investment in translation of
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), medical research, drives economic prosperity”.
University of Melbourne
JAPAN
million to support the clinical development of novel,
clinical-stage drug therapies. The Japanese government is making efforts to
develop a strong startup ecosystem in cooperation
Further, a strategic partnership between with their local universities and private sectors. The
Australian universities has been developed to ensure government in July 2020 has chosen the four urban
health and medical discoveries are fast-tracked to areas as Global Startup Cities: Tokyo Metropolitan
commercialisation through AusBiotech, Australia’s Consortium, Central Japan Startup Ecosystem
Biotechnology Industry Organisation. By converging Consortium, Osaka-Kyoto-Hyogo-Kobe Consortium,
skills, perspectives, and resources at startups and and Fukuoka Startup Consortium.
business incubators, the framework promotes rapid
innovation across disciplines and sectors. The Tokyo Metropolitan Consortium comprises
the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Yokohama
Commenting on AusBiotech’s Biotechnology City, Kawasaki City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Tsukuba
Blueprint, A Decadal Strategy for the Australian City, Wako City, private sectors and universities in
Biotechnology Industry, AusBiotech’s CEO Lorraine the area. With this development, the collective area
Chiroiu said “Industry-academia framework is an will get extended subsidies, eased regulations, and
important step towards creating strong and effective other support by the national government towards
partnerships between Australia’s biotechnology developing and enriching their startup ecosystems.
industry and universities to commercialise high-
quality ideas.” “The City opened a centre dedicated to the growth
of startup companies called “YOXO BOX,” through
In addition, the Australian Government will invest which we are actively promoting innovation in
$37.4 million from 2022-23 to 2025-26 to establish collaboration with private companies, universities,
the new CSIRO Research Translation Start-up and research institutions“ says Mayor of Yokohama,
Program to help foster an entrepreneurial culture in HAYASHI Fumiko.
the research workforce.

Furthermore, Australia is bracing to launch a

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“The City opened a centre Similarly Kyoto University hosts “Innovation
dedicated to the growth of Hub Kyoto”, a facility for open innovation, aiming to
nurture venture companies in the biomedical field
startup companies called and grow research seeds into business. It fosters
“YOXO BOX,” through which translational advancements in medical science
discoveries through business seed opportunities.
we are actively promoting Incubation CORE-LAB is another facility for
innovation in collaboration general biomedical experiments to spin startups
out of Kyoto University. Besides universities having
with private companies, incubation centres, pharmaceutical companies like
universities, and research Takeda Pharmaceutical have set up innovation
clusters to foster a bioscience ecosystem. Takeda
institutions.’’ Pharmaceutical has set up the Kobe Biomedical
- HAYASHI Fumiko, Innovation Cluster (KBIC) and Shonan Health
Innovation Park (Shonan iPark), the leading
Mayor of Yokohama City bioclusters in Japan.

“With combined expertise of The KBIC is the largest biomedical cluster in
four partnering firms in drug Japan, with a concentrated network of close to about
370 companies, universities, research institutes,
discovery and incubation, and specialised hospitals. It has more than 200
we are delighted to host cluster firms in biotechnology and 13 public research
the second phase of the institutes for biomedical research and medical device
project and look forward to development. KBIC hosts Foundation for Biomedical
connecting science-based Research and Innovation at Kobe (FBRI), which
cutting-edge technologies vigorously pursues biomedical cluster formation in
on offer from academia and Kobe through advanced clinical research.
venture companies with the
power of business to reach “We will continue aiming to attract business
patients around the world.” incubators that offer support from the idea stage
to commercialisation, as well as to expand the
- Toshio Fujimoto, entrepreneur base, including students, and put a
General Manager, Shonan iPark mechanism in place that will ensure the continuous
generation of startups in Kobe,” says Takeda Taku,
The Osaka-Kyoto-Hyogo-Kobe Consortium that director of the New Business Promotion Division at
comes under the Kansai region is the heart of Japan’s Kobe.
biotech industry and is home to more than 300 life
sciences companies, top medical institutions, and Shonan Health Innovation Park (Shonan iPark) is
institutes for advanced healthcare research. a co-sharing space for researchers, industry experts,
venture startups, government, and academia which
Many universities in Japan are framed into creates a platform for collaboration and co-creation
Bioclusters supporting entrepreneurship by to accelerate research. Approximately 300,000 sq
establishing incubation facilities on campus. m floor area with biological/synthesis and RI lab
space (total 76 wet lab suits) is available for open
University of Tokyo is also ahead in startup innovation in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, next-
support activities. The Division of University generation medicine, AI, and many more.
Corporate Relations (DUCR) operates and manages
incubation facilities for research outcomes from In May, 2022 Shonan iPark collaborated with
the University. Currently, there are four types of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Janssen Research
incubation facilities operated by the DUCR under & Development, LLC, and Takeda Pharmaceutical to
startup support programmes. ‘The University of launch Japan Innovation Bloom GRANT call 2022
Tokyo Entrepreneur Plaza’, the largest facility among to attract research based on innovative science and
the four facilities, housing a total of 29 rooms out of technology from academia and venture companies.
which 20 rooms can also be used as a wet laboratory
capable of conducting P2 level biotechnology Toshio Fujimoto, General Manager of Shonan
experiments. The incubator also provides legal iPark, said, “With combined expertise of four
support, network opportunities, and introduction partnering firms in drug discovery and incubation,
to various professional services as well as supports we are delighted to host the second phase of the
commercialisation through introduction to investors project and look forward to connecting science-based
and various companies.

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cutting-edge technologies on offer from academia “With the presence of
and venture companies with the power of business to emerging local startups
reach patients around the world.” and early-stage SMEs in the
biotechnology and bio-based
Further, Japan supports homegrown startups industries, Bioeconomy
through programmes such as Start-up Incubation Corporation is nurturing and
from Core Research (SCORE), which cultivates new facilitating them to scale
seed ventures by universities and other institutions. up their growth, encourage
The Japan Venture Capital Association (JVCA) also technology adoption, and
supports startup companies in Japan’s establishment, strengthen their business
growth, and development.
strategies through the
Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Biobased Accelerator
promotes foreign direct investment into Japan and
helps Japanese startups and scaleups maximise Programme (BBA).”
their global potential. It promotes mutual trade and - Mohd Khairul Fidzal Abdul Razak,
investment between Japan and the rest of the world Chief Executive Officer,
in various sectors, including digital health, medical
devices, healthcare services, biotechnology, life Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation
science, and pharmaceuticals. The eligible companies (Bioeconomy Corporation)
will receive support from Pre-Seed to Series B.
Corporation, cements Malaysia’s position in
MALAYSIA the global bioeconomy. With the presence of
emerging local startups and early-stage SMEs
Industrial parks are just one example of in the biotechnology and bio-based industries,
Malaysia’s infrastructure support. There are three Bioeconomy Corporation is nurturing and
main Biotech parks: Bio-XCell in Nusajaya, in Johor, facilitating them to scale up their growth, encourage
Penang Science Park, and Kulim High Tech Park in technology adoption, and strengthen their business
the North-West, in Peninsular Malaysia. strategies through the Biobased Accelerator
Programme (BBA),” says Mohd Khairul Fidzal
In 2005, Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation Abdul Razak, Chief Executive Officer, Malaysian
(BiotechCorp), was established to serve as a one- Bioeconomy Development Corporation (Bioeconomy
stop centre for developing the biotech industry. The Corporation)
Biotechnology Implementation Council oversees the
BiotechCorp, while the Biotechnology International The Malaysian Genome Institute (MGI) located in
Advisory Panel serves as its adviser. The prime University Kebangsaan Malaysia, promotes, supports,
minister chairs both the Council and the Panel. The and encourages collaboration in the R&D programme
BiotechCorp’s main functions include catalysing under the National Biotechnology Policy.
spin-offs into the private sector, facilitating market-
driven R&D, commercialisation via funding, industry KOREA
development services, advancing R&D, as well as
commercialisation in agriculture biotechnology, Korea has an ambitious and pioneering biotech
healthcare biotechnology, and industrial cluster. To foster bio-specialised regions and enhance
biotechnology. national competitiveness, the Korean government
operates specialised biotechnology centres in each
BiotechCorp promotes the growth of Malaysian region to foster local biotech companies.
biotechnology companies by rewarding them
BioNexus status. This is a recognition awarded to The Seoul Metropolitan Government established
qualified companies that participate in and undertake a biotech cluster, Seoul Bio Hub, in October 2017,
value-added biotechnology activities. A BioNexus operated and managed by the state-run Korea Health
status is awarded to qualified biotechnology-based Industry Development Institute. The organisation
companies. Such companies are further eligible for supports early-stage biohealth startups in developing
tax deduction, tax exemption, research grants, and their businesses and tapping global markets.
work permits for foreign expatriates.
Seoul Bio Hub is at the forefront of efforts
“We have seen a significant boost in the to create such a cluster in Korea. Seoul’s strong
biopharmaceutical business especially diagnostics, bioscience expertise, hospitals, venture capital
vaccines, medical supplies, and services. Our investors, startups and biomedical specialties
biological resources, tax incentives, and strong are aiming at creating an ecosystem of business
government support through Bioeconomy opportunities by nurturing biotech clusters.

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The Seoul Bio Hub and Hongneung region 1. Biotech Park, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh;
are intended to become the one-stop shop for all 2. Biotechnology Incubation Centre, Hyderabad,
biomedical business needs in Korea by providing Telangana;
strategic support to biohealth startups that are 3. Tidco Centre For Life Sciences (TICEL) Biotech
less than five years old, through fundamental Park, Chennai, Tamil Nadu;
consultation around intellectual property, clinical 4. The Golden Jubilee Biotech Park For Women,
trials, regulatory approval, venture capital Chennai, Tamil Nadu;
fundraising, and networking. Such elements 5. Biotech Park Technology Incubation Centre,
influence in deducing a clear business model and Guwahati, Assam;
exit strategy plan. As of August 2022, Bio Hub 6. Biotechnology Incubation Centre, Cochin,
has attracted KRW 372.1 billion investments with Kerala;
147 tenant companies currently progressing their 7. Biotechnology Park, Bangalore, Karnataka;
innovations. 8. Industrial Biotechnology Parks (IBTPs),
Jammu & Kashmir UT; and
Some of the Innovation Platforms for Biomedical 9. Chhattisgarh Biotech Park, Naya Raipur,
startups surrounding the Seoul Bio Hub include BT- Chhattisgarh.
IT Convergence Center, Seoul Bio Innovation Center, These parks are successfully accelerating the
and Seoul Industry-Academia Bio Center. The Seoul commercialisation of new technologies, nurturing
Bio Hub is also creating incentives and infrastructure and maintaining emerging ventures and assisting
to create a cluster of biomedical startups and new enterprises to forge appropriate linkages with
businesses in Hongneung. other stakeholders of the biotechnology sector
including academia and government.
Similarly, the biomed startup ecosystem in In addition, the Association of Biotechnology Led
Hongneung is a concentrated cluster of research Enterprises (ABLE) partners with the Government
organisations, hospitals, and universities, centred in their biotechnology initiatives to accelerate
around Seoul Bio Hub with a massive potential for the growth of the Biotechnology sector in India.
the growing biomedical industry and its startups. The objective of this forum is to create a positive
Korea has several other biotech clusters, including regulatory environment, encourage entrepreneurship
Songdo, located in Incheon, and Osong Bio Valley, and investment, provide a platform for domestic and
located in Osong, North Chungcheong. international companies to explore partnership and
collaboration, strengthen ties between academia and
Korea Bio Association (KBA) plays a central industry, and highlight the strengths of the Indian
role in promoting technology development and biotech industry.
industrialisation in the Korean bio industry. Major Southern state capital, Bangalore is home to
research institutions like Korea Research Institute around 60 per cent of all major biotech firms in India
of Bioscience and Biotechnology play a lead role in including 380 companies and 200 startups. The state
the development, foundation, platform & technology of Karnataka encourages the establishment of R&D
commercialisation areas, as well as in advanced centres through the allocation of financial grants and
Biotechnology ventures. Similarly, Institute Pasteur incentives under its new industrial policy 2020-2025.
Korea is a joint research organisation with Pasteur
Institute in France and nurtures biotechnology- Grooming the startups
related research, education, and technology. Korea
Bio Park, which is home to 30 bio companies, is the Supporting aspiring entrepreneurs through
hub of the bio-business network. incubators has become an integral component
for driving innovation in economic development
INDIA programmes. In summary, while incubators are
geared towards speeding up the growth and success
India is moving to the next phase in the industry’s of startups and early stage companies by providing
evolution, by supporting its states in building life mentorship, investor introduction and infrastructure
science incubator hubs, to promote a biotech startup support, it is also necessary to create a thriving, self-
culture. At a national level, the Department of sustaining ecosystem for biotech over the long term.
Biotechnology (DBT) under the Ministry of Science Successful startups need to contribute back to the
and Technology is creating an ecosystem for startups sector in order to groom the next batch of startups.
by establishing biotech and life sciences parks and
incubators across the country through The National Hithaishi C Bhaskar
Biotechnology Parks Scheme. The DBT so far, has [email protected]
supported 9 Biotechnology Parks in various states.
They are

AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES 31

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Taming the Enemy Within

Autoimmune diseases are one of the hot targets in the pharma industry. There has been a flurry
of activities in this space in recent times. While immunosuppressants and steroids have typically
been used to treat these diseases, targeted therapies are advancing. By aiming at specific genes
or cells, researchers can boost effectiveness and reduce side effects associated with conventional
treatments. Let’s look at some of the advances in the battle against autoimmune diseases:

Autoimmune diseases affect nearly 4 per cent People with relapsing-remitting MS have
of the world’s population and there’s a rising benefited greatly from innovations in rehabilitation
prevalence of such diseases, especially in the techniques; however, those with progressive types of
Asia Pacific region, according to the US-based National MS have not seen the same improvements. In 2021,
Stem Cell Foundation. Pharma firms are spending the International Progressive MS Alliance called for
billions of dollars to find specific treatments for more research and investment in this phase of MS.
autoimmune diseases. These illnesses are incurable,
and the current drugs aid with symptom management. For type 1 diabetes, the standard treatment
is exogenic insulin substitution therapy. To stop
In a quest to cure these diseases, big pharma pancreatic damage, current research is concentrated
firms are expanding their autoimmune portfolios on preclinical detection and gene therapy.
by acquiring smaller firms dedicated to developing
therapies for such diseases. In August 2022, US’ Attacking the root cause
Amgen acquired ChemoCentryx for $4 billion. In
June 2022, Swiss firm Roivant Sciences and US’ There have been groundbreaking advances in the
Pfizer launched Priovant Therapeutics, dedicated to treatment of autoimmune diseases, but most are still
developing and commercialising novel therapies for limited, temporary, and come with substantial side
autoimmune diseases with the greatest morbidity effects. There remains a significant unmet need in
and mortality. In 2021, US’ Merck bought Pandion autoimmune diseases, and researchers around the
Therapeutics for $2 billion. world are working toward addressing these.

Evolving treatments Early diagnosis of autoimmune diseases remains
one of the greatest challenges. A team of researchers
Over 80 different autoimmune diseases exist. from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-
However, the most common ones and the subject Nürnberg (FAU), Germany has demonstrated that
of the majority of research and developments are treatment can be extremely effective if autoimmune
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Psoriasis, Multiple diseases are treated as early as possible, even before
Sclerosis (MS), Diabetes Type 1, Lupus, and the first clinical symptoms appear. Several trials
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). are underway that focus on early treatment and
prevention. For example, StopRA, sponsored by the
1 in 4 patients do not respond to currently National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,
approved medications for RA, so researchers and USA, is the first prevention research study for
pharma firms are working on developing newer rheumatoid arthritis in the US. StopRA is studying if
targeted therapies. Some of the drugs in the late-stage hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), which is already used in
trials include UK-based GlaxoSmithKline’s(GSK) the treatment of RA, can prevent RA in people who
Otilimab, a fully human monoclonal antibody. Israel- have high levels of autoantibody (anti-CCP) in their
based R-Pharm’s Olokizumab and the biosimilar blood but don’t have a diagnosis of the disease.
candidate BIIB800 jointly made by US-based Biogen
and Chinese biotech company Bio-Thera Solutions “The first and largest obstacle to receiving
are also humanised monoclonal antibodies. treatment is receiving an official diagnosis. While
progress has been made over the last couple
Psoriasis is a skin disease and therefore there’s a of decades in diagnostic methods for various
shift away from injectable biologics and towards oral/ autoimmune diseases, much work is still needed
topical small molecules. Some of the drugs in the late in the field of identifying biomarkers for screening
trials include US’ Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS)’ oral as a diagnostic tool, as well as the discovery of
drug deucravacitinib and US’ Arcutis topical drug, new therapeutic targets and agents that will allow
roflumilast. for more prompt and individualised treatments.

32 AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES

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“Researchers are hoping Noxopharm is working with Melbourne’s Hudson
that by focusing on early Institute of Medical Research on a study into RNA-
treatment and prevention, the based therapeutics, targeting lupus.
physical, mental, and financial
burdens of autoimmune In June 2022, US’ GentiBio which is partially
disease can be reduced.” funded by Swiss firm Novartis partnered with BMS to
develop new engineered Treg therapies to re-establish
- Carolyn Serraino, immune tolerance and repair tissue in patients living
Director of Research, Global with IBD. In January 2022, US’ Gilead partnered with
Kyverna Therapeutics to help develop cell therapy for
Autoimmune Institute, US autoimmune diseases such as lupus nephritis, systemic
sclerosis, and inflammatory myopathies.
“We need to understand
the causes of these diseases Recent research has been changing to take into
consideration personalised treatment because
better – finding their root autoimmune illnesses are complicated, most of
cause, or inhibiting where which cover a variety of ailments, and patients might
experience a range of severity and symptoms.
they start in the body,
rather than just treating the “It has become well-known that while the specific
aetiology of autoimmune disease - the mechanisms
symptoms.” that drive the development of autoimmunity is
- Dr Gisela Mautner, largely unknown, they are triggered by a combination
CEO, Noxopharm, Australia of both genetic and environmental factors. Thus,
personalised medicine which involves studying the
“An improved understanding combination of an individual’s genetics, serologies,
of how the microbiome phenotypes, and biological mechanisms to predict
responses to specific therapies has started to become
impacts disease development popular,” said Carolyn.
will open new avenues for
Another active area of research is investigating
early intervention, prevention, how microbes living in the gut might help people with
diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune diseases. The microbiome is integral
autoimmune disease.” to the development and function of an individual’s
- Professor Trent Munro, immune system, and alterations to the microbiome
Senior Vice President - commonly occur in autoimmune diseases.
Therapeutics, Microba
Life Sciences, Australia “An improved understanding of how the
microbiome impacts disease development will open
Researchers are hoping that by focusing on early new avenues for early intervention, prevention,
treatment and prevention, the physical, mental, and diagnosis, and treatment of autoimmune diseases
financial burdens of autoimmune disease can be to improve patient outcomes. By identifying key
reduced. This is particularly important because by microbial factors underlying autoimmune diseases
the time most patients seek treatment for a symptom through world-leading technology for microbiome
or set of symptoms that they are experiencing; analysis, we can develop these leads into new
significant irreversible damage may already have treatment opportunities,” said Professor Trent
been done,” said Carolyn Serraino, Director of Munro, Senior Vice President of Therapeutics,
Research, Global Autoimmune Institute, US. Microba Life Sciences, Australia.

Cell and Gene Therapies have proven to be In April 2022, Microba Life Sciences, a precision
remarkable treatments for certain cancers, and microbiome science company, and US’ Ginkgo
now pharma firms are researching their use for Bioworks partnered to identify single-strain,
autoimmune diseases as well. live bacteria product (LBP) candidates against
autoimmune diseases. There’s reason for optimism
“One important area for further research is with a greater level of research and clinical activity
genetic-related cures. We need to understand the ongoing in the autoimmune disease space, which
causes of these diseases better—finding their root points to a promising future of personalised and
cause, or inhibiting where they start in the body, targeted treatments for people living with such
rather than just treating the symptoms,” said Dr debilitating conditions.
Gisela Mautner, CEO, Noxopharm, Australia.
Ayesha Siddiqui

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“Asia is constantly strengthening its

digitisation and connectivity, making

it an attractive market to invest in”
Eppendorf, a leading global company,
catering instruments, consumables, «
solutions and services for life science
institutes and businesses worldwide recently Eva van Pelt,
inaugurated its new subsidiary in Singapore’s
Biopolis Science Centre. This centre focuses on Co-Chief
biomedical research projects and enables close
cooperation between public and private scientific Executive Officer,
institutions. BioSpectrum Asia caught up with Eva
van Pelt, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Eppendorf Eppendorf SE
SE to discuss the company’s expansion into the
Asia/Pacific/Africa region. Edited excerpts; customer-centric services.
Despite the overwhelming demand and response
How would you describe the
accomplishments at Eppendorf for FY 21-22, from the customers, the business was uninterrupted.
particularly in the APAC market? What drives At the onset of the pandemic, our warehouses had
your investment in Asia? a surplus of stock to meet the industry’s demands.
Although the production capacity was challenged
Globally we operate through our four market by the growing demand, we stretched production
regions, Americas, Europe, Asia/Pacific/Africa capacity to meet demand and established an
(APA), and China. The consolidated global revenue additional distribution hub in Europe to streamline
at Eppendorf has been impressive, especially, by our supply chain.
achieving the highest revenue of €1.1 billion for the
year 2021 marking a remarkable milestone amidst Asia is ahead in technology adoption and
the pandemic challenges, the chip crisis, global innovation. In addition, Asia is constantly
supply chain bottlenecks and more. An annual sales strengthening its digitisation and connectivity,
growth of around 14 per cent was observed in 2021 making it an attractive market to invest in.
which aligns with nearing 20 per cent growth in Furthermore, evolving innovation and research hubs
2020, making them key profitable developments. especially in China and India are placing Asia in
This was supported by an increased R&D budget of high demand. The diagnostics market in Asia is also
15.6 per cent accounting for €64.5 million. gaining momentum, creating hubs for research and
manufacturing. Overall, Asia with all its adoption and
The APAC region continues to be one of the major innovation, and wide dynamic markets has a lot of
contributors in the same period, with Asia/Pacific/ potential and is an attractive destination to invest in.
Africa (APA) and China being the vital pillars of our
growth strategy. APA boosted its revenue by 23 per What major plans does Eppendorf hold for FY
cent, and China performed similarly, gaining 20.4 22-23? Please talk about your forthcoming
per cent over the year 2021. Asia is an extremely product launches, investments, and
important market for the Eppendorf Group, already expansion.
accounting for around one-third of our total revenue.
Eppendorf’s growth strategy and investment/
Further, the year 2021 saw an impressive financial expansion plans were in place much before the
performance with progressing transformational pandemic. Despite the hurdles in production
programmes. We introduced major strategic capacity, global logistics, and supply chains during
transformations and initiatives into our global team the pandemic years, we are constantly investing
to leverage new products to the market. We are in different establishment projects involving
enhancing our customer proximity through global manufacturing facilities, logistic sites, corporate
expansions around different regions to leverage our offices, as well as service and lab calibration units.

34 SPEAKING WITH

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For the year 2022 we are exploring different Japan. Following the acquisition, the wholly owned
dynamics and markets, thus expecting growth Japanese subsidiary of Eppendorf SE is named
globally and also looking at Asia/Pacific/Africa “Eppendorf Himac Technologies Co., Ltd.”. As
(APA) specifically. We anticipate moderate growth in part of our strategy as the world-leading full-range
revenue in 2022. provider of top-quality centrifugation solutions, this
acquisition expanded our product range to include
Additionally, customer centricity through floor standing, ultra-centrifuges as well as clinical
customer proximity serves through our global and automated centrifuges as additional products.
existence. In APA and China, we are over
proportionately investing compared to other regions, Furthermore, in Chennai, India, we recently
because these markets have demonstrated their launched a new Sophisticated Pipette Laboratory
capability of being growth pillars for the Eppendorf and Service Hub (SPLASH), a world-class pipette
Group. Hence, we are launching new offices, service calibration facility that can calibrate up to 100,000
units, warehouses, R&D, and manufacturing pipettes a year. The novel automated proprietary
capacities in APA and China to enhance our technology calibrates pipettes with minimal human
proximity with Asian customers. Simultaneously, we intervention. The unit has eight workstations, which
have established a couple of new computer-integrated will substantially reduce Turn Around Time (TAT)
manufacturing (CIM) systems to strengthen and hosts exclusive facilities such as ‘Speedcal
manufacturing and address the service requirements, mobile’ the multichannel pipette calibration
while developing a multi-dimensional supply chain. balance, and epMotion, automated liquid handling
workstations.
Further, we are gradually upgrading our interfaces
through digitisation to accelerate Eppendorf’s Moving on to our current investment, on August
capacity and capabilities. We are leveraging our 1, 2022, we officially opened a new subsidiary and
strategy in all aspects of the value chain and warehouse site in Singapore which will act as a centre
streamlining end-to-end services. for Asian life science growth markets, and is expected
to strengthen our track in Asia.
What is the growth outlook for FY 22-23 and
Could you please share more about the new
what might drive it? Can you share recent and
Eppendorf subsidiary in Singapore?
current Asia Pacific initiatives by Eppendorf?
Singapore as a life sciences hub holds large
To complement our commitments, we are quite growth potential. We are therefore pleased to be part
active in different parts of APA and China. Some of of Singapore’s dynamic life science ecosystem and
the recent developments have been impeccable and be able to further intensify and expand our existing
enabled our customers with the right solution within customer relationships in South East Asia.
their geographical proximity and quicker shipment
time. The new subsidiary is located in Singapore’s
Biopolis Science Centre spread across approx. 400
In November 2020, to meet the needs of the
Chinese market, Eppendorf launched an e-commerce
sub-brand, LAVIBE, the online store, custom
designed for the Chinese local market that covers
the full range of consumables portfolio from pipette
tips, and centrifuge tubes to PCR consumables. Our
customers in China can browse through the real-time
inventory of LAVIBE’s full range of products and
procure them in a seamless mode. LAVIBE is also
helping us to gain in-depth insights into the Chinese
market and customer needs. Additionally, to this
new brand, we decided at the beginning of this year
to expand our R&D and manufacturing hub in China
while improving business flexibility.

In 2021 we established a new office in South
Korea with a warehouse in Seoul. Also in Tokyo, we
have built a new office that will be inaugurated soon
in 2022.

In July 2020, Eppendorf acquired the
centrifugation business of Koki Holding Co., Ltd. in

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Asia is ahead in technology adoption
and innovation. In addition, Asia
is constantly strengthening its
digitisation and connectivity, making
it an attractive market to invest in.
Furthermore, evolving innovation and
research hubs especially in China and
India are placing Asia in high demand.
The diagnostics market in Asia is also
gaining momentum, creating hubs
for research and manufacturing.
Overall, Asia with all its adoption
and innovation, and wide dynamic
markets has a lot of potential and is an
attractive destination to invest in.

square meters with sufficient room for extension the EU Law with its comprehensive plan and strategy
and expansion as needed. The site is equipped in place, to be carbon neutral across our global
with a high-tech pipette calibration laboratory and company.
a demo laboratory along with sales and service
activity workstations. Both the Singapore market, All our locations worldwide are being upgraded
as well as South-East Asian markets, benefit from to renewable energy entities as part of our
the customer-centric high-quality services in their climate strategy. Our existing buildings are being
proximity. optimised for energy efficiency, increasing the
climate standards, and also future establishments
In addition to modern office space, there is a will be aligned accordingly. Moreover, we are
service centre for all Eppendorf equipment, offering reducing our volume of air freight, reorganising
repairs, maintenance, calibrations, and validations, our vehicle fleet for climate neutrality, and
as well as a state-of-the-art calibration laboratory for promoting environmentally friendly travel. Our
pipettes. The additional purpose-built Bioprocess operations, warehouses, production sites, and
Centre provides scientific and technical support offices (administrative and commercial) have
to customers and partners throughout the Asia already adopted an energy efficiency model. We are
Pacific region. In Asia, this investment allows us simultaneously exploring renewable energy sources
to participate even better in the growth of the life in new dimensions. 98 per cent of our operations are
science industry and to maintain our customer- already working with renewable energy, targeting to
centric strategic approach with Singapore as the new be 100 per cent. As part of its sustainability strategy,
central warehouse and logistics hub for South East Eppendorf tracks environmental and sustainability
Asia, offering faster and more reliable delivery in the measures using extensive data such as the company’s
region. CO2 emissions and energy consumption.

How has Eppendorf mapped its strategy For instance, the Eppendorf Bioprocess site in
Germany is awarded according to the highest energy
for achieving carbon neutrality in the near standards, for being a highly efficient and sustainable
operation. German sites as well as the plants in
future? Enfield, Connecticut, USA, and Maldon, England,
have relied on CO2-neutral electricity from renewable
Being aware of its own contribution and energy sources. We strive to minimise our plants’
responsibility towards society and the environment energy consumption. The opening of regional centres
Eppendorf recently announced its ambitious in APAC, further reduces long-distance shipments
sustainability strategy, setting the clear target of from non-APAC regions and thus contributes to
becoming climate-neutral by 2028. To achieve reducing the group’s carbon footprint.
this, Eppendorf has anchored the core topic of
sustainability as an essential aspect of its corporate Hithaishi C Bhaskar
strategy. EU Climate Law has proposed global climate [email protected]
neutrality by 2050, but Eppendorf will be ahead of

36 SPEAKING WITH

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“Growing demand for low-cost remote
patient monitoring services, CIS & EMRs will
propel digital healthcare platform adoption”

« measurable clinical, financial, and operational
improvements.
Suresh Venkatachari,
Singapore will be our APAC regional headquarters
Chairman and CEO, as an R&D and sales hub. HCT views its all-new
Singapore headquarters as a launch pad to extend its
Healthcare Triangle services across APAC. One of Singapore’s Tech Parks
will host our active operations. We are liaising with
On July 25, 2022, Healthcare Triangle, Singapore Economic Board Development (EDB) to
Inc (HCT), a healthcare information set up the innovation hub.
technology company focused on cloud
innovative solutions, data science, and data Could you share the investments and fund
analytics platforms for the healthcare and life allocation involved in this expansion plan?
sciences industry announced the launch of its
Singapore unit with a focus to bolster digital HCT Singapore is the spin-off of our US-based
healthcare in Singapore and across the Asia Pacific. entity. Expansion plans involve an investment of
‘Healthcare Triangle Singapore’ is set to invest $25 million to leverage cloud-based end-to-end
$25 million at Singapore headquarters and aims digital transformation in the healthcare and pharma
to create over 500 jobs in the next five years. In sectors for the region. As per our current investment
an interaction with BioSpectrum Asia Suresh strategy, roughly around $18-20 million will be
Venkatachari, Chairman and CEO, HCT shares dedicated to resources and approximately $5 million
more on the business planning in Asia Pacific with to intellectual property (IP) creation, and market
Singapore as the regional hub. Edited excerpts; research priorities. We anticipate creating over 500
jobs in the next five years.
How do you describe the vision and mission
toward bolstering digital healthcare in Asia Our joint venture expansion into the region is
Pacific with the launch of Healthcare Triangle poised to help further innovation and bolster the
in Singapore? role of Singapore as a medical innovation hub. With
our existing US hub with expertise in healthcare
The APAC region is currently witnessing technology development, we are aiming to help
an increase in the adoption of digitalisation in healthcare companies in Asia Pacific scale their
healthcare and research institutions. As such, digital solutions and innovation in the region.
Healthcare Triangle’s entry into the region couldn’t
be timelier. The growing need for virtual healthcare, We will accelerate the investments over the
clinical information systems (CIS), and electronic next 12 to 24 months. To establish proximity and
medical records (EMR) will propel digital healthcare connectivity with the South East Asian regions we are
platform adoption. strengthening our team with multilingual expertise
to serve regions like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia,
Through our platform solutions, we support and similar. To extend our reach in the Asia Pacific
healthcare organisations, healthcare insurance ecosystem, we plan on tapping into Shankar Group,
companies, pharmaceutical, and life sciences, biotech a leading diversified enterprise that has impressive
companies, and medical device manufacturers in investment records across South Asia, the Middle
their efforts to improve data management, develop East, Japan, and Australia. We see active market
analytical insights into their operations, and deliver opportunities in Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines,
and Australia markets.

How will Singapore’s new entity differentiate
itself from its competitors?

As a leading provider of cloud solutions, we
enhance the capabilities of pharma, healthcare,
clinical, and hospital solutions to digitise their

SPEAKING WITH 37

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

operations. HCT in Singapore will bolster healthcare and data between them is a tedious, fastidious,
by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and the and meticulous task due to privacy and security
cloud. Our expertise processes data across the broad vulnerabilities. In such situations, we act as Neutral
continuum of life sciences research like clinical trials/ Zone partners to bridge both the data sources on our
genomic research and hospitals to convert them certified and highly secured common platform. Our
into actionable insights in record time. The huge highly regulated compliance architecture protects
volume of data generated during the operations and patients’ data and extracts clinically essential
procedures in these entities will be collected, curated, information using our 3 major proprietary AI
and secured to streamline the defined operation for platforms. We run the algorithm without the patient’s
a productive execution. Our blockchain system can PHI and thus, only the selected output goes to the
be extended to serve the government and the health pharma company for their innovations without
institutions, even to build a government-sponsored breaching hospital data privacy.
health information exchange.
HCT is HITRUST certified and a premier partner
Security compliance is the biggest challenge of AWS, Google Cloud (GCP) and Microsoft Azure
when data is hosted in the public cloud and we have to render trusted multi-cloud services. To provide
proven our highest level of data privacy by being holistic digital health solutions, they collaborate
HITRUST certified for Cloud and Data Platform with Epic and Meditech, a leading EHR. They are
(CaDP). Globally only 120 companies are certified by one of the few providers in the region that has such a
HITRUST and we are one among them. This enables comprehensive network of partners that allows them
us to efficiently and effectively support healthcare to support regional and global healthcare projects.
providers, payors, hospitals, and pharma/life We are enabling our platform on the SAS model in
sciences organisations to improve health outcomes the marketplace, and hence upgrading the software or
by enabling the adoption of new technologies, data the infrastructure in their cloud digital transcription
enlightenment, business agility and accelerate journey will be cost-effective for the companies.
response to immediate business needs and
competitive threats. We have partnered with leading How will the company contribute to digital
electronic health record (EHR) vendors like Meditech
and Epic Systems. For the cloud operations, we have healthcare platform adoption and scaling up
partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google
and Microsoft. We are proud to share that only 8 of opportunity across the APAC region?
partners with Google have interoperability of data
and we are one of them. The growing demand for low-cost remote patient
monitoring services, CIS, and EMRs will propel
Further, we collect real-time Personal Health digital healthcare platform adoption. HCT will
Information (PHI) data from hospitals and clinical leverage its proprietary platform solutions, such
research organisations (CROs) and process them by as CloudEz, DataEz, and readbl.ai which can help
segregating essential data from non-essential data. enterprises in their cloud transformation journey.
Our comprehensive integrated digital platforms are
devoid of manual errors and make remote healthcare We are confident that our platform solutions
affordable. Similarly, life science and pharma will elevate healthcare and life sciences businesses
research centres can accelerate their protocols with the power to transform and manage their
with end-to-end operations. Eventually, contract cloud infrastructure across any CSP (Cloud Service
development and manufacturing organisations Provider) and empower businesses with utmost
(CDMOs) benefit from well-curated research data to security and compliance to harness the full potential
structure their products and accelerate the innovation of their data and thereby speed up their data-driven
and development of novel drugs and therapeutics. digital transformation journey.

How do you anticipate business growth and The highly regulated healthcare and life
sciences industries turn to our expertise in
scalability in the Asia Pacific region with digital transformation on the cloud, security and
compliance, data lifecycle management, healthcare
Singapore as regional headquarters? interoperability, and clinical and business
performance optimisation. HCT will be a one-stop
HCT has always focused on fostering partnerships solution for cost-effective treatment modes in
and collaborations that help create better and more the background of overwhelming pressure on the
robust digital healthcare solutions. For instance, healthcare ecosystem and the high cost involved in
although hospitals and pharma industries are part of hospital monitoring.
the same healthcare ecosystems, sharing algorithms
Hithaishi C Bhaskar
[email protected]

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“Lack of sufficient capacity is
a greatest challenge facing the
biomanufacturing industry today”

« What major plans are in store for the APAC

Mathias Garny, market this year? Any new partnerships,
Chief Executive Officer,
Univercells investments, products in the pipeline?
Technologies
Since the inception of the company, we have
Univercells Technologies, incorporated in recognised the importance of building and expanding
Belgium in 2020 with the support of the our presence in the APAC region. There is a great deal
Univercells group, is a global provider of innovation across Asia that aligns with our driving
of innovative biomanufacturing technologies to principles of bioprocess intensification and integration
achieve cost-effective viral production from R&D to for gene therapy and vaccine accessibility. We will
commercial scales. With more infrastructure in place, continue to design and offer a complete range of
and a lot more data to work with, the company is now solutions from very small scale to commercialisation,
actively pursuing expansion of its portfolio to bring that can help streamline upstream processes and
unique benefits across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. de-bottleneck downstream steps. But we also want
To find out more about the company’s growth plans to learn and evolve with the leading innovators
and the trends in the biomanufacturing industry in the space, and via collaborations such as with
in the APAC region, BioSpectrum Asia spoke to VectorBuilder and with TFBS Biosciences we hope to
Mathias Garny, Chief Executive Officer, Univercells grow deep roots in APAC.
Technologies in detail. Edited excerpts-
What are the key challenges facing the
What were the key highlights of FY 21-22 at
Univercells Technologies, particularly for the biomanufacturing industry and how are you
APAC market?
addressing those?
Our executive team has been focused on
strengthening our corporate foundation with R&D One of the greatest challenges facing the
innovation, as well as expanding the global partner biomanufacturing industry today is a lack of
network we have at Univercells Technologies. This sufficient capacity. In addition to steadily growing
has included creating more strategic alliances with demand for traditional recombinant proteins and
academic and research institutions, and go-to- monoclonal antibodies, numerous candidates
market strategies, to overcome gaps and work leveraging novel modalities such as antibody-drug
toward standardising technology solutions for the conjugates, multispecific antibodies and cell and gene
biologics and advanced therapy manufacturing therapies are rapidly advancing through the clinic.
sectors. The unexpected need for large volumes of COVID-19
vaccines and therapeutics exacerbated this existing
We have appointed more distributors in FY 2022 situation. Customers are looking for supply partners
(channel strategy) and targeted effort has been placed that can offer reliable access to the technologies
on expanding in person APAC presence, as well, with and components they need. Single-use technologies
hiring in China. (SUTs) distribution is the current challenge, with
short supply seen in single-use components/ pressure
sensors, mixing bags, pH probes etc. Even with
an increased appetite for single-use technologies
(increased adoption rate), the price controls are
conflicting with inflation, creating tension in the
market.

The capacity shortage relates to not only the lack
of physical manufacturing capacity for products such
as plasmid DNA and viral vectors, but supply-chain
shortages, most notably for single-use components

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and assemblies, but also some raw materials. biosimilar space (represented by Biocon leading
Inefficient processes are another contributing factor, the generic mAbs powerhouse), but much of its
particularly with respect to viral-vector production. manufacturing capacity is based on stainless-steel
Lack of skilled talent is a further challenge. capabilities. Japan has been a leading drug and
biologics producer for decades, but it is clouded by its
Univercells Technologies is addressing these slow growth.
issues with the introduction of solutions that
enable process intensification, including for viral- Companies in South Korea, on the other hand,
vector manufacturing. For instance, our upstream- are backed by the government and conglomerates,
midstream Nevoline biomanufacturing platform are making daring investments in biopharma
integrates and automates cell culture, transfection/ manufacturing capacity and capabilities including
infection or induction, and virus production acquisitions of European and American contract
in a fixed-bed bioreactor to deliver a clarified development and manufacturing organisations
and concentrated harvest prior to downstream (CDMOs). Other APAC nations (e.g. Indonesia
processing. We have also worked to internalise as and Thailand) are experiencing a wide range of
much of our production and supply as possible. When activity, some from domestic firms and some from
outsourcing, we are multi-sourcing vendors based on international biopharma giants. All, however, are
quality and reliability. Our number one goal is to be investing in biotechnology to some degree with
able to deliver on time, and we are rather proud to the goal of increasing their ability to locally supply
say that throughout the pandemic and into today, we advanced biopharmaceuticals and vaccines.
have maintained 8 week or less delivery times. Not a
lot of suppliers can say that! Within the biomanufacturing sector, how

How is the biomanufacturing space is the exosomes market evolving in APAC?

developing in the APAC region? Are some What are the future trends?

countries doing better than others especially Exosomes, a type of extracellular vesicle, are a
new class of therapeutics and as such the current
with new technologies coming up? Why? global market size is still limited. They are attractive
as potential therapeutics because they transfer
The growth rate of the biopharma industry in biological messages between cells and can be used to
Asia is much higher than that in other parts of the deliver therapeutic materials to target tissues. It is
world, particularly in China. Due to the supply not surprising that several candidates are progressing
interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, through clinical trials.
this rising demand is being met, not using Western
reagents, equipment, and technologies as was the case In APAC, exosome therapeutics are being
prior to the international health crisis, but more and developed for use in gene therapy, immunotherapy,
more frequently with goods offered by local vendors, and chemotherapy applications, with the
leading to significant innovation in the region, and immunotherapy segment most dominant. Many
most notably in China and India. The capacity and target metabolic diseases, but others are in
capability of biopharma companies and contract development to treat various cancers as well as
manufacturers in these two countries to produce cardiac, neurological, inflammatory and other
biosimilars and novel branded biologics has increased disorders. Most are based on natural exosomes
measurably. Of course, international biopharma derived from mesenchymal stem cells. However,
companies and biopharma industrial suppliers are the use of surface engineered antigenic exosomes
also expanding their presence in the region to meet the combining covid mRNA vaccines are being exploited
growing demand and comply with requirements for in development. It should be noted, however, that
in-country production of drug products. lack of infrastructure and expertise for exosome
isolation is a limiting factor in the region. Our own
Important Asian biologics manufacturers include team is working to build strategic partnerships with
TFBS Biosciences in Taiwan, WuXi Biologics (also exosome developers to optimise manufacturing.
represented by WuXi AppTec) in China, Samsung As we continue to learn and innovate with these
Biologics (also represented by Samsung Bioepis in partners, we will leverage scalable and continuous
Korea), Celltrion, and the upcoming Lotte Biologics bioprocessing technologies to help propel the
in South Korea, Chugai and Takeda in Japan and commercialisation of regenerative therapies at
Dr. Reddy’s and Cipla in India, to name a few. China affordable costs.
is notable for its fast growth and rapid adoption
of advanced technologies, including single-use Dr Manbeena Chawla
solutions. India is recognised as a leader in the [email protected]

40 SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Expanding Toolbox Spurring Opportunities

« dynamic, with several research hubs and startups
in Singapore, China, Japan, Korea and India. These
Ruplekha Choudhurie, countries are witnessing a wave of R&D activities,
investments, and product development, providing
Senior Industry impetus to the high demand for synthetic biology
tools. Global leaders in synthetic oligo and DNA
Analyst/Team Lead synthesis, DNA vectors, and genome editing tools,
such as Twist Bioscience, DNA Script, Touchlight
(Health & Wellness), Genetics (developer of Doggybone DNA vector), and
Thermo Fisher, are poised to meet the requirements
TechVision, of this region with their capabilities. Twist Bio
and DNA Script have focused on expanding their
Frost & Sullivan operations in Asia in the past five years to provide
DNA and oligonucleotide at scale.
Synthetic biology encompasses myriad
technologies combining life sciences, Biofoundries for Accelerated Translation
engineering, and chemistry to improve, optimise,
or enable the de novo design of artificial cells, Synthetic biology research is still nascent,
organisms and cellular pathways. It can be integrated complex, and lengthy, requiring huge infrastructure
into a multitude of industry segments, support investments, skilled personnel, and data management
process improvement, and drive the development of systems. Biofoundries could serve as a one-stop
new products and processes. Rapid strides in high- solution to provide open-source technologies,
throughput, high-fidelity, low-cost DNA and oligo infrastructure, standardisation and research space to
synthesis, DNA printing, genome editing tools, and academia and startups around the globe to unravel
engineered gene circuits, coupled with advances in the complexity and volumes of synbio research. While
digitisation, automation and artificial intelligence (AI), many nations have come forward to build public
are propelling the SynBio applications. biofoundries and consortia (The Global Biofoundry
Alliance), aiming to promote cooperation between
They have the potential to disrupt the industrial nations, some nations are also improving their
ecosystem in healthcare (drug discovery, diagnostics), country’s internal strengths with private and public
energy & environment (bioremediation, clean energy), biofoundries.
industrial biomanufacturing (chemicals, flavours,
fragrances, biomaterials), and agritech and foodtech In Asia, Singapore SynCTI (Synthetic Biology
(livestock feed, cultured proteins) to name a few. The for Clinical and Technological Innovation) Foundry
synthetic biology toolbox has transformed the way the co-founded the Global Biofoundry Alliance, while
healthcare and life sciences industry functions and China’s Shenzhen Biofoundry also provides a
has become a ubiquitous tool for basic life sciences collaborative and automated research setup.
research, drug discovery, diagnostics, programmable The Singapore Consortium for Synthetic Biology
therapeutics, etc. Within healthcare, next-generation (SINERGY) is instrumental in fostering industry-
biomanufacturing and advanced therapies can be academia partnerships, such as the successful
impacted greatly with seamless integration. partnership between UK-based automation
and robotics developer Singer Instruments and
Synthetic biology tools have been around for BioFoundry Singapore. Shimadzu is partnering with
decades, but it is only in the past few years that the Kobe University spinout Bacchus Bio to build
they have been actively deployed, bolstering an Japan’s first biofoundry.
era of sustainability and enabling the creation of a
bioinspired economy. While the US and UK were the Era of Sustainability and Circularity
initial hubs of R&D and investments for synthetic
biology and have well-developed SynBio networks, Microbial fermentation has advanced by leaps
it has gained momentum in Asia, which expects to and bounds, and synbio tools are being used to create
witness a surge of R&D activities, partnerships, and engineered microbial factories to drive precision
product development in the near term (2023-2025). fermentation for a multitude of end products,
including drugs and enzymes for healthcare,
Growing Ecosystem flavours, fragrances, functional ingredients (a

The Asian Synbio ecosystem is diverse and

SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY 41

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

paradigm change for agriculture and foodtech), more sustainable, microbes and plants can also be
and biomaterials and biofuels for clean energy and engineered and optimised to produce vaccines, drugs
industrial materials. Various microbial hosts and and other chemicals and secondary metabolites,
plants can be engineered to manipulate the metabolic which could also act as a substrate for their growth,
pathways to optimise and scale up processes for the thereby promoting circularity.
large-scale manufacture of biopolymers and biofuels
(algae, yeast). Most synbio startups aim to develop Cellular Agriculture
processes that have a lower carbon footprint, lower
resource requirements, are less energy intensive Asia is emerging as a hub for cellular agriculture,
and produce “cleaner” end products compared to where cultured meats and alternative proteins using
conventional methods. engineered microbes and cell culture approaches are
garnering traction. Singapore leads the pack globally
Several startups have mushroomed in Singapore, in terms of cultured meat, with Eat Just being the
Japan, and China for immediate translation first company globally to commercialise cultured
across feedtech, foodtech, agritech and cleantech chicken. The company received significant funding—
applications. Singapore-based Peptobiomics is close to $270 million to date—positioning it strongly
the world’s first company to leverage precision to expand its operations beyond Singapore. Shiok
fermentation for manufacturing recombinant Meats, a Singaporean startup with $30 million in
peptides as an alternative to feedstock antibiotics, funding, is focused on developing lab-grown seafood.
while Kinnva and others are promising. It recently won the Nikkei Asia Award and plans to
start commercial sales in mid-2023. The company
The burgeoning impact of precision fermentation plans to launch its products in Singapore and
is clearly observed in Japan and China through eventually expand into other markets, such as Japan,
several successful startups. Japanese synthetic Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea and Hong Kong.
biology company Spiber uses precision fermentation
to produce animal-free silk, cashmere fur and other China is also betting big on farmed meat and
biomaterials for sustainable apparel. Chinese synbio recently announced its plans to promote cultured meat
companies such as Cathay Biotech, Bluepha and and other ‘future foods’ in its Five-Year Agricultural
Bota Bio are also aligned with the nation’s focus on Plan. In June 2022, it unveiled a three-year federal-
sustainability and the environment. These companies funded initiative to manufacture artificial meat.
have developed precision fermentation platforms with Companies such as CellX and Joe’s Future Food (pork
data and automation tools to develop biomaterials and belly) have received solid funding and are setting the
biofuels from engineered microbial hosts. stage for cell-based meat in China. India and Japan are
also following suit, with companies such as ClearMeat
Southeast Asia is also seen as a hub for synbio- and Integriculture advancing their cell-based meat
based sustainable manufacturing, and global platforms. In addition to B2C business, companies
companies are expanding their manufacturing such as Shiok and ClearMeat plan to take the B2B
footprint here. For instance, Solugen Inc., a synbio route to licence their technology, which would expand
chemicals manufacturer, recently partnered with tech penetration and outreach.
Singapore’s Temasek and received an investment
from the state fund to accelerate the scale-up of Future of Drug Discovery
Solugen’s molecular manufacturing platform for
clean chemicals and materials. Singapore was chosen High costs, long timelines, and late-stage failures
as the hub, and through this partnership, Solugen of clinical candidates have compelled several
will include new R&D and production facilities in startups around the globe to deploy synbio tools
Southeast Asia across markets such as F&B, clean
water, and agriculture.

It is interesting to note that Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC) nations, which are rich in crude oil,
are now turning toward synthetic biology to offset
the oil and gas environmental impact and have
advanced microalgae-based projects. Though not at
a commercial level, universities such as New York
University, Abu Dhabi University and King Abdullah
University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
are making rapid strides in scalable microalgal
manufacture. In addition to making manufacturing

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Singapore is emerging as a global with several consortia and investments targeted
hotspot for synbio research and product to improve biomanufacturing, clean energy and
commercialisation, with several consortia foodtech. Ingraining synthetic biology in its future
and investments targeted to improve frameworks, Singapore recently announced about
biomanufacturing, clean energy and $19 million dedicated to funding synthetic biology
foodtech. Ingraining synthetic biology research in the government’s RIE2020 plan. China’s
in its future frameworks, Singapore synthetic biology ecosystem is also quite mature,
recently announced about $19 million with several concerted government efforts, CoEs and
dedicated to funding synthetic biology investments into promising synbio startups, priming
research in the government’s RIE2020 it for future growth.
plan. China’s synthetic biology ecosystem
is also quite mature, with several Japanese universities are engaged in active synbio
concerted government efforts, CoEs research, while the government promotes industry-
and investments into promising synbio academia partnerships and large-scale investment
startups, priming it for future growth. to build infrastructure. India is also setting foot into
this space to establish a biofoundry. The Department
to develop disease models, discover novel targets, of Biotechnology (DBT) recently released a draft
discover biomarkers, and monitor the response to foresight paper on synthetic biology, highlighting the
perturbations in real-time. Synthetic biology tools need to develop a national policy around the R&D
can drastically improve the drug discovery process as and translation of this important theme. Several
reliable tools for drug screening, hit validation, and chemical manufacturers, industrial manufacturing
disease pathway mapping. companies, pharma and food tech companies are
betting big on the Asian synthetic biology community
The development of logic-gated, programmable to innovate and expand in the region.
therapeutics (gene circuits) and targeted
immunotherapies with advanced safety, targeting Opportunities
and efficacy give it the potential to transform
cell and gene therapies. In addition, engineered Biosensing holds tremendous potential, and
live biotherapeutics, optimised probiotics and several universities are working toward developing
microbial chassis for drug delivery can be leveraged genetic circuits in both cell-free and whole-cell
in microbiome therapeutics and as advanced biosensors. These would be useful in understanding
antimicrobials. CRISPR-derived synthetic biology complex microbial interactions and microbe-
tools are being explored for diagnostics and environment interactions and be leveraged in clinical
therapeutics and to engineer complex metabolic diagnostics. Synthetic biology-based therapeutics and
engineering networks such as the dual CRISPRa/ diagnostics and de novo-designed microorganisms
CRISPRi circuits for conditional induction, are still in the nascent stage in Asia, though there
whereby many cellular and bioprocesses can be is active research at the academic level. Companies
scaled easily and optimised. Universities such as like Engine Biosciences will continue to lead the way
National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang for drug discovery, and more startups are expected
Technological University (NTU) and Beijing to emerge as university spinoffs to propel synthetic
University have done groundbreaking research on biology-driven drug discovery.
gene circuit-driven therapeutics and biosensing, but
there are no notable companies developing “smart” Cell-free cloning and expression systems are
therapeutics in the region. The COVID-19 pandemic promising for scalable and cost-efficient protein
set the stage for the active adoption of synthetic expression, providing compelling advantages
biology for vaccine design and manufacture, which over cell-based systems. This is another area that
are highly amenable for a synthetic biology workflow, newer startups could explore. The success story
especially the mRNA vaccines. of Japan-based OriCiro, which has developed a
high-throughput, rapid, enzymatic cell-free cloning
Moving to the Next Level method for up to 1MB of DNA, could lay the
foundation for others to venture into this domain.
Singapore is emerging as a global hotspot for
synbio research and product commercialisation, While the application of synthetic biology is
limitless, the immediate future is likely to witness
higher implementation in clean chemicals and
materials manufactured using precision fermentation.
Synthetic biology startups targeting agritech and
foodtech are attractive investment targets.

ACADEMICS NEWS 43

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com Asia’s first

India announces MSc blockchain
Programme in Medical Physics
education
The Department of Biomedical Engineering, Physics, under the
aegis of the Centre of Interdisciplinary Programme, Indian Institute programme
of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H), has launched an AERB (Atomic
Energy Regulatory Board) approved three years Master of Science opens in
(MSc) Programme in Medical Physics. This is in collaboration with
Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute Singapore
(BIACH & RI). The programme aims to provide world-class ‘Medical
Physicist’ specialist training to create future medical and radiation Nanyang Technological
physicists. Further, the programme intends to provide Clinical University, Singapore (NTU
Orientation for Radiation physics, Clinical immersion and shadowing, Singapore) has been selected
Industry/ Clinical Lectures, Short term projects, and Clinical Internship by Algorand Foundation, the
in the third year. The students will benefit from the academic acumen world’s most green and secure
of IIT-H’s faculty and practical expertise of the BIACH & RI team. blockchain ecosystem, to host
This programme is ideal for BSc candidates with Physics as one of the a new research and education
main subjects and who want to make a career in applied physics for the centre aimed at developing
prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human diseases. and advancing blockchain
technologies. Known as the
Hong Kong’s PolyU pioneers Algorand Centre of Excellence at
nursing education with NTU, it is one of 10 new Algorand
first VR learning system Centres of Excellence (ACE)
established in August 2022. NTU
With a view to enhancing the training and learning experience of is the only lead organisation in
nursing students, hampered by the COVID-19 outbreak, a research Asia to be selected for this $50
team at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has developed a million programme and joins
virtual learning system ‘Virtual Hospital’ which makes use of virtual other top universities such as
reality (VR) technology to offer an innovative experiential approach UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon
to nursing education. Virtual Hospital is the first virtual learning University, Yale University and
system of its kind in Hong Kong that simulates the complex and Purdue University, to name a few.
chaotic environment of a real-life hospital ward. With a total of 11 The aim of the ACE programme
games, the system provides five scenarios, namely “Clinical Internship is to establish a global network of
Orientation”, “Challenges of Delirium”, “Managing Multitasks”, blockchain and cryptocurrency
“Prevention of Errors” and “Potential Heart Attack”. More than 1,200 research and education centres
combinations of randomised situations and multiple choices make it that advances collaborative,
difficult for students to predict the tasks they will be handling, while multidisciplinary, and cutting-
they are required to provide instant responses to multiple tasks and edge knowledge and technology.
make appropriate nursing decisions through assessing a patient’s Over the next five years, the
condition and interpreting their medical information. ACE at NTU aims to become the
nexus for blockchain education
and research as well as foster a
vibrant ecosystem to advance
blockchain development and
adoption in Singapore and the
region.

44 PEOPLE NEWS BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Standigm Jane Bell joins Mesoblast
names Carl Board as Independent Director
Foster as Chief
Business Officer Australia-based Mesoblast, a global leader in allogeneic cellular
medicines for inflammatory diseases, has appointed Jane Bell to
South Korea-based Standigm its Board of Directors. Jane is a banking and finance lawyer with
Inc. a leading workflow artificial 22 years of corporate finance expertise focussing on international
intelligence (AI) drug discovery investment transactions in the United States, Canada, Australia
company, has announced the and the United Kingdom, including funds management, mergers,
appointment of Carl Foster as acquisitions, and divestments.
its Chief Business Officer. Based She has served as a non-executive
in the US office, Foster will Director in a diverse range of highly
be responsible for expanding regulated sectors including delivery
strategic partnerships for novel of healthcare, life sciences, medical
drug target discoveries and research, and funds management.
first-in-class lead candidate Jane currently serves as Deputy Chair
identifications. Foster spent over of Monash Health, one of Australia’s
30 years working for drug and largest and most diverse public health
platform technology companies in services delivering more than 3.46
various areas including genomics, million episodes of care across an
proteomics and antibodies. extensive network of hospitals, rehabilitation, aged care, community
Throughout his career, he has health and mental health facilities and a former Chair of Melbourne
built a strong track record of Health. From 2014 until 2021 she was a director of U Ethical,
business planning, establishing Australia’s first ethical funds manager with over $1.2 billion of funds
strategic relationships and under management, and a member of its Investment Committee.
financial modelling. Foster began
his career with Merck and Co., APACMed appoints
Inc. where he had spent nine Meenakshi Nevatia as India
years in business development, Exec Committee Chairperson
marketing, and sales. Most
recently, he was executive vice The Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association (APACMed)
president, business development representing the medical device industry has announced Meenakshi
for Cempra Pharmaceuticals. Nevatia, Vice President & Managing Director of Stryker India, as its
Prior to that, he was CEO of new chairperson for its India Executive Committee. Meenakshi has
Jurilab, a European-based been intricately involved in the healthcare, medical technology, &
genomics company. Foster pharmaceutical industries throughout her career, which spans over 25
has also held vice president- years in a variety of key global leadership roles. A proven medical device
level positions at Nanogen, leader with a strong passion for making healthcare better, Meenakshi’s
King Pharmaceuticals, Oxford
GlycoSciences and Praecis strengths include building strategies that foster diverse
Pharmaceuticals. teams who are driven to deliver differentiated
innovation in service to healthcare professionals &
patients. In her current role as Vice President &
Managing Director of Stryker India, Meenakshi
is responsible for building Stryker’s business
strategy & setting up the organisation for long-
term, sustainable growth in the Indian market.
Additionally, one of Meenakshi’s priorities is
to build a winning culture and cultivate a
strong commitment to Stryker’s mission
& values in India.

PEOPLE NEWS 45

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com Apollomics

Astellas Pharma appoints
rejigs top management
Dr Jane
Japanese firm Astellas Pharma has announced the appointment of a
new Chief Medical Officer (CMO)- Dr Tadaaki Taniguchi, as of October Wang as CSO
1, 2022. He joined Astellas as Executive Advisor on July 1, 2022. He is
an internationally trained surgeon in the field of oncology with extensive China-based Apollomics
industry experience in developing and commercialising innovative Inc., with operating entities
medicines as a senior leader in major global pharmaceutical companies. He in California, an innovative
biopharmaceutical company
will be based in the US. The firm has also committed to the discovery
announced changing the designation and development of mono-
of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and combination- oncology
to Chief People Officer (CPO) and therapies, has announced
appointed Katsuyoshi Sugita as its new the appointment of Dr Jane
CPO and Chief Ethics & Compliance Wang, as Chief Scientific
Officer (CECO). The company said Officer (CSO). In this role,
the renaming of job titles reflects the Dr Jane will lead the drug
growing focus on human capital in discovery pipeline for the
corporate management. The change company. She will also serve
signifies this position’s leadership role in as Apollomics’ China General
transforming human resources and the organisation as a whole. Sugita has Manager and will report to
held senior HR leadership positions in the pharmaceutical and technology the Chief Executive Officer.
industries and joined Astellas as Head of Human Resources in May 2021. Dr Jane brings over 20 years
of drug discovery experience
Orion Health names Brad Porter in the biopharmaceutical
new CEO after 30 years of Ian McCrae industry. Most recently, she
served as Vice President,
New Zealand-based Orion Health announced that Brad Porter will take Medicinal Chemistry at WuXi
over the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) role from Ian McCrae in late AppTec where she worked to
August 2022. McCrae will continue to play a key part in the company enhance RNA drug discovery
as an Executive Director with a particular focus on products. He has and led multiple teams in
decided the time is right to step back to focus on his health and set in medicinal chemistry and
motion this next phase of the business, after 30 years as CEO. Porter synthetic organic chemistry.
was serving as the General Manager Commercial (International Sales) Prior to WuXi, Dr Jane
at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare where he helped to lead the 1,300 person spent 12 years on the drug
global sales team across 53 countries. During his time at the company, discovery team at Pfizer, Inc.
revenue increased from $800 million to a peak of almost $2 as a senior principal scientist,
billion. Porter has a strong commercial background and focusing on diseases in
previously worked for KPMG before moving to London oncology, inflammation, and
for an investment monitoring role with Coller Capital. the central nervous system.
While in the UK he also delivered advisory services at Previously, she did her
Kinetic Partners before returning home to join the sales postdoc in the U.S. National
team at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare. Not to mention Institute of Health and at
that he also represented New Zealand at age group level Schering-Plough.
in rowing. Porter joins Orion Health as it celebrates 30
years in business. Orion Health recently announced that its
revenues grew to $150 million in FY22, achieving
12 per cent year-on-year growth across its
financial year ending March 31, 2022,
underpinned by a profit before short term
incentives of $8 million.

46 R&D NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

COVID-19 vaccine patches better than needles: Aussie study

A needle-free vaccine patch vaccine patch appeared to that precisely delivers the
could better fight COVID-19 counteract new variants vaccine into the layers of the
variants, such as Omicron more effectively than the skin which are rich in immune
and Delta, than a traditional current SARs-CoV-2 vaccine cells. The researchers found
needle vaccine according to a delivered by injection. The that vaccination via a patch
University of Queensland (UQ) high-density microarray patch was approximately 11 times
study in mice. The research, is a vaccine delivery platform more effective at combatting
conducted in partnership the Omicron variant when
with Brisbane biotechnology compared with the same
company Vaxxas, tested the vaccine administered via a
Hexapro SARS-CoV-2 spike needle. This is further evidence
vaccine using the Vaxxas of the game-changing potential
high-density microarray patch the technology platform could
(HD-MAP) technology, and the have in helping nations better
results found the patch was far respond to global health
more effective at neutralising emergencies, like the current
COVID-19 variants. The and future pandemics.

Thailand debuts PASS Hong Kong creates
for patient safety &
precision in spinal tap coin-sized wearable

PASS (Point-Assisted Spinal Sonography), an ultrasound- biosensing platform
guided lumbar puncture device, has been developed by doctors
and engineers at Thailand-based Chulalongkorn University. A team of researchers from the
This device helps to increase the precision and confidence University of Hong Kong’s (HKU)
in spinal tap procedures while reducing risks and pain for Faculty of Engineering has developed
patients. PASS is an ultrasound-guided device designed to a coin-sized system that can read weak
engage the ultrasound probe that scans for the precise location, electrochemical signals, which can be
degree, and depth of needle penetration into the spinal canal to used for personalised health monitoring
reduce the chance of the needle hitting the spine and decrease and measurement of such conditions as
the pain for the patient. PASS was a prototype medical device diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and
at the International Conference of Anesthesiologists at the end mental health. The PERfECT System –
of 2020. Since then, anesthesiologists at King Chulalongkorn an acronym for Personalised Electronic
Memorial Hospital have been using PASS in difficult cases. It Reader for Electrochemical Transistors,
is also used as pilot training for 6th-year medical students in is the world’s smallest system of its kind,
the Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, by measuring 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm x 0.2 cm
practising with cadavers. Currently, the PASS research and and weighing only 0.4 gram. It is easily
development team plans to expand its use into a business wearable, for instance integrated with
context and is supported by Chulalongkorn University a smartwatch or as a patch, to allow for
Technology Center (UTC). continuous monitoring of biosignals
such as glucose levels and antibody
concentrations in blood and even sweat.
The PERfECT wearable system can also
serve as a miniaturised electrochemical
station for wearable devices and
measure the outputs of other kinds
of low-voltage transistors, such as
electrolyte-gated field effect transistors
and high-k dielectric-gated thin-film
transistors.

R&D NEWS 47

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

India designs patient NZ scientists claim
friendly diagnostic
tool for epilepsy tinnitus breakthrough

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), After 20 years searching for a cure for
Delhi have come up with a non-invasive, time-efficient and tinnitus, researchers at the University of
patient-friendly diagnostic tool for focal epilepsy detection. Auckland in New Zealand have received
The team has proposed an electroencephalogram (EEG) ‘encouraging results’ from a clinical trial
-based brain source localisation (BSL) framework of a mobile-phone-based therapy. The
for epileptogenic zone detection. Their study, titled study randomised 61 patients to one of two
‘Anatomical harmonics basis based brain source treatments, the prototype of the new ‘digital
localisation with application to epilepsy’, has been polytherapeutic’ or a popular self-help app
published in the Nature’s Scientific Reports. Epilepsy producing white noise. Tinnitus, a common
is the fourth most common neurological disorder in problem, is when you
the world and affects millions worldwide. According to experience ringing or
officials, a lot of epilepsies can be controlled by medicines, other noises in one or
but when medicines fail to control seizures, it is labelled as both of your ears. On
drug resistant epilepsy- likely to originate from structural average, the group with
abnormalities of the brain and hence brain surgery offers the polytherapeutic (31
a complete cure for these patients. But it takes 2-8 hours people) showed clinically
for Epileptogenic Zone Detection and is uncomfortable significant improvements
for patients. The team from IIT-D is offering solutions at 12 weeks, while the
to the problem of tracking the origin of the electrical and other group (30 people)
structural abnormality in the brain causing the seizure. did not. Key to the new
Given the EEG data with seizure, the array processing treatment is an initial assessment by an
algorithms can point the coordinates within minutes. audiologist who develops the personalised
treatment plan, combining a range of digital
tools, based on the individual’s experience
of tinnitus. The next step is to refine the
prototype and proceed to larger local and
international trials with a view to FDA
approval. The researchers hope the app will
be clinically available in around six months.

Singapore develops new compounds to kill MDR-TB

With TB being the second Singapore) and the Experimental Science, Technology and Research
leading infectious disease killer Drug Development Centre (A*STAR). Neuro-Horizon
after COVID-19 and multi (EDDC), a national drug Pharma LLC (NHP), a US-based
drug-resistant tuberculosis discovery and development drug development company,
(MDR- TB) causing outbreaks in platform hosted by the Agency for has licensed the compounds
both developing and developed for commercialisation from
nations, new treatments are NTU’s innovation and enterprise
urgently required to tackle this company, NTUitive, which had
infectious disease. A series of filed patent applications for
chemical-based compounds the compounds. This discovery
which could be potential drug was made possible through a
candidates in the fight against transdisciplinary platform called
TB have been developed in TOPNet (Targeting Oxidative
Singapore. The compounds Phosphorylation Network) that
are developed by a joint team is supported by the National
from Nanyang Technological Research Foundation Singapore
University, Singapore (NTU (NRF Singapore).

48 SUPPLIER NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

DKSH ties up with Mytide Therapeutics
Corning Life Sciences
in Asia Pacific & Agilent partner for

DiethelmKellerSiberHegner (DKSH) Business Unit automation solutions
Technology has entered a strategic relationship with
Corning Life Sciences (CLS), a leading provider of US-based Mytide Therapeutics has partnered
consumable laboratory products for the research, with Agilent, a global leader in life science,
bioproduction, and diagnostics markets. DKSH will diagnostic and applied chemical markets. The
provide sales, marketing, and after-sales services in two companies will collaborate on robust,
Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, the Philippines, scalable and reliable automation solutions for
Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. Mytide’s BioFab2 platform, a technology suite
DKSH is a Swiss holding company specialising in that combines chemistry, robotics and machine
Market Expansion Services with a focus on Asia. learning to advance and accelerate peptide and
Corning provides high-quality, innovative products peptide conjugate manufacturing. Under the terms
for life science applications, enabling researchers of the agreement, Agilent will supply analytical
around the world to make and deliver life-changing and preparative chromatography equipment
discoveries. The company offers solutions across for Mytide’s BioFab2 fleet. The ultimate aim
life science workflows, with a wide range of of the partnership is to drive clinical impact
products for applications, such as cell culture, by accelerating the development of life-saving
bioprocess, cell and gene therapy, drug discovery, therapeutics. Together, Mytide and Agilent will
and microbiology. DKSH will distribute Corning, leverage their combined technologies and analytical
PYREX, and Corning Gosselin branded products processes to help address known bottlenecks
to support customers in life sciences, pharma/ in peptide development and manufacturing by
biopharma, and the food & beverage industries. improving process performance and reliability.
Mytide’s BioFab2 platform leverages advances in
chemistry, robotics and AI to access natural and
non-natural peptides faster than typical processes.

QIAGEN launches first syndromic test
for QIAstat-Dx device to fight Monkeypox

Netherlands-based QIAGEN has Basin clades), herpes simplex herpesvirus 6 (HH6), varicella-
launched the QIAstat-Dx Viral virus 1 (HSV1), HSV2, human zoster virus (VZV) and enterovirus
Vesicular Panel RUO, the first – pathogens that all produce
syndromic test to differentiate similar-looking vesicular lesions.
between monkeypox and five The panel’s RUO-status means
other pathogens which cause it currently can only be used
similar symptoms. The new panel, for surveillance, not screening
currently for research use only or diagnosing, of monkeypox
(RUO), comes in cartridge form cases. But QIAGEN is ready to
to run on QIAGEN’s QIAstat-Dx make applications for clinical use,
automated syndromic testing should authorities in the US and
devices. It tests for the two known the European Union open new
forms of monkeypox virus (the diagnostic pathways in light of this
so-called West African and Congo public health emergency.

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BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Thermo Fisher’s new assay helps
detect drug resistant strains of HIV-1

Thermo Fisher Scientific has per cent of people living with resistance
launched Applied Biosystems HIV to be diagnosed, 95 per surveillance
HIV-1 Genotyping Kit with cent who are diagnosed to be of HIV
Integrase, a research use receiving treatment, and 95 mutations to antiretroviral
only an assay, that examines per cent of those on treatment therapeutic inhibitors which can
positive samples of the human to be virally suppressed. This help identify global areas of need.
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) enhanced research assay, which
to identify genetic variants that is compatible with the recently
resist common antiretroviral launched Applied Biosystems
therapeutics. The kit is designed MagMAX Viral/Pathogen Nucleic
to support the detection of the Acid Isolation Kit for HIV-1 Blood
UNAIDS 2030 95-95-95 HIV Spots, provides laboratories
targets, which aims to have 95 with a standardised tool for drug

HiMedia receives CE-IVD West Pharma
approval for Hi-PCR
COVID-FLU Multiplex buys minority stake
Probe PCR Kit (MBPCR262)
in Dublin-based
HiGenoMB Molecular Biology Division of Mumbai-based
HiMedia Laboratories adds another feather in the cap with Latch Medical
their newly CE/IVD approved Hi-PCR COVID-FLU Multiplex
Probe PCR Kit (MBPCR262). Molecular Diagnostics based on US-based West Pharmaceutical Services, a
real-time PCR is increasingly becoming the gold standard post global provider of innovative solutions for
COVID-19. Hi-PCR COVID-FLU Multiplex Probe PCR Kit is injectable drug administration, has made
a multiplex PCR kit that can differentiate between COVID-19 a strategic investment in Latch Medical,
and Flu using a single tube reaction. It is recommended for a Dublin-based leader in next generation
sensitive and specific detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza vaccine and biologics delivery technology
virus in clinical samples. Targets include RdRp gene of SARS- that is pioneering a new approach to
CoV-2 virus, Influenza A virus (Swine flu 2009 H1N1 virus, intradermal delivery. West joins Latch
seasonal H3N2 & seasonal H1N1), Influenza B virus and Medical’s existing investors Atlantic Bridge
Internal control (IC). As the public’s concern of contracting and Enterprise Ireland. West will take a
COVID-19 continued to rise, flu symptoms were frequently minority ownership stake in Latch Medical.
mistaken for those of COVID-19. Performing separate tests for Latch Medical’s Pharma Latch technology
detection of COVID-19 and Influenza can be time consuming, offers two delivery device platforms that
costly and a cumbersome affair. HiMedia’s MBPCR262 being allow for intradermal delivery of vaccines
a multiplex kit eliminates the need for separate tests thereby and biologics with rapid, consistent dosing.
significantly reducing the time and resources. The technology anchors securely to the
skin and uses either hollow or coated
microneedles to deliver and disperse
vaccine and biologics payloads. The
technology is a low-cost platform that can
facilitate higher payloads than microneedle
technologies developed in the past. It
requires minimal training for clinicians
to use. As evidenced by the investment in
Latch Medical, West continues to make
startup investments in the medical device
space to create and advance offerings.

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BIOSPECTRUM | SEPTEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Leading by Excellence

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Results of the global benchmarking evaluation
August 23, ranked China’s vaccine regulatory are presented as maturity levels on a scale of 1 to 4.
system at a functional level of maturity Achieving ML1 means some elements of a regulatory
according to WHO’s global classification system for system exist. ML2 indicates an evolving national
national medical products regulatory authorities. regulatory system that partially performs essential
This means that China has a stable, well-functioning regulatory functions. ML3 confirms a stable, well-
and integrated regulatory system to ensure the functioning and integrated regulatory system is
quality, safety, and effectiveness of vaccines that in place. The highest level, ML4, is achieved by a
are manufactured, imported or distributed in the regulatory system operating at an advanced level of
country. performance and with continuous improvement.

The WHO confirmed the country’s attainment As of August 2022, only 11 WHO member
of maturity level three (ML3)—the third of four countries have got the WHO rank to ensure safety,
levels in the WHO’s classification. Maturity level quality and effectiveness of the vaccines they
four (ML4) is the highest. This is a significant step produce. Of these, six nations belong to the Asia
for the global supply of vaccines because of China’s Pacific region. Besides Chinese NRA, other NRAs
role as a manufacturer, as well as being an important that were ranked by WHO include Singapore - Health
step for public health in China. It will bring more Sciences Authority (HSA) (2022), Thailand - Food
quality-assured vaccines to save lives around the and Drug Administration (FDA) (2021), Indonesia -
world. It may be noted that as of April 28, more National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BADAN
than 3.34 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been POM) (2019) and India - Central Drugs Standard
administered across the Chinese mainland, and Control Organisation (CDSCO) (2017). Viet Nam
around 1.25 billion people had been fully vaccinated. is represented by four vaccine regulatory systems
namely: a) The Drug Administration of VietNam
The WHO’s conclusion on China’s vaccine (DAV), b) Administration of Science, Technology and
regulatory system is solid proof that its system is Training (ASTT), c) National Institute for the Control
continuously stable, effective and well-functioning, of Vaccines and Biologicals (NICVB) and d) General
and it is capable of making more contributions to the Department of Preventive Medicine (GDPM) (2020).
global supply by providing safe, effective, affordable Except Singapore NRA, all were ranked at ML3, as
and accessible vaccine products with high quality. Singapore is ranked at ML4.

The WHO performed an assessment of the In February this year, the Singapore’s Health
Chinese National Regulatory Authority (NRA) Sciences Authority (HSA) became the first NRA
in April 2014, based on the then WHO vaccines and Singapore, the first WHO member state to
assessment tool indicators and focusing on the achieve ML4 for its advanced medicines regulatory
Chinese vaccine regulatory system and performed system. This achievement came after a rigorous
additional benchmarking activities in 2019 and 2021. and comprehensive assessment by a team of 15
international assessors and 4 WHO officials using the
As a follow up to these activities, a WHO expert WHO’s Global Benchmarking Tool. The assessment
team conducted the formal benchmarking of the took place from October 25 to November 5, 2021.
Chinese NRA, represented by National Medical
Products Administration (NMPA), in July 2022 The latest achievement of China should further
using an updated and more comprehensive prompt other countries to invest in strengthening
assessment tool, the WHO Global Benchmarking regulatory systems to ensure the availability and
Tool that comprises a comprehensive set of 251 access to quality, safe, effective, and affordable
indicators to monitor and validate the performance medical products to their peoples. The ranking
of a regulatory system spanning across 8 core should also serve to promote confidence, trust, and
regulatory functions. During the benchmarking, further reliance on authorities attaining this level of
the WHO noted that the NMPA had considered and maturity.
addressed recommendations made following the
activities in 2014, 2019 and 2021, confirming the Narayan Kulkarni
country’s ML3 achievement for the regulation of Editor
vaccines in China.
[email protected]