TMC Partners with A*STAR to Forge New Frontiers in Immunotherapy

The highly anticipated 14th Meeting of the Singapore-Guangdong Collaboration Council was successfully held at the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City. Wang Weizhong, Deputy Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Government Party Leadership Group, and Governor, along with Ong Ye Kung, Singapore's Minister for Health and Joint Chairman of the Singapore side of the Guangdong-Singapore Cooperation Council, attended the event and delivered keynote speeches.

A highlight of this meeting was the successful signing of 20 collaborative projects spanning key sectors including technological innovation, education and talent development, biomedicine, financial services, green energy, and platform development, showcasing the breadth and depth of Singapore-Guangdong cooperation. Notably, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) of Singapore, together with Biosyngen, and the Translational Medicine Center (TMC), signed a project agreement for the "Generation and Development of Multi-Specific Antibodies Targeting Plasma Cells for Multiple Autoimmune Diseases Treatment," marking a new milestone in biomedicine collaboration between Singapore and Guangdong.

Minister of State for Trade and Industry, as well as the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Alvin Tan, specifically highlighted this project in his address, affirming the ability of Singapore's biomedicine enterprises to leverage the strengths of both regions’ high-quality hospital medical institutions and ecosystems to accelerate the clinical translation of research outcomes.

(Under the witness of leaders from both Singapore and China, Irene Cheong, Senior Executive Director of A*STAR, Michelle Chen, Co-founder and CEO of Biosyngen, and Xie Yunan, Party Secretary and Chairman of the Knowledge City Group, represented their organizations during the signing ceremony.)

This project brings together A*STAR’s top-tier research institutes—Singapore Immunology Network (SigN), the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), and the Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI)—in a strong partnership with Biosyngen. The research team, led by Professor Kong Peng LAM, Director of the SigN, will focus on tackling therapeutic challenges associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The project aims to develop a new generation of efficient and safe multispecific antibody therapies, offering hope to patients and potentially driving significant advancements in the autoimmune drug market in the future.

Leveraging Biosyngen's dual research and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) capabilities in Singapore and Guangzhou, the project's outcomes will be commercialized for the global market, with the TMC responsible for its implementation in the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City. This initiative injects new vitality and momentum into the development of the biomedicine industry in the Greater Bay Area. This collaboration not only represents a bold exploration in the treatment of autoimmune diseases but also exemplifies the deep cooperation and mutual benefits between Singapore and China in the fields of technological innovation and healthcare.

Autoimmune diseases are a group of disorders characterized by the immune system's abnormal response against the body's own antigens, leading to damage to the host. These diseases have prolonged courses, are incurable, and once diagnosed, remain with patients for life. Autoimmune diseases affect approximately 10% of the global population, presenting a significant health challenge. The autoimmune drug market is the second largest pharmaceutical market worldwide, following oncology; however, it remains underdeveloped compared to the highly competitive oncology market. Through this collaboration, the two parties will jointly explore novel multispecific antibody therapies targeting plasma cells (PCs), aiming for significant breakthroughs in the treatment of challenging conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

About A*STAR

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is a statutory board leading Singapore's scientific research and industrial innovation. A*STAR fosters open innovation collaborations between public and private institutions to achieve technological advancements that drive economic growth and improve quality of life. As a governmental body facilitating scientific research and technology transfer, A*STAR serves as a bridge connecting academia and industry. Its research outcomes not only promote economic growth and job creation in Singapore but also enhance societal benefits through improvements in healthcare, urban living, and sustainable development, thereby improving the quality of life for the populace. A*STAR plays a crucial role in building the research ecosystem and nurturing leaders in both academia and industry.