P L
aear Readers,
Cell and gene therapies (CGTs) are one of the hottest sectors in the pharmaceutical industry. Quite a few companies in the field are making remarkable advancements toward potentially curative treatments for challenging diseases using groundbreaking science. Globally, 30 gene therapies have been approved (including genetically modified cell therapies). The CGT sector has expanded tremendously, with the number of drugs in development growing nearly six-fold from 511 development-stage candidates in 2013 to just over 3,000 in 2023. By 2025, the US FDA aims to review and approve 10-20 gene and cell therapies annually.
The Asia Pacific region has been leading the field of CGT, with several countries investing significantly in research and development. While
China has emerged as an important market for CGTs, particularly CAR-T therapies, surpassing the USA in the number of clinical trials conducted, Singapore is emerging as a top destination for CGT manufacturing, with numerous companies unveiling plans to set up facilities in the country. Our correspondent spoke to industry leaders from across the globe and says in an article that though CGTs offer hope for life-threatening debilitating conditions, access remains out of reach for the patients who need it the most as costs are too high for most of the patient population.
On the other hand, malaria, the oldest disease that has plagued mankind for centuries, continues to wreak havoc globally. The Asia Pacific region also continues to be affected by this enduring fever. India accounted for 66 per cent of malaria cases in the WHO South-East Asia Region in 2022, with nine countries in the region contributing to about 2 per cent of the global burden. Over the past 10 years, only three countries in the region successfully earned their malaria-free status: Maldives in 2015, Sri Lanka in 2016, and China in 2021. China's eradication of malaria in particular was a momentous feat, making it a potential blueprint for other countries in the region. We have covered an article on how China reached this milestone in its fight against malaria in seven decades.
Biotechnology has emerged as one of the key technology enablers of the 21st century, disrupting traditional agri-food systems, diagnostics and therapeutics industries as well. As per the recently published India Deep Science Tech Report by Ankur Capital, more than $900 million were invested into breakthrough deep science biotechnology startups between 2013 and 2023 in India. We are featuring an expert’s article that provides a closer look at the investments made in biotechnology in the last decade in India where several first-generation startups are at the stage of scaling up their technology and the next few years will define their success as well as the success of the industry as a whole.
I am sure you will find this edition a great read.
Thanks & Regards,