BioSpectrum Asia Dec 2022

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4 BIO EDIT

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Dr Milind Kokje UP CLOSE WITH MICROBE WORLD

Chief Editor Ahuman being is surrounded by air which has abundant microbes. Many of them,
known as pathogens, cause infections, allergies and diseases. While not all
[email protected] microbes are harmful, some are even useful. Less than one per cent of bacteria
can enter our body and infect us. Despite their positive and negative roles in our life,
the microbial population that surrounds us has been relatively unknown till now. But
that will change. In an important scientific development, researchers have compiled the
world’s first atlas of airborne microbes. Result of decade-long efforts of researchers, led by
PolyU from Hong Kong, has been a map of the world’s airborne microbes providing new
insights into how these species interact with surface environments. These insights will give
a new perspective for public health research. The research findings have been published
in the US National Academy of Sciences’ journal ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences’. A similar atlas was prepared in 2015 which was restricted to the continental US.
It was compiled by a team of researchers led by University of Colorado Boulder and North
Carolina State University. A high-tech molecular technique used in the study revealed
that an average dust sample contained roughly 4,700 bacterial species and 1,400 fungal
species. 110,000 bacterial and 55,000 fungal species were identified. Several of them were
unknown to science till then.

Researchers expanded the same research to the global level by analysing bacterial
communities of 370 individual air particulate samples that were collected from 63 sites
in the world. For around a year they collected samples from ground level to mountains;
and from densely populated areas to the Arctic circles. The study has provided numerous
insights into the patterns of microbes. Researchers noticed that the diversity of microbes
increases from equator to mid-latitudes, where it maximises and then starts falling away
again. This ‘bump’ in diversity at mid-latitudes is caused by stronger sources of microbial
input in the regions, researchers noted. Researchers also observed that though the total
number of microbes occupying sea or soil is several times larger than those in the air, the
diversity of microbes in air is just as high, suggesting that surface habitats contribute to
microbes in air. Compiling the atlas is important from the point of view of diseases caused
by airborne particles, bacteria and their spread. A simple sneeze throws out millions of
tiny droplets of water and mucus at a speed of about 200 miles per hour. About 10-100
micrometres diameter droplets dry to 1-4 micrometres droplets containing bacteria or
viruses, a major way of disease spread. Aside from the people to air transfer of germs,
activities like industrialisation also disrupt the natural environment and impact air quality
since they weaken the natural filters in the environment.

Researchers have also noticed that microbes have grown in large numbers since the
onset of COVID-19. Over 10,000 bacteria found in a cubic metre of air are using air as a
habitat and merely a conduit is one of the important points researchers have noticed. The
researchers have studied how these species interact with the surface environment.

Genetic analysis has shown that the handful of species that form an outsized proportion
of microbe population were not the same in the air as those in marine or soil ecosystems.
These core bacterial communities are distinctly localised and stable despite air being a
free-flowing medium. In a 2015 US study, researchers had noticed an interesting pattern,
known as ‘bicoastal’, in which microbial communities from homes on both the coasts of the
US were more similar to each other than those from homes in the interior. The latest study
and further endeavour in this space will open up a wealth of information for scientists
to go deeper into developing an understanding of several diseases and for developing
efficacious cures. COVID-19 has taught us about the need for such deeper understanding
and considering the possible spread of zoonotic diseases, even the speed at which we need
to work can have global ramifications.

BIO MAIL 5

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Acknowledgement/ Feedback

Thank you so much for the feature on Syngene in the cover story of BioSpectrum Asia.
Riti Ray, India

VentureBlick fundraising platform matches healthcare startups with medical investors.
It was a great opportunity to explore with BioSpectrum Asia.

Janice Loh, Singapore

Automation and technology are driving the next generation of manufacturing, and
smart manufacturing adoption will continue to rise. The article by Rockwell Automation
in the November edition was well curated. Thank you.

Serene Chong, Singapore

Thank you for your interest in knowing advancements at Nanyang Technological
University. We are striving to make a positive impact on national health priorities. We
are thankful for the opportunity and the feature on Centre for Microbiome Medicine,
Lee Kong Chain School of Medicine.

Crystal Lai, Singapore

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6 BIO CONTENT

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

BioSpectrum Asia

IHnodnuousrtsry Stalwarts

21 Jury Award Winners 22 Editor’s Choice Award Winners

Lifetime Achievement Award 2022 Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2022

25 An International 27 Applying Deep 28 Far-reaching
Leader in Vaccinology Learning Impact
Experience to
Prof. Helen Marshall Drug Discovery Dr Parul Ganju,
Professor in Vaccinology, Co-Founder and
Adelaide Medical School, and Dr Alex Zhavoronkov, Chief Executive
Deputy Director, Clinical and Founder and Chief Officer, Ahammune
Translational Research for the Executive Officer, Biosciences, India
Robinson Research Institute Insilico Medicine,
at The University of Adelaide, Hong Kong
Australia

29 Startup of the Year 2022 30 Startup of the Year 2022- Special Jury Recognition
Lunit Inc
Conquering Cancer With AI Hummingbird Bioscience

Accelerating Drug Discovery

31 Startup of the Year 2022- Special Jury Recognition 32 Startup of the Year 2022- Special
Brain Navi Biotechnology Jury Recognition

Revolutionising Healthcare MiRXES
with New-age Tech
Powering it with RNA

33 Product of the Year 2022
Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Assay
by Seegene Inc

A Powerful Performance

BIO CONTENT 7

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8 REGULATORY NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Hugel’s Letybo from Korea obtains marketing
approval in Australia

Hugel, a South Korea-based market with annual growth of about launch in the local market within
medical aesthetics company, has 7 per cent by 2025. Hugel plans to the first quarter of 2023. The local
obtained marketing approval for 50 complete the first shipment and subsidiary will be in charge of
and 100 units of its botulinum toxin distribution and marketing. Hugel
called ‘Letybo’ for the indication of also plans to implement aggressive
glabellar lines from the Therapeutic sales and marketing activities
Goods Administration (TGA) of to successfully settle into the
Australia. Botulinum toxin accounts Australian market and expand its
for the largest proportion (41 per market share. Moreover, in addition
cent) as a non-surgical aesthetic to reasonable pricing, Hugel plans
procedure, and the per capita to effectively deliver the efficacy
treatment rate is known to be higher and safety of Letybo by providing
than that of the United States. The training for local medical staff and
market size is estimated to be about conducting academic programmes
KRW100 billion as of 2022, and in cooperation with major chain
it is evaluated as a high potential clinics and key opinion leaders.

India announces launch Korea Drug
of Bengaluru Science &
Technology Cluster Development Fund

Principal Scientific invests in novel
Adviser to the
Government of India, oncology candidate
Prof. Ajay Sood
recently launched South Korea-based SK Biopharmaceuticals
Bengaluru Science & has announced that the state-run Korea
Technology Cluster Drug Development Fund (KDDF) has
(BeST). This effort decided to support and finance the
was coordinated by company’s development of SKL27969,
the Indian Institute which is being evaluated as potential
of Science (IISc) in partnership with the Centre for treatment for patients with advanced solid
Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP). A proposal tumours, widening SK Biopharmaceuticals’
for funding for BeST was submitted with Principal area into oncology. The KDDF is a
Investigator (PI) Prof. Govindan Rangarajan (Director, government fund that aims to support
IISc) and co-PIs Prof. Ambarish Ghosh (Professor IISc) R&D for new drug development as part of
and Dr Taslimarif Saiyed (CEO, CCAMP). The funding efforts to advance Korea’s pharmaceuticals
was recently sanctioned by the Office of the Principal and biotechnology sectors. A phase 1/2
Scientific Adviser (O/o PSA) to the Government of clinical trial is being conducted under the
India. BeST is the latest in this set of O/o PSA supported US IND for SKL27969, a PRMT5 inhibitor,
clusters, and has identified Health & Wellness, Urban in adult patients with solid tumours for
Life, and Futuristic Technologies as its core sectors and safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics,
has set up teams to work on areas of One Health, Digital pharmacodynamics, and preliminary
Health, Precision Agriculture, Urban Transportation, efficacy. SK Biopharmaceuticals said that
Monsoon & Climate Change, Quantum Technologies, the KDDF’s two-year investment in the
Active Matter & Robotics and Jet Engine. study will help the company and its US
subsidiary SK Life Science, Inc. to accelerate
their clinical (Phase 1) and nonclinical trials,
while expanding its oncology network.

REGULATORY NEWS 9

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Brunei’s Ministry of New Zealand
Health opens intelligence
hub in Jerudong provides snapshot of

The Ministry of Health (MoH), Brunei Darussalam and nation’s health with
Singapore-based EVYD Technology have announced the
official opening of the MoH Intelligence Hub at EVYD new survey results
Campus in Jerudong. The opening of the Hub is part
of the ministry’s efforts to strengthen the resilience of The annual New Zealand Health Survey
Brunei’s healthcare ecosystem. The co-located Hub results provide valuable information about
will house the nation’s Epidemic Intelligence and the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders.
Response Unit (Disease Control Division), functioning The survey is a key data source and the
as a surveillance centre to monitor the nationwide 2021/22 survey provides population-level
spread of diseases; the Climate Change Adaptation and
Resilience Unit; and the Digital Health Unit. In the future, data on health status,
more government health units could be housed in the long-term conditions,
Hub, including the Behavioural Insights Programme, health behaviours and
the National Clinical Research Unit and the Non- risk factors, health
Communicable Disease Unit. MoH and EVYD Technology service utilisation and
have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding barriers to accessing
(MoU) with the National University of Singapore Saw healthcare. In 2021/22,
Swee Hock School of Public Health as a cross-border 88.4 per cent of adults
collaboration to strengthen health systems. reported they were in
good health, similar to the previous year. Most
adults (83.2 per cent) reported high family
wellbeing (a score of 7+ out of 10). However,
psychological distress among adults has
increased during COVID-19, especially for
young people. The survey’s findings will be
used by decision makers and researchers to
support the development of health services,
policy and strategy, identify key health and
wellbeing issues and monitor trends.

CSIRO partnership helps connect Australian
healthcare system

The Australian Digital Health to-end management, SNOMED The intention of the collaboration
Agency and Australia’s national (Systematised Nomenclature of is to enable connectivity across
science agency, Commonwealth Medicine) CT (Clinical Terms) all healthcare settings. This is
Scientific and Industrial licencing and the relationship achieved through driving future
Research Organisation (CSIRO)’s with SNOMED International, interoperability standards and
Australian e-Health Research while CSIRO will deliver the governance discussions across
Centre (AEHRC) have launched services and functions required different systems and healthcare
a new collaboration combining to manage the NCTS, as well as settings to improve connectivity.
their skills and expertise to content authoring and tooling. Over the next five years, work
deliver a centre of excellence for will continue through this
connectivity across the Australian partnership to refresh other NCTS
healthcare system, through the tooling and develop terminology
National Clinical Terminology content published through the
Service (NCTS). Under the new NCTS. This will further improve
partnership, the Agency retains health information connectivity
responsibility for governance for Australian consumers and
and the strategic role of end- healthcare providers.

10 FINANCE NEWS BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Biotheus inks Astellas invests $50M to support
1.4 B CNY gene therapy programmes of Taysha
oncology deal
with Hansoh Japan-based Astellas Pharma Inc. and Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc.
Pharma have announced a strategic investment to support the advancement
of Taysha’s adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy development
Biotheus Inc., a clinical-stage programmes for the treatment of Rett syndrome and Giant Axonal
biotech company focused on Neuropathy (GAN). The future options to potentially apply Astellas’
the discovery and development global R&D, manufacturing and
of biologics for oncology and commercialisation capabilities in
inflammatory diseases, has gene therapy to Taysha’s innovative
entered into a collaboration AAV gene therapy development
agreement with Hansoh programmes for genetic diseases
Pharmaceuticals, for Biotheus’ of the central nervous system
EGFR/MET bispecific antibody (CNS) create the opportunity for
(also known as PM1080) the two companies to enhance the
in Greater China, including development of novel treatment
Mainland China, Hong Kong, options for patients with Rett
Macao and Taiwan. EGFR/ syndrome and GAN, who have
MET bispecific antibodies are serious unmet medical needs. Under the terms of the agreement,
an instrumental therapeutic Astellas will invest a total of $50 million to acquire 15 per cent of
option for non-small cell the outstanding common stock of Taysha and to receive an exclusive
lung cancer and other cancer option to licence two of Taysha’s clinical stage programmes: TSHA-
indications. Under the terms of 102 for Rett syndrome and TSHA-120 for GAN. In addition, Taysha
the agreement, Hansoh will be has granted Astellas certain rights related to any potential change of
granted by Biotheus the exclusive control of Taysha. Definitive agreements would be executed upon
rights to develop, commercialise Astellas’ exercise of any such option, and any change of control
and manufacture PM1080 for the transaction would require approval by Taysha’s stockholders.
treatment of cancer, and shall
assume all the costs accordingly GSK launches S$44M HPF in
in the territory. In return, Singapore for cancer treatment
Biotheus will receive 50 million
CNY and is entitled to receive The global biopharma company component, in antibody
up to ~1.4 billion CNY for future GSK plc has launched a new,
development, regulatory and S$44 million high potency drug conjugates (ADCs) to
commercialisation milestones, facility (HPF) in its strategic
plus tiered royalty payments New Product Introduction treat cancer. The new facility
based on net sales. site in Jurong, Singapore. The
event also marked 40 years is the first in Singapore
since the Jurong site opened
in Singapore in 1982. The HPF capable of producing highly
will be used to produce a key
ingredient, which is a cytotoxic potent cytotoxic ingredients

in ADCs, for breakthrough

immunotherapy cancer

treatments. With the addition

of the HPF, GSK has further

strengthened the Jurong

site capabilities as a New

Product Introduction (NPI)

site to launch new products

more quickly. The capability

to produce high potency

components at scale helps to

meet the increasing demand

for oncology treatments around

the world.

COMPANY NEWS 11

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Takeda enters new Asa Ren, G42 Healthcare
collaboration to develop first-
in-class celiac disease therapy advance genomic

Japanese pharmaceutical firm Takeda, and Germany sequencing and
based Zedira and Dr. Falk Pharma GmbH have announced
a collaboration and licensing agreement to develop bioinformatics in Indonesia
ZED1227/TAK-227, a Phase 2b investigational therapy
for the treatment of celiac disease. TAK-227 is a potential Asa Ren, a leading consumer DNA data
first-in-class therapy designed to prevent the immune company based in Indonesia, has announced
response to gluten in celiac disease, a serious autoimmune a strategic partnership with leading UAE-
disease where the ingestion of gluten leads to inflammation based artificial intelligence technology
and damage to the small intestine. There are currently company, G42 Health Care AI Holding RSC.
no approved therapies for the treatment of celiac disease. This collaboration is intended to develop
Under the terms of the agreement, Takeda and Dr. Falk and enhance the genomic sequencing and
Pharma will conduct global clinical studies for TAK-227 bioinformatics capability in Indonesia in
in celiac disease. Takeda will receive an exclusive licence preparation for the Biomedical Genome Science
to develop and commercialise TAK-227 in the United Initiatives (BGSi), with the use of microarray
States and other territories outside of Europe, Canada, methods and whole genome sequencing in
Australia and China. Takeda is advancing a portfolio the context of laboratory activities. The MoU
of investigational therapies for the potential treatment between G42 Healthcare and Asa Ren is
of celiac disease. In addition to TAK-227, Takeda is aimed at developing and enhancing genomic
developing two other investigational celiac disease sequencing and bioinformatics capabilities
therapies that recently entered Phase 2 clinical trials. in Indonesia to support National Genomics
Initiatives in the country and delivering long-
term value. The two entities aim to also work
together on joint proposals to government
entities to develop and expand the electronic
health passport, telehealth, and health data
analysis. The Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) is also expected to build a genome
biobank that can accelerate personalised
healthcare experience for the community.

XtalPi, CK Life Sciences announce AI-
empowered tumour vaccine R&D in China

Chinese firm XtalPi is embarking sipuleucel-T for melanoma and of efficacy has begun to emerge.
on a strategic collaboration with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) for Currently, the design and preclinical
CK Life Sciences, a member of bladder cancer, as well as preventive development process for tumour
the CK Hutchison Group. XtalPi tumour vaccines against human vaccines is complex and lengthy,
and CK Life Sciences will leverage papillomavirus infection and hindering the efficiency and success
their respective expertise to jointly hepatitis B infection approved by the rate of tumour vaccine research
develop a novel artificial intelligent US Food and Drug Administration and development. Incorporating
(AI) tumour vaccine research and (FDA). Recently, several other XtalPi’s industry expertise in
development (R&D) platform to tumour vaccines have entered AI computation and robotic
improve the discovery and design clinical development and evidence automation, this collaboration aims
capabilities of tumour vaccines to build an AI tumour vaccine R&D
and accelerate the development platform that applies advanced
of more vaccine types. The goal AI algorithms and high-precision
of this collaboration is to realise molecular modelling to predict and
precision treatment for patients design a variety of tumour vaccines
worldwide. Currently, there are only that can activate specific immune
two therapeutic tumour vaccines- responses to kill tumours.

12 COMPANY NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Boston Scientific expands operations in Malaysia

Boston Scientific Corporation, a a power monitoring system for the facility to achieve Leadership
global leader in medical device energy efficiency. Additionally, the in Energy and Environmental
technology, has unveiled a new new facility includes a rainwater Design (LEED) Gold certification
expansion of its operations in harvesting system for indoor and in the near future.The new facility
Batu Kawan, Penang, Malaysia. outdoor use. Combined, these is the third global distribution
The expansion is expected to initiatives formpartof astrategy for centre for the company and the
enable approximately 300 jobs in first located in Asia, shipping
the coming years and includes a medical devices within Malaysia
110,000 sq ft global distribution and around the world. In addition
centre. In support of the company’s to manufacturing roles, the site
commitment to achieve carbon will employ professionals in
neutrality in all manufacturing knowledge-intensive regional
and key distribution sites by 2030, supply chain roles such as
the new facility will be partially planning, logistics, customer care
powered by solar panels and use and equipment service repair.

Medtronic launches Customer QPS opens new
eXperience Center in Singapore
preclinical research
Medtronic plc, a global leader in healthcare technology,
has launched the Medtronic Customer eXperience Center facility in Taiwan
(MCXC) in Singapore, leveraging innovative healthcare
technologies across extended reality (XR), augmented QPS, a global contract research organisation
and virtual realities, and robotics, to connect the global headquartered in the US, has opened a second
healthcare community from anywhere, at any time. A preclinical research facility in Taipei, Taiwan.
first for Medtronic in Asia, MCXC’s network capabilities The 2,793-sq-ft facility will facilitate a
will bring together Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) from research expansion into additional toxicology
around the world to ideate, share, and learn through studies and a newly launched capability in
state-of-the-art virtual technologies. It also provides them pharmacology studies. The new facility will
with access to immersive learning experiences, round-the- give QPS significant additional flexibility in
clock remote training, and future healthcare technologies study scheduling and additional space to
and innovation.The 22,000 sq ft MCXC will act as a grow the existing toxicology business and to
one-stop healthcare technology hub for HCPs around the build the new pharmacology unit. Designed
world to receive training on advanced innovation and to ensure that the utmost care is taken with
medical treatment procedures. One example is MCXC’s all toxicology and pharmacology studies, this
remote XR cardiac training platform, which presents new research facility boasts well equipped,
simulation through virtual technologies, giving HCPs an fully accredited animal centres and a state-of-
immersive experience on the latest medical devices first- the-art pharmacology unit. Initially, the centre
hand without the need to be physically present. will focus on augmenting the current multi-
species capabilities in wound healing models,
with pharmacology services in irritable bowel
disease (IBD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
(NASH) and atopic dermatitis. The team will
be ready to conduct these studies in a variety
of species in early 2023.

START-UP NEWS 13

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com JW Therapeutics

MiRXES announces Southeast accelerates R&D
Asia’s first business and
clinical advisory programme of T cell-based

MiRXES, a Singapore-headquartered biotechnology startup immunotherapies
focused on saving lives and improving health economics and
outcomes through RNA-powered disease early detection and in China
precision genomic tests, has launched the first edition of MiRXES
Translator Programme, Southeast Asia’s first business and clinical JW Therapeutics and 2seventy
advisory programme backed by science that bridges post-incubation bio have announced a
ideation and post-accelerator growth. Through strategic alliance to establish
this investor-partner partnership, MiRXES will a translational and clinical cell
play an active role to co-generate measurable therapy development platform
business milestones and results while sharing designed to more rapidly explore
risks and rewards with companies enrolled in T cell-based immunotherapy
the programme, resulting in assisting them to products in the Chinese mainland,
grow and scale their business efficiently and Hong Kong (China), and Macao
effectively. Plug and Play, a highly successful (China). The initial focus of
investor and preferred innovation partner for the collaboration is US-based
major corporations, will assess applicants and startup 2seventy’s MAGE-A4
curate suitable emerging preventive health-focused technology TCR programme in solid tumours
startups for the MiRXES Translator Programme. MiRXES will which is being developed as part
collaborate with the shortlisted startups to run an extensive of collaboration with Regeneron.
programme to develop and enhance their reach within the MAGE-A4 is a member of the
preventive healthcare sector. Depending on the startup’s maturity, MAGE family of cancer-testis
the collaboration could span across solution optimisation, pilot antigens expressed in a number
production, clinical advisory and market validation. of solid tumour types. The
programme is designed to develop
ANDHealth, LaunchVic launch T cell receptor (TCR) therapies
Digital Health Accelerator in for the treatment of MAGE-A4
Australia positive solid tumours. Under the
terms of the agreement, 2seventy
ANDHealth, Australia’s leading digital health commercialisation will grant Chinese startup JW
organisation, has successfully secured $1.4 million in funding from Therapeutics a licence for the
LaunchVic to establish a novel accelerator programme for high- MAGE-A4 cell therapy in the
growth potential digital health startups. The ANDHealth Activate Chinese mainland, Hong Kong
programme, backed exclusively by LaunchVic, will provide a (China), and Macao (China). JW
nine-month curriculum-based programme to support Victorian Therapeutics will be responsible
for development, manufacturing,
digital health companies to become and commercialisation within
investment and enterprise-customer- China. 2seventy is eligible to
ready. The programme will be run receive milestones and royalties
out of the Victorian Connected Health on product revenues in China.
Innovation and Commercialisation Additionally, 2seventy may
Centre (CHICC) in Melbourne, which leverage the early clinical data
ANDHealth received $2.4 million generated under the collaboration
from the Victorian Government in to support development in other
September to establish. ANDHealth geographies.
Activate and other programmes run
out of CHICC will see ANDHealth support over 600 participants,
create 100 new jobs, initiate more than 50 new clinical studies, and
give over 400,000 patients access to emerging health technologies
over the next five years.

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

RVAC Medicines, Qmed Asia eyes APAC expansion
A*STAR to build with digital health solutions
capabilities for
mRNA production Malaysian startup Qmed Asia has announced regional expansion
in Singapore into Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia to introduce
value-added services to healthcare segments and patients in the
RVAC Medicines, a messenger form of innovative digital health solutions that are accessible,
RNA (mRNA) technology platform affordable, and reliable. The startup recently signed two
startup incubated by CBC Group, memoranda of understanding (MoU)
a healthcare-dedicated asset with Taiwanese companies to expand its
management firm headquartered solutions offering to Taiwan healthcare
in Singapore, and the Agency for providers for smarter clinical assistance
Science, Technology and Research supported by AI semantic technology. In
(A*STAR) have announced the Indonesia, Qmed Asia has partnered with
signing of a master research one of the leading Indonesia Insurance
collaboration agreement to jointly providers in launching its mobile live
study and develop solutions to build queue solution for local hospitals to reduce
mRNA manufacturing and analytics long wait times when seeking medical attention and improve the
capabilities in Singapore. With this overall patient experience in healthcare facilities. Prior to this,
collaboration, RVAC and A*STAR Qmed Asia participated in Vietnam’s largest and most prestigious
will set up a joint laboratory based at annual startup competition and emerged in the top five out of 150
A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology international participants from 32 countries. Less than a week
Institute (BTI) to develop a after the recognition, Qmed Asia signed an MoU with MeetDoctor,
preclinical manufacturing platform, a one-stop digital health platform offering online consultation,
which will facilitate the generation of medicine delivery, home lab testing, and medical appointments
novel raw materials and potentially in Cambodia.
clinical-grade assets for the
development of mRNA vaccines and Lunit accelerates AI-powered
therapeutics targeting infectious medical imaging across major
diseases and other conditions overseas channels
with unmet needs. Leveraging
BTI’s deep expertise in processing South Korea-based startup Lunit has signed a global distribution
technologies and analytical sciences agreement with Indian firm CARPL.ai, an end-to-end healthcare
for biotherapeutics and the strong technology platform that enables the development, validation,
translational research in biomedical and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions across
technologies across multiple
research institutes in A*STAR, clinical workflows. Under the agreement,
this collaboration seeks to enable Lunit will deliver Lunit INSIGHT CXR,
local ecosystem innovators and an AI solution for chest x-ray image
global manufacturers to access the analysis, and Lunit INSIGHT MMG, an
manufacturing platform to aid in AI solution for mammography analysis,
preclinical asset development. through CARPL’s platform across five
countries: US, Australia, Brazil, India,
and Singapore. CARPL is an end-to-end
technology platform for the development,
validation, and deployment of medical
imaging AI applications in clinical
workflows. Used by some of the world’s top AI researchers and
health systems, it provides a unique platform connecting picture
archiving and communication systems (PACS) in clinical settings
with third-party AI applications. Through CARPL’s interface,
healthcare providers can seamlessly access Lunit’s AI solution
suite for radiology, thereby improving access, affordability, and
quality of medical care globally.

WORLD NEWS 15

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

New Dutch Global Health US establishes
Strategy calls for stronger
cooperation website for self-

The Netherlands discussed its new strategy for Global reporting COVID-19
Health with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and
called for deeper coordination with the organisation to test results
improve global health – aiming to strengthen health
systems at home and worldwide, better prepare for Reporting a positive or negative test result just
pandemics and address the impact of climate change became easier through a new website from the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the US.
on public health. MakeMyTestCount.org, developed through
The strategy aims NIH’s Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx)
to contribute in a Tech programme, allows users to anonymously
coordinated and report the results of any brand of at-home
targeted way to COVID-19 test. While taking a rapid COVID-19
improving public test has become commonplace, test results are
health around the not often reported. COVID-19 test results provide
world, including in valuable data that public health departments can
the Netherlands. use to assess the needs and modify the responses
Stressing its excellent in the local community, the state or the nation.
partnership with Lab tests have a well-established technology
WHO, the Netherlands welcomed the opportunity to system for sharing test results. RADx Tech has
strengthen the collaboration through the new strategy. been working on a system to standardise test
The Netherlands also announced its intention to reporting for at-home tests in a secure manner.
provide solid, predictable, mostly flexible, multi-year The MakeMyTestCount.org is built on this system
financing to WHO, building on its longstanding support for logging test results. The National Institute of
of the organisation. This commitment consolidates the Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Netherlands’ position as a top contributor of flexible supported development of MakeMyTestCount.
funds – resources that enable a stronger result driven org through the RADx Tech programme.
WHO to fulfil its mandate and work most effectively for
the health of everyone.

Improved provision of mental health services
to benefit Lithuanian youth

Strengthened governance and performance in school and perception survey conducted by
delivery of mental health services negative outcomes later in life such the World Bank, only 12 per cent
will improve the well-being of young as substance abuse, poor health, of students in Lithuania received
people in Lithuania, according unemployment, and incarceration. any help for their mental health
to a new World Bank report. To Based on a comprehensive challenges from their school. In
address this problem, Lithuania addition, public sector personnel
is looking to foster governance of often avoid talking about mental
mental health services provided by health challenges, while school
national and local authorities, as staff and administrators have
well as schools or medical facilities, limited awareness of the extent of
especially in the context of low youth mental health problems. The
levels of awareness and capacity report, carried out with funding
at the local and municipal levels. from the European Commission,
Mental health problems have provides suggestions for improving
several deleterious consequences mental health service delivery in
for the youth, including poor Lithuania.

16 ROW NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Tackling emerging antimalarial
drug resistance in Africa

The World Health Organisation WHO currently recommends partner drug. To date, resistance
(WHO) has launched a new strategy six different artemisinin-based to ACT partner drugs has not
to respond to the urgent problem combination therapies (ACTs) as been confirmed in Africa, and
of antimalarial drug resistance first- and second-line treatment the treatment remains highly
in Africa. In recent years, there for uncomplicated P. falciparum efficacious. However, there are
have been reports from Africa of malaria. Isolated from the plant some worrying signals: data are
emerging parasite resistance to Artemisia annua, artemisinin lacking for several countries, and
artemisinin, the core compound of and its derivatives are powerful contradictory findings on ACT
the best available medicines to treat medicines known for their ability efficacy need to be further assessed.
malaria. There are also worrying to rapidly reduce the number The new WHO strategy builds on
signs that parasites in some areas of Plasmodium parasites in the lessons learnt from past global
may be resistant to drugs that blood of patients with malaria. plans and complements existing
are commonly combined with ACTs combine an artemisinin strategies, including broader
artemisinin. Vigorous measures derivative (artesunate, artemether efforts to respond to antimicrobial
are needed to protect their efficacy. or dihydroartemisinin) with a resistance.

Oral cholera vaccine receives Global health agencies
manufacturing push for
African & global markets support Uganda

South Africa based biopharmaceutical company Biovac against outbreak of
has concluded a ground-breaking licensing and technology
transfer agreement with the International Vaccine Institute Ebolavirus disease
(IVI), a non-profit international organisation headquartered
in South Korea, for the manufacture of an oral cholera vaccine Following the declaration of an Ebola
(OCV). The partnership with IVI aims to licence and transfer outbreak in Uganda on September 20, 2022,
technology with the ultimate aim of increasing production the outbreak has now spread to seven districts
volumes in order to reduce the critical shortage of vaccines (Kasanda, Kyegegwa, Bunyangabu and
Kagadi districts beyond the original epicentre
needed to prevent cholera in Mubende district, and then to Kampala
globally. This transfer of City and Wakiso). The Ministry of Health
technology will also establish has designated the Makerere University Lung
and demonstrate capacity Institute to conduct vaccine and therapeutics
for Good Manufacturing clinical trials. The clinical trial to evaluate
Process (GMP) scale-up, local candidate vaccines against this ebolavirus
manufacture of clinical trial is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Health
products, and end-to-end in Uganda and WHO, and involves support
production of vaccines in Africa for Africans and worldwide from partners. A Principal investigator from
usage. After many decades, this will be a critical step forward Makerere University Lung Institute will lead
for vaccine production on the continent. This is in a market the vaccine trial. The vaccine developers and
where less than 1 per cent of vaccines are locally manufactured funders who will make the candidate vaccines
and where infectious diseases are still the leading cause of available include the University of Oxford
death, especially in children under five years. The technology and the Serum Institute of India, the Sabin
transfer process will commence in January 2023, with the Vaccine Institute and the US government
first clinical trial batches expected to be produced in 2024 institutions Biomedical Advanced Research
and licencing of the product by the South African National and Development Authority (BARDA) and
Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) to be concluded in 2026 National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well
alongside World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalification as International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
certification which will follow shortly thereafter. (IAVI) and MSD.

WHO NEWS 17

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

WHO to identify pathogens WHO inks new
likely to cause future MoU on health
outbreaks and pandemics workforce priorities

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is launching The World Health Organisation (WHO) has
a global scientific process to update the list of priority
pathogens, agents that can cause outbreaks or pandemics, signed a Memorandum of Understanding
to guide global investment, research and development
(R&D), especially in vaccines, tests and treatments. WHO (MoU) with the five members of the World
is convening over 300 scientists who will consider the
evidence on over 25 virus families and bacteria, as well Health Professions Alliance (WHPA), World
as ‘Disease X,’ which is included to indicate an unknown
pathogen that could cause a serious international Dental Federation (FDI), International
epidemic. The experts will recommend a list of priority
pathogens that need further research and investment. Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), International
The process will include both scientific and public health
criteria, as well as criteria related to socioeconomic Council of Nurses (ICN), World Physiotherapy,
impact, access, and equity. The list was first published
in 2017 and the last prioritisation exercise was done in and World Medical
2018. The current list includes COVID-19, Crimean-Cong
haemorrhagic fever, Ebola virus disease and Marburg Association (WMA).
virus disease, Lassa fever, Middle East Respiratory
Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Together these five
Syndrome (SARS), Nipah and henipaviral diseases,
Rift Valley fever, Zika and Disease X. The revised list is organisations represent
expected to be published in the first quarter of 2023.
more than 41 million health

professionals worldwide

and assemble essential

knowledge and experience

from the key health

professions in more than 130 countries. This

signing ceremony represents an historic event,

bringing together the five global organisations

representing the world’s dentists, pharmacists,

nurses, physiotherapists and physicians with

WHO to enhance their joint collaboration

on protecting and investing in the health

workforce to provide safe, quality and equitable

care in all settings. It reflects the importance

of investing in the health workforce through a

multi-stakeholder integrated approach.

Quadripartite launches new platform to
tackle AMR threat to human, animal health

The Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) vision responding to the need to
improve coordination of efforts by
Multi-Stakeholder Partnership a large number of stakeholders.
The new platform will engage
Platform has been launched to and empower stakeholders across
the One Health spectrum in an
ensure the growing threats and inclusive, transparent way to build
consensus among public and private
impacts of antimicrobial resistance stakeholders on the global AMR
vision, gain knowledge to foster a
are addressed globally. The Food collective understanding of AMR
challenges and opportunities, and
and Agriculture Organisation of take multi-stakeholder actions to
contain, combat and reverse AMR
the United Nations (FAO), the UN in line with the Global Action Plan
and National Action Plans.
Environment Programme (UNEP), ecosystems and livelihoods. The new
Antimicrobial Resistance Multi-
the World Health Organisation Stakeholder Partnership Platform
is an inclusive and international
(WHO) and the World Organisation forum bringing together voices from
all areas, sectors and perspectives
for Animal Health (WOAH), through a holistic and system-wide
One Health approach, for a shared
known as the Quadripartite, are

joining forces on this initiative to

underscore the threat AMR presents

to humans, animals, plants,

18 BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

BioSpectrum Asia
HInodnuousrtsry Stalwarts
Asia has, indeed, become Through these awards, we are
the new hub for potential nudging today’s entrepreneurs to
growth and innovation, with achieve greater glory, while honouring
no signs of losing steam. To yesterday’s key players who have laid
appreciate the Asian companies and the foundation for success.
individuals for their commendable
performance and achievements The evening began with some
during Calendar Year (CY) 2021, networking amongst the industry
BioSpectrum Asia Excellence Awards experts which spanned across verticals
2022 ceremony was held at Lavender such as pharma, medical technology,
Ball Room, Hotel Fort Canning in API development, bio therapeutics,
Singapore on December 2, 2022. venture capitalists etc. The networking
session was followed by the awards
These awards are an extension to ceremony, which began with a
observe and highlight the winners in welcome note from Ravindra Boratkar,
the long battle to tackle the world’s Publisher and Managing Editor,
emerging health problems and find BioSpectrum Asia.
solutions. Since 2020 and 2021 were
majorly affected by COVID-19, we The BioSpectrum Asia Excellence
saw the industry players relentlessly Awards 2022 was divided into
working towards developing novel two segments- Jury and Editor’s
solutions in the form of diagnostic choice. The former segment had six
tests, vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, categories associated with it- Startup
drugs etc. to fight the emergency. of the year; Product of the year;
Woman Entrepreneur of the year;
BioSpectrum Asia is playing the Entrepreneur of the year; and Lifetime
role of picking tomorrow’s winners. achievement award.

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BioSpectrum Asia is an integrated B2B media platform for the life sciences
industry in the Asia Pacific region to engage its readers from pharma,
biotech, medtech industry segments through its products and services
i.e. the monthly magazine, daily newsletters, and the website. Besides its
sharp reportage focus on the APAC region, it is also a one stop information
hub for the life sciences industry for its readers from the US and Europe
as well. At present remarkable developments and ground breaking
research are being done by the academia and industry within the APAC
region. For instance, the world’s first atlas of air-borne microbes for public
health research has been developed by researchers from the Hong Kong
Polytechnic University, or Japan has commercialised world’s first test for
early stage pancreatic cancer, or Australia has announced the world-first
brain cancer clinical trials. And not to forget that Singapore has emerged
as the global manufacturing hub for the life sciences industry. We saw
companies such as GSK, Merck, Chugai, Smith & Nephew investing into
newer facilities in the country this year. Asia is indeed playing a big role in
taking the global life sciences industry to the next level and BioSpectrum
Asia is at the forefront in identifying these achievements”
- Ravindra Boratkar, Publisher and Managing Editor, BioSpectrum Asia.

The latter segment focused on these categories- Sharing his experience as a jury member during
Top Company in Bioprocessing; Top Company in the virtual meetings, Prof Patrick Tan, Executive
Manufacturing Technology and Equipment; Top Director, Genome Institute of Singapore said, “It
Company in API development; Top company for has been a great privilege to serve as a jury member
Analysis, Testing, and Quality Control; Top Company for the BioSpectrum Asia Excellence Awards. It was
in Packaging & Drug Delivery Services; Top Company fascinating to see the tremendous diversity of the
in Supply Chain, Logistics, and Distribution; Top applicants, all of whom are committed to improving
Company in Clinical Research-based Development; health for Asian populations.”
Best Vaccine efforts of the year and Special
Recognition in Cell Therapy for the year 2022. In sync with this observation, Prof Gagandeep
Kang, Microbiology- Wellcome Trust Research
While the Jury awards had well-defined criteria Laboratory, Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences,
for which BioSpectrum’s editorial team brought Christian Medical College, Vellore said, “Recognising
together a six-member international jury to evaluate excellence is critical for assessment of performance
the shortlisted nominees, the Editor’s Choice award and potential of the biotechnology industry. It was
winners were selected by the magazine’s editorial a pleasure and a learning experience to serve on the
team to turn the spotlight onto companies we believe jury for the Biospectrum Asia Excellence Awards,
will lead the way in the near future. with transparent evaluation criteria and a panel with
expertise from multiple domains. Since applications
BioSpectrum Asia Excellence Awards 2022 jury were across a range of categories and countries,
comprised of Prof Patrick Tan, Executive Director, it enabled an understanding of ecosystem level
Genome Institute of Singapore; Prof Gagandeep Kang, strengths and facilitators.”
Microbiology- Wellcome Trust Research Laboratory,
Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian While Prof Patrick Tan and Prof Gagandeep Kang
Medical College, Vellore, India; Clare Blain, Chief could not make it to the event, Dario Heymann, PhD,
Executive Officer, Life Sciences Queensland Limited, Chief Research Officer, Galen Growth and Xinyi
Australia; Dario Heymann, PhD, Chief Research Tow, Director, Hello Tomorrow Asia Pacific, made
Officer, Galen Growth, Singapore; Dr Satya Dash, their presence felt by interacting with all the industry
Founding & Former Head Strategy; Biotechnology players at the event.
Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC),
Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government “The awards session is a literal revamp of what we
of India and Founding CEO- BITS BioCyTiH have seen in the last few years happening in the life
Foundation, BITS Pilani, India; and Xinyi Tow, sciences ecosystem, especially seeing the APAC region
Director, Hello Tomorrow Asia Pacific, Singapore. expanding across the life sciences industry, catching
up with the rest of the globe particularly with North

20 BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

BioSpectrum Asia Excellence Awards 2022

Jury Award Winners for 2022

● Startup of the Year- Lunit Inc (South Korea) ● Woman Entrepreneur of the Year - Dr Parul
● Startup of the Year - Special Jury Recognition Ganju, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer,
Ahammune Biosciences (India)
- Hummingbird Bioscience (Singapore),
Brain Navi Biotechnology (Taiwan), MiRXES ● Lifetime Achievement - Prof Helen Marshall,
(Singapore) Professor in Vaccinology in the Adelaide
● Product of the Year -Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Assay Medical School, and Deputy Director, Clinical
by Seegene Inc (South Korea) and Translational Research for the Robinson
● Entrepreneur of the Year - Dr Alex Research Institute at University of Adelaide
Zhavoronkov, Founder and Chief Executive (Australia)
Officer, Insilico Medicine (Hong Kong)

Jury members

● Prof Gagandeep Kang, Microbiology- Wellcome Trust Research Laboratory, Division of Gastrointestinal
Sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India

● Prof Patrick Tan, Executive Director, Genome Institute of Singapore
● Clare Blain, Chief Executive Officer, Life Sciences Queensland Limited, Australia
● Dario Heymann, PhD, Chief Research Officer, Galen Growth, Singapore
● Dr Satya Dash, Founding & Former Head Strategy; Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance

Council (BIRAC), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India and Founding CEO- BITS
BioCyTiH Foundation, BITS Pilani, India
● Xinyi Tow, Director, Hello Tomorrow Asia Pacific, Singapore

Editor’s Choice Award Winners

1. Top Company in Bioprocessing for the Year 2022- Cytiva
2. Top Company in API Development for the Year 2022- Genovior Biotech Corporation
3. Top Company in Analysis, Testing, and Quality Control for the Year 2022- Veolia Water Technologies &

Solutions - Sievers Instruments
4. Top Company in Packaging & Drug Delivery Services for the Year 2022- Catalent Inc.
5. Top Company in Supply Chain, Logistics, and Distribution for the Year 2022- DKSH
6. Top Company in Clinical Research-Based Development for the Year 2022- Agilex Biolabs
7. Best Vaccine Efforts of the Year 2022- AstraZeneca
8. Special Recognition in Cell Therapy for the Year 2022- I Peace, Inc.
9. Top Company in Manufacturing Technology and Equipment for the Year 2022- Cytiva

America and Europe. BioSpectrum Asia is doing a Master Control, and Parenteral Drug Association
good job in bringing like-minded people together”, (PDA) in shaping the event into a grand success.
said Dr Dario Heymann.
In the coming pages we will be covering the
Concluding the enthralling banquet evening, profiles of the Jury award winners.
Dr Milind Kokje, Chief Editor, Biospectrum Asia
extended gratitude to the guests, winners, and jury Dr Manbeena Chawla
members for their involvement, along with the [email protected]
programme partners – Amazon Web Services (AWS),

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR 2022 21

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Jury Award Winners

Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2022

L-R- Ravindra Boratkar, Publisher & Managing L-R- Ravindra Boratkar, Publisher & Managing
Editor, BioSpectrum Asia; Dr Shaun Lim, Editor, BioSpectrum Asia; Dr Parul Ganju,
Investments, Pavilion Capital (receiving the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer,
award on behalf of Dr Alex Zhavoronkov); and Ahammune Biosciences; and Sophie Asker,
Sophie Asker, Managing Director, GCI Health. Managing Director, GCI Health.

Startup of the Year 2022- Special Jury Recognition Startup of the Year 2022- Special Jury Recognition

L-R- Ravindra Boratkar, Publisher & Managing L-R- Ravindra Boratkar, Publisher & Managing Editor,
Editor, BioSpectrum Asia; Dr Dario Heymann, BioSpectrum Asia; Dr Dario Heymann, Chief Research
Chief Research Officer, Galen Growth; and Dr Officer, Galen Growth; and Dr Wallace Lin, Secretary
Jerome Boyd-Kirkup, Chief Scientific Officer, General, Taiwan Bio Industry Organisation (receiving
Hummingbird Bioscience the award on behalf of Brain Navi Biotechnology)

Startup of the Year 2022- Special Jury Recognition Product of the Year 2022

L-R- Ravindra Boratkar, Publisher & Managing L-R- Ravindra Boratkar, Publisher & Managing
Editor, BioSpectrum Asia; Dr Dario Heymann, Editor, BioSpectrum Asia; Christopher Hardesty,
Chief Research Officer, Galen Growth; and Partner, Pureland Global Venture; Lin Sheng Wong,
Dr Cheng He, Vice President, Research & Chief Executive Officer, Genomax Technologies
Development, MiRXES (business partner of Seegene in Singapore)

22 BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022

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Editor’s Choice Award Winners

Dr Milind Kokje, Chief Editor, BioSpectrum Asia felicitating the winners of
Editor’s Choice Awards 2022 across multiple categories

Top Company in Bioprocessing for the Top Company in Packaging & Drug Delivery
Year 2022- Cytiva Services for the Year 2022- Catalent Inc.

Top Company in API Development for the Top Company in Analysis, Testing, and
Year 2022- Genovior Biotech Corporation Quality Control for the Year 2022- Veolia
(Received by Dr Wallace Lin, Secretary Water Technologies & Solutions - Sievers
General, Taiwan Bio Industry Organisation) Instruments

BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022 23

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Top Company in Supply Chain, Logistics, and Distribution for the Year 2022- DKSH

Best Vaccine Efforts of the Year 2022- AstraZeneca

Top Company in Special Recognition in Top Company in Manufacturing
Clinical Research-Based Cell Therapy for the Year Technology and Equipment for
Development for the Year 2022- I Peace, Inc. the Year 2022- Cytiva
2022- Agilex Biolabs

24 BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

L-R- Dr Milind Kokje, Chief Editor, L-R- Ravindra Boratkar, Publisher & Managing
BioSpectrum Asia; Xinyi Tow, Director, Hello Editor, BioSpectrum Asia; Dr Dario Heymann,
Tomorrow Asia Pacific Chief Research Officer, Galen Growth

Invitees and winners networking over dinner at the BioSpectrum Asia Excellence Awards 2022 ceremony
Networking session before the awards ceremony

BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022 25

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Lifetime Achievement Award 2022

An International

Leader in

Vaccinology
With an extensive
Prof. Helen Marshall background in B vaccinations to Northern
child health and Territory residents as she
Professor in Vaccinology, Adelaide immunisation studies whether the vaccine
Medical School, and Deputy Director, research, Professor Helen can also provide protection
Clinical and Translational Research Marshall is best known for against gonorrhoea.
for the Robinson Research Institute at leading the world’s biggest
The University of Adelaide, Australia study on meningococcal B In recognition of Prof.
disease. It involved providing Helen’s research leadership,
the licensed Meningococcal B she was awarded 2022 SA
vaccine free to about 35,000 Australian of the Year and
adolescents enrolled in years 2022 SA Woman of the Year.
10, 11 and 12 in schools across In 2021 she was made a Fellow
South Australia (SA), to help of the Australian Academy
determine the impact of Health and Medical Sciences.
immunising large community
groups against the disease. She is Professor in
Vaccinology in the Adelaide
During the COVID-19 Medical School, and Deputy
pandemic, Prof. Helen Director, Clinical and
provided advice to the state’s Translational Research for the
Health Minister and was Robinson Research Institute
cited as one of Australia’s at The University of Adelaide.
leading vaccination experts. She also holds the position of
Beginning in September 2020, Senior Medical Practitioner
she was the co-investigator and Medical Director,
at the University of Sydney Vaccinology and Immunology
in a Phase I human trial of a Research Trials Unit (VIRTU),
novel DNA-based COVID-19 in the Department of
vaccine developed by BioNet Paediatrics at the Women’s
and Technovalia that could be and Children’s Hospital. In
administered without using a 2022 she was appointed as the
needle. inaugural Clinical Research
Director of the Women’s and
She is also part of a Children’s Health Network in
University of Queensland Adelaide.
research team seeking to
improve primary healthcare Professor Helen’s research
services for Aboriginal and programme addresses urgent
Torres Strait Islander peoples priorities in infectious disease
and is leading a study to prevention in children and
provide free meningococcal includes implementation
research and clinical trials
in investigational and

26 BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022

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Science brings a
lot of energy and
creative thinking.

During a virtual interaction with BioSpectrum Asia,
Prof Helen Marshall shares a few insights.

Your views on receiving the Lifetime in children. During our study, we found that the
Achievement Award 2022 by BioSpectrum Meningococcal B vaccine provides good direct
Asia. ? protection but does not have a herd immunity impact.
A major challenge in vaccinology is accessibility.
Thank you so much to the jury and BioSpectrum’s So, we must ensure that we are not only getting the
editorial team for awarding the lifetime achievement vaccines in the vials but also into people’s arms.
to me. I am absolutely delighted to have received
this award for what I am so passionate about. Our How do you foresee the growth of the vaccine
research brings so much strength and opportunity industry in APAC in the coming years?
to influence immunisation policy, not only in Asia
Pacific but around the world. I am surprised, but This is an exciting time for the APAC region to
also delighted, to have been recognised in this way. enhance the immunisation programmes in a number
One of the things that I love most about what I do of ways by having strong opportunities for research
is the opportunities that I have to collaborate with and development for industry to manufacture
the industry and government to drive a good policy vaccines against existing and new diseases. This can
decision for safe and effective vaccinations to be also be leveraged to increase confidence in people
available for everyone. towards vaccination. Globally, we all need to be
prepared for a pandemic.
What have been the major highlights and
challenges of your journey as a vaccinologist A key advice you would like to give out to all
so far? women scientists.

One of the key highlights was undertaking a Women should be encouraged to get more
large study in South Australia, on Meningococcal B involved in science as a career. Science brings a lot
vaccination in children, to see the herd immunity of energy and creative thinking. I am very passionate
impact of the vaccine. The reason why I am so about the opportunities that I have for bringing
passionate about protecting children against science and public health together. I think we really
meningococcal disease is because while working at need to share our stories with women for them to be
the Women and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide, I excited as well about a career in science and about the
have seen the effects of this devastating infection impact that one can have.

licensed vaccines, infectious and social epidemiology on a paediatric ward in a hospital in Western Samoa
and public health. Her main interests include where she saw first-hand the devastating effects
meningococcal, human papillomavirus, influenza of infectious diseases in a country low on medical
and pertussis infections and their prevention by resources. This inspired her to move into paediatrics,
immunisation. Prof. Helen has been an investigator which led to an opportunity to work on clinical trials
on 108 implementations, clinical and epidemiological with vaccines to protect children against serious
studies. infections.

Her research group, VIRTU, is the only research She completed a Bachelor of Medicine and
centre in Australia using social science research Surgery, Doctorate of Medicine, Master in Public
methodologies to investigate community attitudes to Health and Diploma in Child Health at the University
the introduction of new vaccines. of Adelaide and the international Advanced
Vaccinology Course at the Pasteur Merieux Institute,
Her passion in children’s health and vaccinology France.
stems from the time spent during her medical degree

BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022 27

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Entrepreneur of the Year 2022

Dr Alex Zhavoronkov, Applying Deep

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Learning Experience
Insilico Medicine, Hong Kong
to Drug Discovery
I am especially proud of my
team and my co-CEO, Dr Feng Aleader in next-generation artificial intelligence (AI)
Ren, who made many of my technologies for drug discovery and biomarker
dreams come true. Human development, Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, is the
health and productive longevity founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong
is our utmost priority and headquartered startup Insilico Medicine. He is also the founder
we will continue delivering of Deep Longevity, Inc, a spin-off of Insilico Medicine developing
breakthrough therapeutics and a broad range of artificial intelligence (AI)-based biomarkers
platforms for the benefit of the of ageing and longevity servicing healthcare providers and life
patients around the globe. It is insurance industry. In 2020 Deep Longevity was acquired by
an honour to receive this award. Endurance Longevity.
We will continue to work with
pharma partners and to develop Since 2015, he has invented critical technologies in the field
our own internal pipeline, which of generative adversarial networks (GANs) and reinforcement
includes an AI-discovered and learning (RL) for generation of novel molecular structures with
AI-designed lead drug candidate the desired properties and generation of synthetic biological and
for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patient data. He also pioneered the applications of deep learning
currently in Phase 1 trials and technologies for prediction of human biological age using
30 other drugs in our pipeline multiple data types, transfer learning from ageing into disease,
for cancer, fibrosis, central target identification, and signalling pathway modelling.
nervous system diseases and
COVID-19. We will also continue Under his leadership Insilico raised over $300 million in
to expand our regional centres multiple rounds from expert investors, opened R&D centres
and will further accelerate our in six countries or regions, and partnered with multiple
drug discovery efforts with the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic institutions,
opening of a fully automated AI- nominated 7 preclinical candidates, and entered human clinical
run robotics lab before the end trials with AI-discovered novel target and AI-designed novel
of the year. molecule.

Prior to founding Insilico, he worked in senior roles at
ATI Technologies (GPU company acquired by AMD in 2006),
NeuroGNeuroinformatics, Biogerontology Research Foundation.
Since 2012 he published over 150 peer-reviewed research papers,
and 2 books including “The Ageless Generation: How Biomedical
Advances Will Transform the Global Economy” (Macmillan,
2013). He serves on the advisory or editorial boards of Trends
in Molecular Medicine, Ageing Research Reviews, Ageing,
Frontiers in Genetics, and founded and co-chairs the Annual
Ageing Research, Drug Discovery and AI Forum (9th annual in
2022), the world’s largest event on ageing in the pharmaceutical
industry. He is the adjunct professor of artificial intelligence at
the Buck Institute for Research on Ageing.

Dr Zhavoronkov holds two Bachelor degrees from Queen’s
University, a Master’s in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins
University, and a PhD in Physics and Mathematics from Moscow
State University.

28 BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2022

Dr Parul Ganju, Far-reaching

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Impact
Ahammune Biosciences, India
Dr Parul Ganju, a PhD in skin biology, from National
It’s an absolute honour to Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi co-
receive this award for the founded Ahammune Biosciences in 2016 in Pune,
work my entire team has with Dr Krishnamurthy Natarajan, Professor,
been doing for the last six Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. The
years toward solving the startup is a resident incubatee company of Venture Centre,
problem of chronic skin National Chemical Laboratory (NCL)’s technology business
diseases. At Ahammune, incubator and its R&D laboratory has been recognised by the
this is our mission - To Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR),
enrich the lives of patients Government of India.
throughout the world by
removing the fear and the After completing her doctoral studies in skin disorders,
stigma associated with skin Dr Parul took a step forward in starting a company focused
diseases. We are doing so on treating a debilitating de-pigmentation disorder called
by providing these patients Vitiligo.
with new and comprehensive
treatment strategies with our A big advantage Dr Parul received after starting her
new chemical entities. Our startup was a tax exemption. The startup was granted a
first programme has reached three-year tax holiday by the government in 2016. After
the clinical stage where we winning recognition and encouragement at several events,
have recently completed she got a patent licensing agreement signed with CSIR-
our phase I testing of a new NCL, Pune and CSIR- Institute of Genomics and Integrative
topical drug for vitiligo, a Biology (CSIR-IGIB), New Delhi for developing a drug
debilitating skin disease that against vitiligo.
causes white patches on
the skin. We are now super For Dr Parul, 2021 was full of development as her team
excited to start the next at Ahammune Biosciences filed the first Investigational New
phase of testing in patients. Drug (IND) Application with the Drug Controller General of
India (DCGI) for approval to conduct human studies with its
lead drug candidate for vitiligo.

As a CEO, she has positioned the company as the first
drug discovery company in the country to develop a targeted
new treatment option for vitiligo. With the transition to the
human clinical stage, the company has now developed a
space for itself in this domain and is now being approached
by stakeholders for possible collaborations.

Besides vitiligo, through her startup, Dr Parul is aiming
to target multiple dermatological indications with a deep
pipeline of IP-based molecules that modulate cellular
pathways underlying skin health and immunity. Under
her leadership, the startup has raised Rs 21 crore as equity
investment and additional Rs 2 crore as government
grants.

BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022 29

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Startup of the Year 2022

Lunit Inc

Jussarang Lee, Conquering Cancer With AI

Vice President- Branding & South Korea-based Lunit Inc is a public company that
Communications, Lunit develops medical artificial intelligence (AI) software that
helps conquer cancer. The startup has developed AI solutions
We are greatly honoured to that help detect early-stage cancer (Lunit INSIGHT) and
be recognised by Biospectrum optimise cancer treatment (Lunit SCOPE), provided to medical
Asia as the startup of the year. institutions around the world through active partnerships with
Since our founding in 2013, industry giants such as Fujifilm, GE Healthcare, Philips, Guardant
Lunit has passionately driven Health, and more. In November 2021, the startup raised $61 million
towards the mission to conquer in its Pre-IPO fundraising round ahead of the company’s planned
cancer through AI. As medical public offering on the South Korean stock market (KOSDAQ) in
technology advances and 2022.
medical data increases, AI will
undoubtedly play a greater This funding round saw a number of new investors joining
role in the medical field as the the list, including leading US healthcare investors HealthQuest
future of healthcare. With this Capital, Casdin Capital, and American Cancer Society BrightEdge,
in mind, Lunit is striving to as well as Asia-based global healthcare investors Tybourne Capital
become a global standard in Management, and NSG Ventures. Prior to this latest round, Lunit
all areas of cancer care. We will closed a strategic investment of $26 million from Guardant Health
continue to scale up and expand in July 2021. Combined with the pre-IPO round, the company has
our business to provide early secured more than $135 million in total to date.
detection of cancer for patients
around the world. We are also The year 2021 also witnessed multiple achievements by the
strengthening our partnerships startup such as collaborating with Fujifilm to introduce its AI-
with major pharmaceutical powered product for chest X-ray ‘CXR-AID’ in Japan. CXR-AID
companies to discover new is designed to better detect major abnormal findings such as
precision diagnosis and cancer chest nodule, consolidation, and pneumothorax from chest X-ray
treatment methods using AI for images. During 2021, the startup received clearance from the US
saving more patients from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) for its AI solution
battle against cancer. Thank you for breast cancer detection, ‘Lunit INSIGHT MMG’. Along with
for recognising our hard work. its chest x-ray triaging solution ‘Lunit INSIGHT CXR Triage’, the
company’s AI solution for both chest x-ray and mammography is
now commercially available across the United States.

With more than 200 employees associated with Lunit, the
startup is wrapping up an equally successful fiscal year 2022, with
a cumulative revenue of KRW 5.48 billion for the first half of 2022.
Through a strong overseas performance in the first half of this year,
Lunit achieved more than 80 per cent of last year’s total sales within
the first half of 2022. With more partnerships firming up, Lunit
expects a significant revenue generation in 2022.

Lunit was co-founded in 2013 by Minhong Jang (Chief Business
Officer, Cancer Screening Group) Dr Anthony Paek (Executive
Chairman, Chief Innovation Officer), Dr Donggeun Yoo (Chief
of Research), Dr Sunggyun Park (Chief Product, and Regulation
Division Officer), and Kyunghyun Paeng (Chief Product Officer,
Cancer Screening Group).

30 BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Startup of the Year 2022- Special Jury Recognition

Hummingbird
Bioscience

Dr Jerome Accelerating
Boyd-Kirkup,
Drug Discovery
Chief Scientific Officer,
Hummingbird Bioscience Hummingbird Bioscience, founded in 2015, is an
innovative clinical-stage biotech startup focused
It’s fantastic to be a part of the on developing precision therapies against hard-to-
star-studded BioSpectrum Asia drug targets to improve treatment outcomes.
event with the leading figures of The year 2021 saw the startup closing its $125 million
Asian biopharma industry. We Series C financing round, led by Novo Holdings, with
would like to thank BioSpectrum significant participation from new investors. Proceeds
Asia and the jury for the special from this financing are being used to advance the clinical
recognition of Hummingbird development of Hummingbird Bioscience’s lead assets
Bioscience as the Startup of including, HMBD-001, a best-in-class HER3 antibody for
the year. We are striving to NRG1-fusion and HER3-driven tumours, and HMBD-002, a
apply the new technologies in first-in-class anti-VISTA neutralising antibody for advanced
AI and systems biology to treat solid tumours. The funds are also being used to expand
some of the hardest-to-drug the capabilities of Hummingbird Bioscience’s proprietary
diseases at the moment. We Rational Antibody Discovery platform and progressing the
already have two programmes development of its next-generation pipeline of precision
in the clinic that are wholly therapeutics .
conceptualised, discovered and
developed at Hummingbird. We Enabled by its proprietary Rational Antibody Discovery
look forward to developing those platform, the startup discovers antibodies against optimal
programmes into clinical trials yet elusive epitopes on important targets that have not
that are ongoing right now. We been successfully drugged, unlocking novel mechanisms
hope to put many more drugs of action. The founders-Dr Piers Ingram (Chief Executive
that we have developed, into Officer) and Dr Jerome Boyd-Kirkup (Chief Scientific
clinical trials and contribute Officer) are advancing a rich pipeline of first- and best-in-
to a wider Asia innovation and class precision therapies in oncology and autoimmunity, in
entrepreneurship economy that collaboration with global partners in academia and industry.
is being very ably supported and Its highly experienced teams in the US and Singapore span
recognised by BioSpectrum Asia. antibody discovery, pharmacology, production and clinical
development.

Hummingbird Bioscience is leading a bold new way
of engineering precision biotherapeutics that can define
the future of precision medicine by focusing on important
biologically validated targets in cancer and autoimmune
disease which have been elusive and difficult to drug.

BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022 31

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Startup of the Year 2022- Special Jury Recognition

Brain Navi
Biotechnology

Dr Jerry Chen, Revolutionising

Founder & Chief Executive Healthcare with
Officer, Brain Navi Biotechnology
New-age Tech
It is our honour to have
this award. It shows Brain Navi Biotechnology, founded in 2015, is located
that we actually have in Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park in Taiwan.
the power, and talent It is mainly focused on designing and developing
to finish the journey medical devices that can assist surgeons during their
of commercialisation. medico-surgical interventions. The startup has to its credit
We’ve gotten the the establishment of the first autonomous neurosurgical
Taiwan FDA approval navigation robot NaoTrac.
and CE mark for our
brain surgical robot Surgeons can choose the surgery pathway with a 3D vision
and we’re applying for precise anatomical location during the pre-operating
for approvals in other planning preparation and monitor the robot during the entire
markets such as Saudi procedure. The unique navigation procedure allows the
Arabia, Malaysia, US surgeon to plan and let surgical navigation act as an assistant.
and Europe. This year, This robotic technology is based on a SMART (Surface
we’ve shown the world Mapping Auto-Registration Technology) platform, and is
that our technology is patented by Brain Navi Biotechnology.
at par with big players
and next year we will During the pandemic, the startup built an autonomous
go around the world nasal swab collecting robot to help reduce staff-patient
and conquer other contact with highly infectious disease at the point of testing
markets. by autonomously navigating and safely collecting patient
samples.

The Nasal Swab Robot is authorised by Taiwan FDA for
COVID-19 related Manufacturing of Medical Device (similar to
EUA) and CE mark in Class I according to the Medical Device
Directive 93/42/EEC.

At present, Brain Navi is developing a 3D disposable
neuro-endoscope with a wide-angle surgical working channel
for cranial surgery visualisations. Called KrystoLens, the tool
is being designed for diagnosing therapeutic procedures like
biopsies, cyst removal etc. The startup is planning to seek
regulatory approvals in early 2023.

32 BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Startup of the Year 2022- Special Jury Recognition

Dr Zhou Lihan, MiRXES

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Powering it
Officer, MiRXES with RNA

MiRXES is deeply honoured Aspin off from Agency of Science, Technology and
and humbled to receive Special Research (A*STAR), Singapore-based startup
Recognition at the BioSpectrum MiRXES has commercialised its technology and
Asia Excellence Awards 2022, and developed accurate multi-cancer early detection
would like to express our heartfelt solutions and made them readily available and accessible to
thanks to the judging panel and people who need them.
BioSpectrum Asia for recognising
MiRXES’s commitment to saving The founders Dr Zhou Lihan and Dr Zou Ruiyang have
and improving lives through early, pioneered a highly sensitive, specific and robust detection
actionable, and personalised diagnosis, technology for microRNA (miRNA), the smallest genetic
with our industry-leading, innovative material ever found in human and other living organisms.
microRNA technology and diagnostics. Realising the potential of miRNA-based clinical applications in
This recognition is a great validation solving unmet needs in cancer, cardiovascular, metabolic, and
of MiRXES’s journey to anchor RNA infectious diseases, the team decided to bring the technology
diagnostic technology development from lab to clinic.
in Singapore for the world, which led
to the development of GASTROClear, The year 2021 saw MiRXES raising $77 million in Series C
the world’s first miRNA test and our funding to accelerate its push to deliver cancer early detection
contribution to Singapore’s pandemic tests and preventive healthcare globally. This brings the total
response through Fortitude Kit, its first amount secured by MiRXES since its inception in 2014 to $120
approved COVID-19 PCR test. MiRXES million, which marks the largest funding to date raised by a
looks forward to greater contributions Singapore-headquartered cancer diagnostics company.
to the healthcare ecosystem by
continually strengthening and The new investment is being used primarily to fund the
innovating our technology and development and commercialisation of MiRXES’s pipeline of
development capabilities from multi-cancer early detection tests that look for blood borne
research to manufacturing and clinical microRNA and other molecular signatures released by cancer
testing, as well as the delivery of and immune cells. MiRXES currently collaborates with leading
preventive healthcare. academic and clinical institutions in Singapore, the United
States, China, Italy and Japan to conduct large-scale clinical
studies on lung, colorectal, liver, breast, pancreatic cancers
with total enrollment of more than 30,000 participants.

In anticipation of the growth, MiRXES is doubling its global
talent pool to 400 staff over the next two years with significant
build up in R&D, data science and commercial teams in major
markets.

The startup is working towards moving the future of
healthcare from treating the sick to preventive healthcare.

BSA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022 33

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Product of the Year 2022

DJ SEO, Allplex SARS-CoV-2
Assay by Seegene Inc
Vice President, Overseas Sales
Division, Seegene Inc A Powerful
Performance
On behalf of Seegene, I would like
to express our deepest gratitude to In 2020 and 2021, South Korea-based Seegene Inc fought
BioSpectrum Asia, for choosing Allplex relentlessly with the emerging pandemic and developed
SARS-CoV-2 Assay as the Product of multiple products for the timely and effective diagnosis of
the Year 2022. We take this award COVID-19 and its variants. Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Assay is
with further commitment to a safer one such critical product developed by the company in the form
and healthier environment for all of a multiplex real-time PCR assay to detect 4 target genes of
the people in the world. As a global SARS-CoV-2, causing COVID-19, in a single tube.
leader in molecular diagnostics with
high multiplex products, Seegene The assay is designed to detect RdRP, S and N genes specific
has developed Allplex SARS-CoV-2 for SARS-CoV-2, and E gene for all of Sarbecovirus including
Assay within two weeks after genomic SARS-CoV-2. It can be applied on Seegene’s automated system
sequence of SARS-CoV-2 virus that enables high throughput testing.
was reported. Allplex SARS-CoV-2
Assay delivers comprehensive and The assay provides results within 2 hours after extraction,
accurate clinical information with with high sensitivity and specificity. The product development
detection of 4 different target genes is based on Seegene’s proprietary MuDT technology, reporting
in a single tube with minimum false individual C. value of multiple targets in a single channel. MuDT
negative and consistent results in is the world’s first real-time PCR technology that provides
detecting COVID-19 and its variants. individual Ct values for multiple targets. By utilising a change
We, Seegene, will continue to monitor of the fluorescence signals between two different detection
and strengthen our effort in R&D and temperatures, MuDT enables to provide ‘Real’ Ct value of each
commercial excellences to mitigate pathogen even in co-infected cases.
the impact of pandemics now and in
the future. From infectious to genetic The product also confirms zero cross-reactivity with 54
diseases, we’ll continuously expand the respiratory pathogens including SARS, MERS and SARS-related
field of molecular diagnostics with our viruses. With Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Assay, 77 million tests were
innovative technologies, and provide a carried out until October this year, and 330 million tests were
faster, accurate and effective diagnosis done in over 65 countries during the pandemic since 2020.
for a better and healthier future.
Viruses cannot defeat humans. Seegene was founded in Seoul in 2000 and has subsidiaries
in the US, Canada, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and
the Middle East. As an
in-vitro diagnostics
(IVD) company,
Seegene has been
turning innovative
technologies into
products through
its pioneering R&D
activities.

34 SPEAKING WITH

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

“There are many diseases for
which mRNA approaches will be
life-saving, including cancers”

Sir Richard What are your views on the current What is your take on the success
J Roberts,
application and future perspectives rate of mRNA-based vaccines in the
1993 Nobel Laureate
in Physiology or of CRISPR/Cas9 mediated gene future?
Medicine After the immense global success
editing technology in developing new
Sir Richard J of the mRNA vaccines to combat
Roberts, PhD, FRS, disease treatments? COVID-19, it is clear that there are
who was honoured CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing is many other diseases for which mRNA
with the 1993 Nobel approaches will be life-saving. Not
in Physiology or very powerful, but, not yet, as highly only in their use for vaccines, but also
Medicine, was accurate as one would like. Certainly for tackling other diseases including
recently in India it should not be used for germ-line cancers. The biggest advantages they
to take part as a editing at this stage. For somatic cell offer are the speed with which they can
keynote speaker for editing, where one has many cells be manufactured once the sequence of
the academic launch to choose from as targets of editing the etiological agent is obtained and
of Maharashtra State and where the products of editing the opportunity to quickly redesign
Skills University. can be carefully assayed to make sure them if needed. They represent a
Currently serving as that only those that have been edited paradigm shift in disease prevention
the Chief Scientific perfectly are used for therapy, this and it is imperative that we educate
Officer at New technology is both powerful and can the general public about their potential
England Biolabs in be employed. Thus, any disease which and their inherent safety.
the US, Sir Roberts affects somatic cells (and not germline
shared his views cells) would be suitable targets. For Would you say that we are exploring
with BioSpectrum instance, Haemoglobinopathies would
Asia on the be obvious choices. enough research tools to counter AMR?
importance of doing Antimicrobial resistance is a very
basic science and How do you foresee the role of gene
research. Edited broad category of problems for which
excerpts; and cell therapies in downsizing the no single solution will exist, nor
would it be desirable. The extensive
cancer burden? Where does India deployment of antibiotics when they
were first discovered gave them the
stand in this regard? aura of ‘wonder drugs’. And they
Given the success of certain were, until the bacteria began to
gain resistance. This is a continuing
CAR-T therapies in treating some problem with Nature – evolution of
cancers and alternative approaches organisms in the face of threats leads
for yet more, we do seem to be to mutations that overcome the threat.
entering an age where cancer may This is not insurmountable, but does
not be the highly feared disease it mean that much basic science has to
once was. Nevertheless, we must be done so that we constantly learn
proceed cautiously and not raise more about how bacteria work and
unrealistic hopes for the very near constantly search for new drugs or
future. India’s strengths on the tailor old ones to control them. Here is
medical front lie elsewhere and I was a good example of how basic research
incredibly impressed by my visit to will constantly feed the developers
the Serum Institute in Pune, where with new material and new ideas
the level of the science, the technical to combat the deleterious effects of
proficiency of the employees and constantly evolving pathogens.
the great humanitarianism of the
company struck me as worthy of global Dr Milind Kokje
recognition. If we ever face another ([email protected])
pandemic, I would give them full
marks for preparedness. We could use
them in the US and Europe.

DIAGNOSTIC 35

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Healthcare Consumerisation
Driving the Demand for Home
Diagnostic Innovations in Asia

Debarati Sengupta, fast diagnosis, is gaining popularity amongst patients.
Self-monitoring or home diagnostics gives patients
Senior Industry Analyst/Team Lead the opportunity to monitor their diseases and avail
(Medical Device and Imaging), timely intervention, especially for stigmatised
TechVision, Frost & Sullivan diseases such as mental illnesses.

The healthcare industry is witnessing a major Though the Asia Pacific region has typically been
shift in patient behaviour-- patients are more slow in the adoption of personalised and remote
independent and aware of their health and care technologies, primarily due to systemic inertia;
well-being. With this healthcare consumerisation the changing demographics, changing consumer
transformation, the diagnostics industry is also behaviour, and demand for low-cost accessible care
changing to address the new demands of this have fueled the concept of home care and diagnostics.
consumer-driven ecosystem. There is a growing The pandemic was a wake-up call for the healthcare
interest in accessible and convenient over-the- systems to re-energise and focus on technology
counter (OTC) and direct-to-home (DTC) testing. innovation and convergence. Advancements in
With the prevalence of chronic diseases, and the wearables and digital health technologies with the
ongoing fear of infectious diseases post the COVID-19 integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and the
pandemic, home diagnostics products and services Internet of Things (IoT) in home diagnostics are
are growing at a rapid pace. driving industry growth, enhancing the quality and
accuracy of diagnosis.
One of the primary drivers of home diagnostics,
apart from the growing chronic disease population, Wearable and Portable Devices
is the overload on the healthcare staff. Traditional
diagnostics take a long waiting time usually Most of the commercially available home
associated with a doctor’s visit or a lab report diagnostics and monitoring technologies in Asia are
analysis, which might sometimes take 2-3 days for diabetes and hypertension. Government agencies
on an average. With the increasing awareness of and healthcare systems have acknowledged the
personal health and treatment compliance, the benefit of home diagnostics and monitoring solutions
use of self-monitoring technologies especially for as a cost-effective way to diagnose these conditions
chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and early. This reduces the burden on healthcare workers
neurodegenerative disease, which provide real-time and unnecessary hospitalisations due to exacerbation
of the condition.

Beyond diabetes and hypertension home
monitoring and diagnostic devices, the industry
is also reinventing specific home diagnosis and
monitoring solutions for other applications. Several
new startups are coming up to meet this demand.
For example, Japan-based Aevice Health has created
a non-invasive wearable device that enables early
detection of cardiopulmonary illnesses, remotely
and in real-time. At-home ECG devices are very
popular home monitoring and diagnostic solutions
for cardiovascular conditions. Companies such as
Sunfox Technologies (India) and Agatsa (India) are
developing small, portable 12-lead ECG monitors.

Wearables are also commonly used devices

36 DIAGNOSTIC

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

for remote health monitoring, such as continuous instead of diagnosing in a clinical setting. Australia-
monitoring of heart rate, pulse rate, respiration rate, based ResApp Health provides clinical quality
and temperature. It’s interesting to note that apart diagnostic tests and management tools for respiratory
from major players such as Fitbit or Apple, in-house diseases only using smartphones and mobile apps.
Asian companies such as Zepp Health and Huami are
also witnessing wide consumer acceptance. Future Outlook: Over the past few years,
digital biomarkers have seen extensive research
Future Outlook: The future of remote health and industry initiatives. Digital biomarkers such as
monitoring includes smart home technologies vocal biomarkers can be analysed using AI speech
to empower elderly and chronically ill patients. algorithms for the detection of several diseases, from
Advanced home health monitoring technologies chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to
such as contactless wall-mount sensors and tabletop mental health illnesses. Canary Speech is working
sensors offer non-obtrusive home monitoring of with SMK Corporation and Japan’s National Cerebral
movement/activity. For instance, Dozee (India) offers and Cardiovascular Center to develop early-stage
contactless patient monitoring with warning systems. dementia using vocal biomarkers in the Japanese
These devices inform caregivers, family members, language. Similarly, Koye Pharma is collaborating
and healthcare providers, in case of incidents such with Sonde Health to develop its vocal biomarker
as falls or alarming changes in health parameters, technology, which can diagnose diseases such as
allowing the elderly to lead their life safely and COPD from voice patterns. These technological
peacefully. developments will be critical in enabling home
diagnosis, especially for the elderly population.
Enabling Home Diagnostic
Challenges and Recommendations
The healthcare industry has witnessed a drastic
digital transformation across all sectors. Integration Certainly, technology advancements have
of AI and IoT in at-home health monitoring and democratised healthcare testing at home, however,
diagnostic devices has helped in improving the the timely and skillful sample collection and report
accuracy of these devices. The use of machine backlog may remain some of the challenges for the at-
learning and deep learning algorithms in personal home diagnostic services. Rapid tests and laboratory
health monitoring products enables the derivation of automation will be the solution for streamlining and
large amounts of (and useful) health parameters from accelerating home diagnostic services. Home-based
complex and simultaneous measurements of data. AI blood testing or easy-to-use, non-invasive test kits
can also provide beneficial personalised health tips will be instrumental in creating a decentralised and
for patients. democratic healthcare system. In the future, we can
expect innovations in autonomous and self-powered
Digital technologies have made home diagnostic microfluidic devices, which can read the analyte
services prompt, seamless, and cost-effective. levels in the sample, to have tremendous growth
Companies such as Orange Health or Healthians opportunities in at-home and self-testing.
based in India provide affordable on-demand
diagnostic services. Consumer awareness has also These consumer-oriented home diagnostics
led to the rapid adoption of at-home genetic testing help in bridging the gap in care and deliver a more
such as China’s Genebox and India’s MapMyGenome. seamless, convenient, and patient-centric experience.
Home diagnostics is further enabled by online doctor Understanding consumer needs, large diagnostic
consultation mobile applications such as Practo in players such as Abbott, and Roche, or service
India, Qmed Asia in Malaysia, and Doctor Anywhere providers such as Quest Diagnostics are embracing
in Singapore. home diagnostics. Smaller players are innovating
around the products, reagents, and assays to make
As the Asia Pacific boasts more than a billion home-based testing available.
smartphone users, this widespread adoption of
smartphones has created a tremendous opportunity In the near future, the home diagnostic industry
for mhealth, especially for home monitoring in Asia will thrive on wearable IoT devices and
and diagnostics. Smartphones offer a gamut of the mHealth companies. The high scalability and
opportunities for the diagnosis of sleep apnea, to accessibility are the major factors behind the success.
mental health illnesses. For instance, a smartphone Several home diagnostics technology companies are
app can assess the breathing and snoring sound emerging in this region and challenging the legacy
of patients during sleep and assess the risk of health infrastructure. Strategic partnerships building
obstructive sleep apnea in patients, making diagnosis on business synergies will be critical for a healthy
extremely comfortable and convenient for patients, digital ecosystem.

DIGITAL HEALTH 37

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Rounding up Digital Health
Advancements across
APAC in 2022

Dr Dario Heymann, the number of disclosed telemedicine partnerships in
2021. Being home to more than 3,300 Digital Health
Chief Research Officer, ventures, Asia Pacific (APAC) represented historically
Galen Growth the second largest Digital Health ecosystem
globally, with the two world’s most populous
Over the past two years, Digital Health has been countries, namely China and India, accountable
propelled into a realm of new care to create for approximately 50 per cent of those ventures.
better efficiency, patient experience, while Against the backdrop of growing inequities in access
improving patient outcomes. Globally, priorities to quality and affordable healthcare, especially for
in healthcare are shifting towards modernised marginalised populations, the growing cost pressure
patient care by streamlining processes and on healthcare systems and global advancements
task automation. Telehealth and in technologies, Digital Health businesses remain
telemedicine as we know it is bullish to adapt to address health challenges on a
becoming a common inclusion local scale. While China has stuck to its ‘zero-COVID’
for both healthcare policy, advancements of Digital Health technologies
providers and insurance in 2022 were more apparent in North-East Asia,
programmes with South-East Asia, and South Asia as measured by
increased attention partnerships, regulatory approvals and the amount of
to the quality and funding invested.
outcomes of virtual
care and the data- Tools to support clinical trials
driven clinical
decision-making. Over the past decades, the pharmaceutical
As per HealthTech industry experienced major drawbacks during the
Alpha in 2022, more process of running traditional randomised clinical
than 130 partnerships trials, including elevated costs, long completion
were closed globally times, lapses in the patient recruitment process, lack
between telemedicine
Digital Health ventures of relevant and diverse patients, and complex
and corporations, doubling process management. This situation has
created an unmet need for innovative
models for business to venture
into providing virtual and
decentralised patient-centric
trials as a valuable strategy in
this pursuit.
Asia Pacific counts more
than 50 ventures with
primary focus on supporting
clinical trials. After hitting
record funding in 2021 with
more than $700 million
invested, investor activity
decreased significantly in 2022,
deploying less than $100 million
in 2022.
Notably, Singapore headquartered

38 DIGITAL HEALTH

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venture OncoShot, a startup that helps patients, Korea and Japan.
caregivers and oncologists find cancer clinical trials Listed in mid 2020 on NASDAQ, Chinese-born
globally has raised an undisclosed amount of pre-
Series A funding in March and July of this year and Burning Rock Biotech is amongst the most promising
announced partnerships with Omico, the Australian genomics companies from Asia Pacific. In 2022,
Genomic Cancer Medicine Centre, in July, and the company featured 15 times in peer-reviewed
Roche and the Icon Cancer Centre in Singapore in scientific publications and launched its PREVENT
November. Study, a validation study on multi-cancer (lung,
liver, colorectal, oesophageal, pancreatic and ovarian
Solutions for Mental Health cancers) early detection. The test is believed to
compete with the Galleri – panel by GRAIL.
The pandemic has put a spotlight on mental
health with depression, anxiety and the rate of In October, Singapore-based NalaGenetics
suicides rising and business seeking to raise announced a partnership with Raffles Medical Group
awareness and the adoption of best practices. In to offer pre-emptive pharmacogenomics testing at
2022, Digital Health solutions addressing Mental its hospital. With the technology costs dropping,
Health continued their momentum created in 2021. pharmacogenomics is becoming an increasingly
By the end of the third quarter, startups in APAC popular test to help in lowering the costs by avoiding
raised more than $240 million, more than 80 per the use of inappropriate treatments.
cent of the total amount raised within the whole
year of 2021. In a year of economic downturn, high Tackling chronic diseases earlier
inflation and decreased investor activity, mental
health ventures continue to be on the rise. Till today, healthcare remains a reactive industry.
Medicine adherence solutions, including Remote
In April, South Korea-headquartered startup Patient Monitoring and Digital Therapeutics,
Silvia Health, a startup that develops cognitive were highly popular areas of interest in 2020 and
assessments using voice data analysis to screen 2021 creating an environment for companies like
for dementia at home and provides brain-specific Indonesia’s Halodoc to include disease management
management for each patient, signed an agreement services to their existing product portfolio.
with Shinhan Bank to develop educational and
preventive programmes against dementia for the But despite the continual need to enhance service
National Pension Service. solutions to existing patients, the constant increase in
the cost for healthcare services is shifting the focus to
Omics-based solutions pro-actively fight disease occurrence.

Genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics According to data extracted from HealthTech
and proteomics and other emerging laboratory Alpha by the end of October 2022, preventive search
technologies newly referred to as ‘-omics’ have begun terms such as weight loss and preventive health
to amass large reservoirs of health data. This new were featured more than 600 times in notable news
collective of technologies has the potential to unravel outlets featuring the Digital Health ecosystems
entire sets of genes, RNA or proteins in biological across Asia Pacific, up 23 per cent as compared to the
samples, and to improve the understanding of same timeframe in 2021. To date in 2022, funding
underlying mechanisms of diseases, provide support for ventures targeting weight management in APAC
in biomarker discovery or to develop responses to totalled at $620 million, short 15 per cent of the total
disease interventions. Artificial Intelligence-based, funding raised in 2022.
data-driven clinical decision tools have enabled
businesses to faster and more accurately understand In early November, the two Japanese ventures
the underlying biology and increase productivity Life Log Technology and Oishi Kenko announced
– ultimately to provide a more precise outcome to a partnership to help consumers to visualise
patients. their eating habits, by implementing functions to
personalise healthy food options and to encourage
AI-enhanced Omics ventures have demonstrated behavioural changes that lead to a healthier lifestyle.
strong growth across Asia Pacific over the past
decade. By the end of 2021, more than 200 ventures For 2023, we are expecting further advancements
that offered solutions ranging from antibody and within the clinical trial space, notably by using
biomarker discovery to precision medicine solutions. patient data more effectively. Another growing
Counting more than 90 ventures, China represents area of interest in 2023 will be the use of digital
the largest market for omics followed by India, South biomarkers which are already deployed across a
number of therapeutic areas, including mental health
and cardiovascular diseases but increasingly explored
to be used for critical illnesses.

BTS 2022 39

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Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) 2022

Basavaraj S Bommai, Chief Minister of Karnataka unveiling the Silver Jubilee Commemoration
Plaque of Bengaluru Tech Summit 2022 amidst a galaxy of dignitaries on November 16.

Karnataka launches

Research, Development and

Innovation Policy
India’s flagship technology event and Asia’s largest
tech summit, the 25th edition of the Bengaluru flow among enterprises, universities and research
Tech Summit (BTS) 2022, witnessed the launch of institutions. Unveiling the policy Basavaraj S. Bommai,
the Karnataka Research, Development and Innovation Chief Minister of Karnataka said “The aim of the policy
Policy on November 16, the first day of the three-day is not only to finance research-based infrastructure and
summit inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi institutions but also to provide support for a robust
at a glittering ceremony in the presence of a galaxy of and well-connected ecosystem, including easy access to
leaders from the IT, Bt and startup sectors. skilled talent base support for university-based cutting-
edge research. The policy aims at fostering cooperation
The event was organised by the Department of between industry and academia for innovative business
Electronics, IT, Bt, S&T, Government of Karnataka startups.”
along with Software Technology Parks of India (STPI),
and is the first full-fledged on ground version of BTS With this in mind the state policy embraces
post pandemic. The central theme of BTS this year was five focus areas Strengthening the governance and
‘Tech4NexGen’ to focus on Electronics, IT, Deep Tech, financial outlay of the research and innovation
Biotech, and Startups. system, Strengthening the capacity for research and
innovation, Research and innovation to drive the
The Karnataka Research, Development and regional ecosystem, R&D and innovation to support
Innovation Policy will take a systemic view of the entrepreneurship and MSMEs and Promoting
research and innovation ecosystem to build a robust R&D and innovation in priority sectors for societal
and enabling environment to grow the state’s transformations. Bommai also announced the setting
competitiveness and leadership in a knowledge-based up of six new cities in Karnataka to promote the growth
economy. The policy seeks to strengthen research and of the knowledge and technology sectors in the state.
innovation capabilities across institutions and sectors These new cities will be developed in Kalaburagi,
and promote structures that nurture new enterprises Hubballi-Dharwad, Mangaluru, Mysuru and Bengaluru.
(startups) and enhance the fluidity of knowledge These cities will be well planned, high-tech and help

40 BTS 2022

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promote IT, BT and startups. A dedicated Startup Park Bengaluru is an inclusive and
will be developed near the Bengaluru international innovative city and home of technology
airport which will be multi-modal and help promote and thought leadership: Modi
various spheres of the startup ecosystem, he said adding
that the state needs to do much more for the growth The Prime Minister Narendra Modi called
of the startup industry. He had also announced that Bengaluru the home of technology and thought
Knowledge and Technology City will be created near leadership, an inclusive and innovative city. For
Bengaluru International Airport. many years, Bengaluru has been number one
in India’s Innovation Index, he added. He was
He further added that the government will begin addressing the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2022 via
work on developing these cities within the next six video message.
months. The chief minister also called upon the leaders
of the scientific world to innovate for the betterment of The Prime Minister informed that India
the human race and develop technologies to create a jumped to the 40th rank in the Global Innovation
new healthy human being and better future for all. Index from 81st rank in 2015 this year. The
number of unicorn startups in India has doubled
In her address at the inaugural session, Dr Kiran since 2021, as India emerges as the third largest
Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson, Vision Group on start with 81000 recognised startups. The
Biotechnology, Government of Karnataka touched Indian talent pool has encouraged hundreds
upon India’s next target of achieving $500 billion of international companies to have their R&D
bioeconomy by 2047. This new bioeconomy target centres in India.
comes after the earlier announcement of India attaining
a $100 billion mark by 2025, followed by the next The Prime Minister emphasised that India is
estimate of $300 billion by 2030. no longer known for red tape. It is now known
for red carpet for investors. “Whether it is FDI
“The target of $500 billion is well synced with the reforms, or liberalisation of drone rules, steps
100 years of independence of our country in 2047. For in the semiconductor sector, the production
every country, sustainability and agriculture will be key incentive schemes in various sectors, or the
pillars of the bioeconomy where health, food and energy rise of ease of doing business, India has many
security will be paramount” said Dr Kiran Mazumdar. excellent factors coming together”, he said.

Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, Minister for Electronics,
IT, Bt and S&T, Higher Education; Skill Development,
Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, Government of
Karnataka said “The state has been enabling the
right kind of learning and education in a big way to
promote the growth of the knowledge sectors. The state
government has set a target of achieving a $300 billion
digital economy by 2025, the share of bio technology
will be $36 billion. The minister lauded the startup
industry in Karnataka for achieving distinction of the
first and the 100th unicorns in the country.

The minister launched the Booster Kit in

Winners of Smart Bio Awards

The Smart Bio Awards have been instituted by the Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T,
Government of Karnataka with the purpose of recognising biotechnology firms that have shown dynamic
leadership and exciting technologies, standing out for their contributions in their chosen areas in Biotech.
Based on predetermined criteria the nominated companies were evaluated by a jury consisting of a leading
panel of experts from the Indian entrepreneurship ecosystem, investors, policy makers and respected
business leaders. The winners of the award categories include;
• Startup of the Year- Natura Crop Care
• Innovator of the Year- Stempeutics Research
• Woman Entrepreneur of the Year- Ankita Kumar (Mocxa Health)
• Best Social Enterprise/ Institute- Centre for Incubation, Innovation Research & Consultancy, Bengaluru
• Best Product against COVID-19- Emvólio by Blackfrog Technologies

BTS 2022 41

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partnership with Google, Paytm, HDFC, Razorpay, BTS Silver Jubilee Icon Awards
Microsoft and other Ecosystem Partners to provide
a gamut of pro bono services to further assist the Basavaraj S Bommai, Chief Minister of
startups in their growth journey. The services provided
by the Ecosystem Partners are intended to promote Karnataka, presented the BTS Silver Jubilee
entrepreneurship and create a nurturing ecosystem
for Karnataka Startup Cell registered startups with Icon awards at the 25th edition of Bengaluru
‘Financial Services’ offered by HDFC, RazorPay, Paytm;
‘Acceleration Support’ offered by Teeglobal Accelerator Tech Summit. The awards were given to
For Innovation Network (The GAIN); ‘Incubation
Support’ offered by Dayananda Sagar Entrepreneurship felicitate enterprises who have completed
Research and Business Incubation (DERBI); ‘Women-
led Services’ offered by StrongHer Ventures and ‘Cloud over 25 years of their presence in Karnataka
Services & Business Support’ offered by AWS Activate &
Microsoft Corporation (India) Pvt Ltd. and have contributed towards building the IT,

Dr Emmanuelle Charpentier, Nobel Laureate in Electronics and Biotech ecosystem in the State.
Chemistry for 2020 and Scientific and Managing
Director, Max Planck Unit, Science of Pathogens Biotech companies that received the award
in Berlin spoke on ‘A research journey towards the
CRISPR-Cas genome engineering technology’ and include:
elaborated on how CRISPR-Cas is revolutionising
molecular medicine, on the second day of the summit. • Novozymes South Asia • Novo Nordisk India

The finale of the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2022 • Bhat Biotech • Biocon
included Innovators Conclave and Unicorn Felicitation
ceremony. Speaking at the Innovators Conclave - • Kemwell Biopharma • Syngene International
Unicorn Felicitation, Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said,
“The State of Karnataka is all set to strengthen its continues to retain India’s top position as a startup
position as a hub of unicorns in the country with the hub.” Karnataka is the first state in the country to
addition of another 20 unicorns soon. These startups curate and design the Karnataka Preferential Market
have received funding of over $3.5 billion in the last Access, a specific policy to promote public procurement
few years and several of them are likely to achieve from startups. The Government has undertaken several
unicorn status shortly. Karnataka is home to around 40 initiatives such as Elevate 100, Elevate WomEN, Grand
per cent of all unicorns in the country, and Bengaluru Challenges Karnataka, New Age Innovation Network,
holds a rare distinction of producing the first and the and Karnataka Digital Economy Mission to name a few,
hundredth unicorn of the country. Today, Bengaluru to nurture and grow the startup ecosystem in the state.
These initiatives have cemented Karnataka as a global
technology hub and earned the state the well-deserved
tag of ‘Startup Capital of India’.

The minister released a five-point declaration
document adopted at the BTS 2022 as the curtains
went down on November 18. The declaration
document envisages establishing a startup park near
Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru,
setting up research and development (R&D) labs in

Winners of National level Bio Quiz

India Bio@BTS hosted India’s largest National Level Quiz on Biotechnology - BioQuiz 2022. BioQuiz all
these years was open to students from B.Sc, B.Sc-Agri, B.E-Biotechnology & B.Pharma from across Karnataka
state. Keeping in mind the spirit of the new National Education Policy, it was decided to make it open to
all the students in undergraduate studies irrespective of their specialisation across the country. The 15th
edition of BioQuiz went National for the first time with 1198 registrations from PAN India and participation
of students from 24 states. The objective of the quiz was to create awareness about the fascinating world
of Biotechnology and encourage students to delve deep into the subject in a holistic manner. It was also an
opportunity to showcase to the world, the talent of our country in the fast-growing area of Life Sciences.
• 1st Winner- South Zone, Mythili Padavu, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal, Karnataka (Rs

50,000)
• 2nd Winner- North Zone, Ishika Agrawal, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad,

Uttar Pradesh (Rs 25,000)
• 3rd Winner- East Zone, Saheli Basu Roy, Asutosh College, Kolkata, West Bengal (Rs 15,000)
• 4th Winner- West Zone, Jahnavee Palsodkar, Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, SPPU,

Pune, Maharashtra (Rs 10,000)

42 BTS 2022

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Innovative products/solutions launched at BTS 2022

The Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S & T, Government of Karnataka launched 22 innovative products/
solutions by startups on the second day of the 25th edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) 2022. Out of the 22
startups, eight startups are related to Med-Tech and healthcare.

Sl. Name of the Sector Product Description
No. Startup
1 CareNX Med- Fetosense - which is a smartphone enabled Fetal Heart Rate (FHR)
Tech monitoring device to perform Non-stress Test (NST) & CardioTocoGraphy
Innovations Health (CTG) Test - to early identify prematurity.
Care NSafe mask (patent filed), India’s first copper treated antimicrobial mask,
2 Nanosafe reusable for 50 washes, with filtration standards certified by SITRA. RubSafe
Solutions sanitising lotion and AqCure water bottle developed by us are the first of
its kind active copper imbibed prolonged protection sanitising lotion and
antimicrobial water bottles respectively.

3 Samasti Health Med- Svasthya is a remote clinical decision assistance platform provides health equity
Technologies Tech by connecting the right doctors to the patients for timely medical intervention,
clinical assessment, triage and care coordination with referral pathways.

4 Aikenist Med- Aikenist provides Innovative and Patented QuickScan technology which
Technologies Tech reduces MRI
scanning time by half using AI software.

5 Labezy Med- Cancer screening device will be used as tool for
Medtech Tech screening breast cancer through its trans illumination method.

6 Dosetap IoT DoseTap is a smart pill box which connects to a mobile application via
Bluetooth. It contains a housing to store medications for the whole week as
per prescribed dosage time and contains an integrated circuit board with
sensors to track patient usage.

7 ibloom IoT iBloom is an IoT device for a prognosis heart attack at home using doctor-
HealthTech assisted Ai and drone delivery of first aid AED defibrillator devices at home.

8 Theranautilus Med- Theradrive and Magnetic nanobots - reaching the entire depths within
Tech the dentinal tissues to ensure a thorough cleaning by targeting antibiotic
resistant (AMR) bacterial colonies using heat- based method that are out of
reach with the current state of the art tools.

50 colleges in Karnataka, establishing science and November 18 saw an overall participation of 32
technology research centres in universities, achieving countries, 405 speakers, 9356 delegates, 585 exhibitors,
synergy between educational institutions and the IT-BT 25,738 registered business visitors, over 50,000
companies and building relations between academia and footfalls at the Expo, and the signing of 12 Memoranda
educational institutions. The 25th edition of Bengaluru of Understanding (MoU). Adding to the summit was
Tech Summit is a testament of Karnataka’s commitment the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) Track which
to innovation and technology, supported by nimble saw the participation of 20 countries, 164 delegates,
policies and initiatives aimed at making the state the 101 speakers, three minister level delegations, and 6
innovation hub of India. This journey began back in Ambassadors. The GIA Expo saw participants from
1998, when Bangalore IT.biz was the country’s first ever Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Australia, UKTI, South
IT focused event hosted by a city. It was inaugurated by Korea, Pennsylvania, USPTO, Denmark.
the then Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
This was followed by the Bangalore Bio Summit in Dr E V Ramana Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary,
2001, dedicated to the Biotechnology industry. Both Department of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T, Government
these flagship events put Karnataka on the Global map, of Karnataka; and Meena Nagaraj C.N., Director,
projecting its potential and contribution to the respective Department of Electronics, IT & Bt, and Managing
sectors. In 2017, both these flagship events were merged Director, KITS, Government of Karnataka were also
as Bengaluru Tech Summit. present at the summit.

The three-day summit which concluded on Dr Manbeena Chawla
[email protected]

ACADEMICS NEWS 43

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Mahidol University adopts India sets up Academic
virtual reality for medical
education Chair in Ayurvedic

Japan-based Jolly Good Inc., in collaboration with Juntendo Science at Western
University, will commence a demonstration project for the
introduction of medical education with virtual reality (VR) Sydney University
for the purpose of developing medical human resources
through the use of VR at Royal Mahidol University and The Ministry of Ayush, Government of India,
throughout Thailand. This is the first time that Japanese has formally announced the setting up of an
Ayurveda Academic Chair based at Western
medical VR has been Sydney University’s NICM Health Research
officially introduced into Institute, with tenure for a period of three
an overseas university. The years. Dr Rajagopala S., Associate Professor
technology will be introduced & Head (Department of Kaumarabhritya)
in four departments: the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA),
Faculty of Tropical Medicine New Delhi has been selected for the post
at Mahidol University, of Academic Chair in Ayurvedic Science at
the School of Nursing and Western Sydney University, Australia. The
the Faculty of Medicine Academic Chair will undertake academic and
at Ramathibodi Hospital, and the Educational Simulation collaborative research activities in Ayurveda,
Center at Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute. The VR including herbal medicine and yoga, as well
educational materials will be used in demonstration classes as design academic standards and short-
at Mahidol University to verify their effectiveness, after which term/medium-term courses and educational
they will be used to conduct medical education using VR at guidelines. It will provide academic
regional hospitals in Thailand. In the first year, the medical leadership in demonstrating and fostering
VR programme will be completed at Mahidol University. excellence in teaching, research and policy
In subsequent years, the project will aim to enhance their development related to Ayurveda, within the
knowledge and experience at an early stage and improve the robust Australian regulatory framework, and
quality of medical care including dealing with health crises in develop strategies to promote the translation
community medicine, thereby providing education using VR and integration of evidence based Ayurveda
to the medical students, residents, and physicians involved in medicines into conventional healthcare.
community medicine along the Thai border.

Smith+Nephew opens academy in Singapore

Smith+Nephew, the global medical state-of-the-art digital operating professional broadcast studio where
technology company, has announced suite of the future including experts can record and live-stream
the opening of Smith+Nephew (S+N) handheld robotics, 4K arthroscopy surgical techniques to educate fellow
Academy Singapore, a major medical towers, surgical navigation tools, healthcare professionals across the
education and digital innovation live transmission capabilities and globe. It also has fully equipped
centre covering the Asia-Pacific touch-screen interfaces. The digital surgical super-stations for hands-
region. Supporting Smith+Nephew’s experience is supported by a virtual on procedural training across
purpose of Life Unlimited, the reality simulation studio, tech- Smith+Nephew’s entire portfolio of
S+N Academy Singapore offers enabled teaching auditorium, and a orthopaedic reconstruction, trauma,
an engaging, immersive and robotics, sports medicine, ear, nose
interactive training environment and throat and advanced wound
for healthcare professionals from management. It is expected that up
across the region to experience the to 3500 healthcare providers will
latest products and technologies, attend in-person courses at S+N
and refine their techniques under Academy Singapore every year by
the guidance of expert peers. S+N 2025, with another 5000 being
Academy Singapore includes a trained through digital technology.

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

HealthifyMe SK bioscience appoints new
picks Stanford’s executives towards global
Dr Shebani Sethi business growth
as Chief Medical
Officer South Korea-based SK bioscience has announced that Dr Harry
Kleanthous, formerly Senior Programme Officer in Global Health at
In a first for a healthtech startup the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), has joined the company
in India, Bengaluru-based as Executive Vice President of vaccine R&D strategy and external
HealthifyMe has announced the innovation. Dr Kleanthous, an expert in the vaccine field, has devoted
appointment of Dr Shebani Sethi 30 years to the vaccine industry in
as its consulting Chief Medical both biotech and large biopharma,
Officer (CMO). Dr Shebani serving as Vice President Research
is the Founding Director of at Acambis, and Head of Research
Metabolic Psychiatry, a term she for North America at Sanofi Pasteur,
coined at Stanford University where he developed innovative
School of Medicine. She brings a platforms and developed pipelines
decade of experience in obesity targeting medically important
medicine and psychiatry along infectious diseases. In support of
with cutting-edge knowledge expanding its globalisation efforts, SK bioscience has named Dr Sally
of metabolic health. She will Choe, an expert in drug review, clinical pharmacology, and medical
play an instrumental role in product development, as Head of Global Clinical Development and
building HealthifyMe 2.0 Regulatory Affairs of the company. In this role, she will be leading
where the larger organisational the company’s clinical development and execution of innovative
goal is to put metabolic health products and regulatory affairs to advance SK bioscience’s global
at its core and weave key competitiveness. Dr Sally joins SK bioscience from the US Food and
cognitive and behavioural Drug Administration (FDA) where she most recently served as the
neuroscience elements as a part Super Office Director of the Office of Generic Drugs (OGD).
of the company’s DNA across
all its products. Dr Shebani is Olympus announces
a physician board-certified in leadership succession plan
obesity medicine and psychiatry.
Besides consulting with Japan-based Olympus Corporation
HealthifyMe, she is a Clinical has announced that Stefan Kaufmann,
Assistant Professor at Stanford the current Director, Executive Officer
University School of Medicine, and Chief Administrative Officer, has
where she pursues metabolic been tentatively appointed Director,
psychiatry research and runs Representative Executive Officer,
a clinical programme in the President, and CEO of the company
Department of Psychiatry and effective April 1, 2023. An Olympus
Behavioural Sciences. veteran with two decades of experience in
senior roles, Kaufmann has a background in human resources and a
strong track record in driving transformational change for Olympus
in the complex Europe, Middle East, and Africa region. Kaufmann
most recently served concurrently as Olympus’ Chief Administrative
Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, and Chief Transformation Officer, with
responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the Transform
Olympus programme. From April 2023, Kaufmann will drive the
continued expansion of Olympus in the medtech field and prioritise
business excellence as the company adapts to changing clinical
needs and stricter ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)
requirements.

PEOPLE NEWS 45

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

CARsgen names Dr Sylvie Peltier
as SVP of global regulatory affairs

China-based startup CARsgen

Therapeutics Holdings has

announced that Dr Sylvie Peltier

has been appointed as Senior Vice

President (SVP) of Global Regulatory

Affairs of the company. She will be

responsible for developing global Kyowa Kirin

regulatory strategies, leading and announces

driving the company’s regulatory change in

affairs activities, and initiatives in leadership

support of IND/CTA/BLA filing position

and approval of developmental products globally. Dr Sylvie Kyowa Kirin, a Japan-based
Global Specialty Pharmaceutical
has extensive global leadership and hands-on experiences in company, has announced
the appointment of Abdul
clinical and Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) Mullick, President, Kyowa Kirin
International (KKI), to a new
regulatory affairs across several multinational pharmaceutical role in the global organisation,
as Vice Chief International
and biopharmaceutical companies. Prior to joining CARsgen, Business Officer, reporting to
the Global President. In his
she served as Vice President, Head of US Regulatory Affairs at new role, Abdul Mullick will
work in collaboration with
MorphoSys US Inc from 2020, and as Head of Regulatory Affairs Toshifumi Mikayama, Executive
Vice President, overseeing the
at Servier Pharmaceuticals LLC from 2018. Before joining Servier North America (NA), Asia Pacific
(APAC) and International/EMEA
Pharmaceuticals LLC, Dr Sylvie served at Cephalon since 2007, regions’ business operations
and the company’s ongoing
an international biopharmaceutical company which was acquired transformation to achieve the
vision of becoming a Japan-based
later by TEVA Pharmaceuticals Industries, holding various Global Specialty Pharmaceutical
company. During his 4.5 years
positions from Senior Director, Europe Regulatory Affairs, CNS/ as President of the International
region, Mullick led the
Pain and CMC, Senior Director, US Regulatory Affairs, to Senior transformation of KKI, including
establishing the company culture,
Director, Clinical Search Evaluation and Due Diligence. Previously, building the rare disease and
established medicines businesses,
she worked at Pfizer Regulatory Affairs from 1995. and ensuring a strong overall
presence and impact in the
ResMed appoints Sandeep Gulati market and for the patients served
as General Manager, South Asia by the company’s medicines. In
his new role, Mullick will focus on
ResMed, a global leader in digital achieving the company vision and
health, connected sleep and respiratory One Kyowa Kirin approach across
care, is reinforcing its commitment to all regions outside Japan for the
India by strengthening its leadership global organisation.
with the appointment of Sandeep
Gulati as General Manager, South
Asia. In his new role, Gulati will be
responsible for further growth in the
India market and ensuring that there
is increased awareness about sleep and respiratory disorders. A
seasoned and dynamic professional, Gulati brings a rich 23-year
long experience of leading Sales and Marketing organisations in
the pharmaceuticals and medical device industry. He has been a
part of ResMed since 2020 and will now be leading from the front.
In his two years at ResMed as Sales Head – India & South Asia,
his long-term vision and strategy led ResMed to achieve strong
business results in a short span of time. Gulati has previously
worked in various assignments in Sales & Marketing in Novartis &
Baxter for a major part of his career.

46 R & D NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Korea designs novel skin- Australia develops
attachable auditory sensor
sperm syringe offering
A research team at the Department of Chemical
Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology new hope for infertility
(POSTECH), South Korea has developed a skin-attachable
microphone sensor that clearly detects voices even treatment
in harsh noisy environments. The research team has
applied polymer electrets to microelectromechanical Australia’s Monash University-developed
systems (MEMS) to develop an auditory sensor. The syringe that uses a 3D filter to detect viable
electret-powered and hole-patterned polymer diaphragm sperm can increase sperm quality selection by 65
is incorporated into a skin-attachable auditory sensor, per cent, bringing new hope to infertile couples.
which reduces the necessity of a battery to work. The The world-first syringe can isolate quality
sophisticated diaphragm structure based on MEMS sperm in less than 15 minutes and is the biggest
technology gives the auditory sensor high wearability and innovation in sperm selection technology in 30
portability. This new technology can be used for disaster- years. The breakthrough, made by a team of
response communication between medical professionals Monash bioengineering researchers, harnesses
wearing protective equipment against respiratory diseases, simple plastic syringe technology, which can
including COVID-19, and firefighters wearing gas masks be readily mass produced, bringing hope and
and other forms of turnout gear. Furthermore, this cheaper treatment solutions to 180 million
technology will be applicable as a diagnostic device that people affected by infertility worldwide. The
identifies respiratory diseases by measuring the number syringe works by drawing 1.5 millilitres of
or severity of coughs in real time or as a healthcare semen into a chamber that then passes through
monitoring device that analyses voice usage patterns to a network of 560 parallel microchannels (tiny
figure out whether the vocal cords are healthy. cylinders). The quality sperm swim through
the microchannels into the selection chamber,
where they can be extracted, leaving the poor-
quality sperm behind. This process takes less
than 15 minutes and is able to retrieve more
than 41 per cent of healthy sperm from the
sample. The sperm syringe has been patented
and the researchers are examining how to
commercialise the device for use in fertility
clinics. Further clinical testing is also planned.

Hong Kong uses novel computation methods
to develop COVID-19 hotspot map

A research team led by Hong distribution of COVID-19 risks they are facing. COVID-19
Kong Baptist University (HKBU) infection cases is important for infection risks in different
has launched the Hong Kong the implementation of effective geographical areas, in terms of
COVID-19 Hotspot Map which infection control measures and abundance of COVID-19 cases,
allows the intuitive visualisation allocation of medical resources are shown in a colour scheme,
of real-time and dynamic against the pandemic by related ranging from purple for the lowest
geographic distribution of authorities. Such information is risk level to red for the highest.
COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong. also useful for members of the Evolving risk levels of locations
The map is supported by novel public in understanding the health visited by infected persons in the
computation methods of big past seven days are visible through
spatial-temporal data developed the dynamic movement of colour
by the team with substantially patterns on the map. The colour
enhanced resolution and speed visualisation of COVID-19 risk
in visualisation results output. levels on the map is based on the
Mastering timely and accurate automatic, real-time updating and
information on the geographic computation of infection case data.

R & D NEWS 47

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

India discovers 3 antiviral molecules for
treating COVID-19

A team of researchers at Indian executing protein structure-based
drug-repurposing research on
Institute of Technology (IIT) SARS-CoV2 molecules for clinical
evaluation and eventual use as
Roorkee has identified antiviral anti-viral therapeutics. The team
used the Protein Data Bank to
molecules that can be used target and identify drug molecules
for the COVID-19 virus. They
effectively to treat COVID-19 focused on discovering molecules
that acted on a specific part of the
infections. The researchers viral proteins called the nucleotide-
binding pockets (NBPs). Six NBPs
identified three such antiviral were identified using the atomic
structures available in the Protein
molecules through drug Data Bank.

repurposing, computational proteins and develop vaccines
and cures for it. One important
and antiviral experimental branch of study is structure-
function studies to unravel the
studies. The COVID-19 pandemic atomic structures of the virus and
its proteins that constitute the
spurred both computational and virus. The IIT Roorkee team is

experimental studies all over the

world to understand the structure

and nature of SARS-COV-2 viral

New Zealand explores Singapore links air
genomic sequencing to
improve newborns’ well-being polluting particles

Researchers from the University of Auckland’s Liggins with cardiac arrests
Institute in New Zealand are about to harness the
technology of rapid genome sequencing in the hope Small particles in air pollution in Singapore
of improving the well-being of critically ill newborn might have caused sudden cardiac arrests
babies. Liggins Institute deputy director Professor Justin in some people who were not in hospital
O’Sullivan is heading efforts to launch rapid genomic but simply going about their normal lives,
sequencing for newborns in New Zealand, in a research according to scientists at Duke-NUS Medical
project that will begin in 2023 and ultimately lead to the SchoolworkingwiththeNationalEnvironment
technique becoming common clinical practice. It’s already
increasingly used in leading hospitals in Australia, the Agency (NEA) as
United States, Germany and Great Britain. The Liggins part of the Pan-
Institute has ordered two state-of-the-art PromethION Asian Resuscitation
machines to sequence about 500 genomes from around Outcomes Study
170 babies and their parents for the research project, (PAROS). Published
which will cost $6-7 million over the next five years. The in The Lancet Public
research team is in the process of applying for ethics Health, this finding,
committee approval for the study. Given the extent of which is based on data collected between
the information the tests will provide on risk for other 2010 and 2018, resolves the uncertainty
diseases, ethical considerations and the support of genetic caused by inconsistencies in earlier studies
counselling will be vital. due to limitations in the availability and
quality of environmental and disease
data. The researchers have produced clear
evidence of a short-term association of PM2.5
with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, which is a
catastrophic event that often results in sudden
death. This study provides strong evidence
for the impact of air quality on health and
should stimulate policy and ground efforts to
manage emissions from key sources that can
lead to PM2.5 increases and prevent potential
harm to public health.

48 SUPPLIER NEWS

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Sartorius enters research partnership with The
BASE Facility at University of Queensland

Germany-based Sartorius has novel next-generation sequencing multi-parallel bioreactor system
entered a research partnership with approaches to co-develop protocols along with the Ambr Crossflow for
The BASE Facility at The University and methods for nucleic acid- multi-parallel crossflow filtration
of Queensland (UQ), Australia based products production. The while the PATfix HPLC system
to improve the manufacturing BASE facility production platform is implemented for analytics and
process of nucleic acid products is equipped with the Ambr 15 quality control. Teaming up with
led by the external collaboration Sartorius will facilitate mutual
group, Separation Technology collaboration to develop processes
Marketing team. Founded in 2021, and protocols tailored for different
The BASE facility is funded by nucleic acid-based products.
Therapeutic Innovation Australia Sartorius platform provides the
and The University of Queensland. foundations for implementing
The collaboration will leverage automation technologies and
BASE’s advanced manufacturing Design of Experiments (DoE)
and analytics capabilities including principals in bioprocessing.

Agilent, Monash University West introduces
collaborate to build Malaysia
Integrated Biology Centre gamma irradiated

Agilent Technologies has entered a new strategic flip-off seals in India,
partnership with Monash University Malaysia (Monash)
to build a Malaysia integrated biology centre. Through Asia Pacific markets
the integrated laboratory, Agilent will build local research
capabilities, host scientists across Malaysia, and provide West Pharmaceutical
greater research outcomes. As part of the partnership Services, Inc. has
agreement, over the next three years, Agilent and Monash recently expanded
will combine their respective strengths in analytical its seal offerings by
techniques and biomedical knowledge to accelerate science launching Gamma
R&D. The R&D environments will provide analytical Irradiated Flip-Off
expertise for small and large molecules, and advance seals in India and
scientific knowledge on the development of anti-venom as Asia Pacific markets. Designed and developed
well as other areas of applied biology research. Over the last to deliver consistent machinability, maintain
20 years in Malaysia, Agilent has expanded into a 200,000 container closure integrity, and support a
sq ft facility in Penang with more than 630 skilled scientists, safe, convenient user experience, West has
engineers, and employees. The site hosts instrument launched Gamma Irradiated Flip-Off seals to
manufacturing, a global instrument design centre, a bio- help pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical
chemical reliability lab, and a global supply chain hub. The manufacturers protect their products from
company has made significant contributions with ongoing external contamination while protecting drug
academia, government, and industry collaborations, quality. Using precision technology, these
positioning Malaysia as a beacon of innovation. seals deliver consistent quality which can
be the ideal solution for those who are faced
with operational challenges to consistently
achieve reproducible and effective container
integrity of pharmaceutical products.
Produced at West’s Sri City manufacturing
facility in Andhra Pradesh, India the Gamma
Irradiated Flip-Off seals are brought to meet
the growing demands from India and the Asia
Pacific markets.

SUPPLIER NEWS 49

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Nikon enters into Indian Thermo Fisher buys
healthcare sector through
microscopy biz The Binding Site

Nikon India has announced its foray into India’s Group for $2.6B
healthcare sector through System Product Microscopy
business. Nikon, which has had a presence in the Indian Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has entered into
market for over four decades through distributors, a definitive agreement to acquire The Binding
plans to enter India’s healthcare sector through System Site Group, a global leader in specialty
Product Microscopy business; and aims at facilitating diagnostics, from a shareholder group led by
direct sales, service, and distribution for their Microscopy European private equity firm Nordic Capital,
Solutions. The product is targeted at premier research in an all-cash transaction valued at £2.25
institutes, research centres funded and established billion, or $2.6 billion at current exchange
by the Government of India, academic educational rates. Serving clinicians and laboratory
institutions, clinical centres i.e.- hospitals and medical professionals worldwide, The Binding Site
research institutes, etc. to boost research provides specialty diagnostic assays and
and development in medicine. Nikon’s instruments to improve the diagnosis and
newly launched product AXR Point management of blood cancers and immune
scanning confocal microscope speaks of system disorders. The Binding Site’s Freelite
its capability itself which provides “world’s offering is widely recommended for multiple
largest field of view” of 25mm in one single myeloma diagnosis and monitoring across
shot, which gives researchers the strength all stages of the disease by major clinical
to generate most accurate statistical guideline publications. Headquartered in
data while imaging. Nikon AX Point Birmingham, United Kingdom, The Binding
Scanning confocal is the ‘world’s Site has more than 1,100 employees globally
fastest confocal system and is an active and influential contributor to
in the industry’, which the broader scientific community.
helps researchers to
perform fast Dynamics
studies.

PerkinElmer launches industry-first ready-
to-use viral vector assays

PerkinElmer, Inc. has launched ready-to-use Adeno- ELISA and other wash-based systems, which can be
associated Virus Vectors (AAV) Detection Kits to time-consuming and limited in assay range. Designed
support researchers working on gene therapies for a to streamline gene therapy research and development
variety of serious diseases. The high-throughput viral workflows with an easier-to-use and more high
assays are designed to help researchers
quickly and easily characterise viral throughput method, each of the seven
vector particles being produced to kits detects specific serotypes to target
enable decision-making for safe and different cell types in the body for gene
efficient gene transfer. The validated therapy application. The AAV assays
and fully automatable assays are built on expand PerkinElmer’s cell and gene
PerkinElmer’s proprietary AlphaLISA therapy portfolio which also includes
technology which requires no separation gene editing and modulation, cell
and are the only optimised, no-wash counting, antibody and flow cytometry
AAV detection assays currently available on the innovations. They also further propel
market. The new offering provides researchers the company’s ability to provide researchers with end-
expanded options to measure viral titers beyond to-end workflow solutions from early-stage discovery
through later stage research and development.

50

BIOSPECTRUM | DECEMBER 2022 | www.biospectrumasia.com

Revolting Against

‘Chinese Gestapo State’
According to the World Health Organisation
(WHO), the confirmed COVID-19 cases in countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast
China touched 105,296 for the week ending to the living with COVID-19 strategy, the zero-COVID
November 28 as against 333,830 confirmed cases strategy is one of ‘control and maximum suppression’.
for the week ending October 3 and highest weekly The goal of the strategy is to get the area back to zero
confirmed cases of 576,367 cases reported for week new infections and resume normal economic and social
ending May 23. activities.

Contrary to this, the National Health Commission It may be recalled that in April 2022, Ma Xiaowei,
said the Chinese mainland reported 4,247, 4,168, head of China’s National Health Commission, said
3,933, 4,233, 4,080, 4,236 locally transmitted that the dynamic zero-COVID policy’s main features
confirmed COVID-19 cases on December 4, December comprises swiftness and accuracy, and aims to contain
3, December 2, December 1, November 30 and epidemic flare-ups through timely actions. It integrates
November 29 respectively, which is stagnant at around a series of measures covering all aspects of epidemic
4,000 cases per day in the last six days. control -- from case detection and tracing to quarantine
and treatment. The effectiveness of the policy and
According to the WHO, from January 3, 2020 to China’s capability to implement it have been tested.
December 2, 2022, there have been 9,713,510 confirmed
cases of COVID-19 with 30,388 deaths in China. As of Quoting Liang Wannian, a leading epidemiologist,
November 20, 2022, a total of 3,464,048,683 vaccine Xinhua reported that since April 2020, the sporadic
doses have been administered. At the same time, cases and regional clusters reported in China have
experts opine that the efficacy of the administered jabs largely come from abroad. It indicates that the country
are only 60 per cent, with a recommendation for a has effectively stopped infections from domestic
booster to curb further spread. sources. “This favourable condition lays a solid
foundation for China to continue pursuing the dynamic
On December 4, Xinhua reported that neighbouring zero-COVID policy, as the source of every infection can
nations such as Malaysia reported 1,502 new COVID-19 be identified,” said Liang.
infections, while Singapore reported 846, The
Philippines 1,173, Vietnam (204) and India reported Xinhua noted that China has a large population of
226 new COVID-19 cases, which are fewer than new 1.4 billion and is home to 267 million elderly and more
cases in China. The daily new COVID-19 cases reported than 250 million minors, who are more vulnerable to
on December 3 in Malaysia was 1,866, Singapore 1052, the virus. Given this situation, containing the virus as
Vietnam 393, India 253, and The Philippines 1234. early as possible is crucial for the country to safeguard
the people’s well-being.
However, the number of new cases in Australia
have risen for consecutive weeks. According to the However, the people from across the Chinese regions
latest weekly update from the Department of Health, are not in favour of dynamic zero-COVID policy and
more than 100,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported there are many protests at various places and locations
across Australia in the seven days to November 29, an forcing the communist government to crack down with
average of 14,346 per day. an iron fist to control the widespread demonstrations.
There are also reports that the government might look
Although China has witnessed a drop in the at relaxing the norm to some extent to bring normalcy
number of cases on a weekly basis since May 23, the in the country. Hopefully, the Chinese Communist
daily confirmed cases are higher as compared to Party (CCP) leadership will see wisdom in relaxing
the neighbouring countries such as India, Malaysia, uncalled-for and unscientific measures (although the
Singapore, Vietnam. It has become a cause of concern country has vaccinated the almost entire population,
for the communist government of People’s Republic and continuing) in the coming days.
of China that has been maintaining a strict zero-
COVID policy since the purported detection of the first Narayan Kulkarni
COVID-19 case in Wuhan in December 2019. Editor

According to reports, zero-COVID, is a public [email protected]
health policy that has been implemented by some