Hong Kong's Biotech Pioneers Poised to Make Waves at BIO International Convention

Hong Kong’s biotech innovators are gearing up for an impactful presence at the BIO International Convention (BIO) 2024, taking place from 3-6 June in San Diego, California.

This annual biotech conference is renowned as the world’s largest and most comprehensive, drawing together more than 20,000 biotech and pharma leaders from over 900 companies representing 88 countries.

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) will be leading a delegation of 16 biotech ventures to the event. The primary objective is to put Hong Kong on the global map of biotech research and development by showcasing cutting-edge solutions at BIO, said Dr Grace Lau, Head of Institute for Translational Research (ITR) of HKSTP.

The Hong Kong pavilion will include two thematic areas, showcasing the unique strengths of biotech in Hong Kong and the resources to support researchers bridging the gap from bench to bedside.

The delegation will include 2 centres from InnoHK research cluster, 6 incubatees from HKSTP’s Incu-Bio Programme, and 8 partner companies specializing in advanced therapeutics.

Dr Lau stated that HKSTP will promote Hong Kong’s position as a leading biotech hub with a top-notch R&D talent pool and an extensive fundraising platform while attracting biotech researchers and investors to Hong Kong.

Recently, Hong Kong is undergoing reforms to its registration for new drugs and medical devices. The establishment of a preparatory office for the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation (CMPR) will mark a significant step towards a “primary evaluation” approval mechanism of drugs and medical devices, accelerating the launching of novel treatments into Hong Kong market.

With the support of Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the HKSTP delegation will embark on a biotech tour to Los Angeles, fostering collaboration and gaining insights into the thriving ecosystem of Southern California.

As part of the BIO delegation, two pioneering start-ups, GenEditBio and YnnoMed, along with the Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development at InnoHK, will showcase their works in gene therapy, antimicrobial drug discovery, and Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) respectively.

Last year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the world’s first gene editing treatment, marking a milestone for related practices.  GenEditBio is a gene therapy start-up dedicated to building a precise gene editing platform and a clinical pipeline of safe and effective gene therapies, which has vast potential in deployment.

Professor Zheng Zongli, Co-Founder and Chairman of GenEditBio, will be looking for funding opportunities at BIO to accelerate his research effort.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global public health, as germs like bacteria and fungi develop resistance to drugs designed to combat them, increasing the risk of disease spread. The World Health Organization has named AMR as one of the top 10 public health threats facing humanity.

YnnoMed is leading the charge in developing groundbreaking AMR medicines. Preliminary results from their preclinical studies are very promising. YnnoMed has progressed its drug candidate to clinical trials and formed a strategic partnership with Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding to expedite their approval process in Mainland China. 

With an award-winning AI assisted platform, YnnoMed can accelerate the discovery of novel targets for antimicrobials while suppressing resistance generation, all at a much lower cost.

Professor Ma Cong, a co-founder of YnnoMed, emphasized that AMR is a pressing issue worldwide, they received local medication requests even when the drug was still in research stage.

“The world is so desperate for novel antibiotics that regulatory bodies are under enormous pressure to accelerate their approval process,” said Professor Ma. “We hope BIO will help us engage in collaborations that address the mounting threat of AMR worldwide.”

Established to accelerate the development of CHM-based drugs, the Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development is one of the research institutes at InnoHK.

Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, Director of the Centre, revealed that three CHM pipelines are under development. Notably, a drug candidate has obtained Investigational New Drug (IND) approval from the FDA to conduct a Phase I clinical trial, marking the first time a new botanical drug developed in Hong Kong has been authorized to conduct a clinical trial in the U.S. The Centre is also seeking another IND approval for an oral drug candidate from the FDA and has submitted the IND application of a new CHM drug for an autoimmune disease to the National Medical Products Administration in Mainland China.

Botanical drugs have a rich history of human use, especially in China. A global collaboration can help CHM receive greater attention in therapeutic settings and wider acceptance. The Centre is playing a key role as a research hub to advance the modernization of Chinese medicine, transforming research results into pharmaceutical solutions for international markets.

Professor Bian will identify collaborations among researchers with similar pipelines to further global CHM adoption.

“The companies participating in BIO are perfectly positioned at the forefront of global biotech research,” said Dr Lau. “They may forge meaningful collaborations to propel more novel therapy and platform technologies into clinical studies and commercialization.”

All in all, BIO will present a unique opportunity for Hong Kong’s biotech innovators to share their visions, collaborating with their global counterparts to improve patient outcomes.