SCG Cell Therapy And A*STAR's IMCB Collaborate To Accelerate Clinical Translation of Immune Cell-based Therapy

• The collaboration agreement works toward accelerating the study of SCG's immunotherapy pipeline and candidates such as CAR-T, TCR-T therapies, antibodies, and vaccines.
• SCG will contribute its proprietary technologies to the therapeutic development of immune cell-based therapy candidates.
• The collaboration further strengthens ties between SCG and A*STAR to advance science and translate innovative technology into clinical development.

SINGAPORE, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore-based SCG Cell Therapy Pte Ltd ("SCG"), a leading biotechnology company, today announces that they have signed a collaboration agreement with A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) to accelerate the clinical translation of its cell-based immunotherapy pipeline.

In this collaboration, SCG will contribute its proprietary technologies to the therapeutic development of immune cell-based therapy candidates such as CAR-T, TCR-T therapies, antibodies, and vaccines. IMCB will contribute expertise on in-vivo drug testing and development platforms based on humanized preclinical test platform technologies led and developed by Dr. Qingfeng Chen, IMCB's Senior Principal Investigator

Immunotherapy is a form of treatment that uses the power of the body's immune system to prevent, control, and eliminate diseases. It has led to major treatment breakthroughs for a number of diseases and cancers. The global market for immunotherapy drugs is projected to surpass around US$204.4 billion by 2025¹.

"We are pleased to extend our collaboration with IMCB and further strengthen our ties with A*STAR to advance science and translate the innovative technology into clinical development," said Frank Wang, Chief Executive Officer of SCG Cell Therapy.

 "This research collaboration expands our capabilities in cell therapies, and underscores the value of public-private partnerships that play an important role in translating scientific discoveries into  new therapeutics for improved health outcomes. We look forward to working closely with SCG to develop better treatments to address cancers with unmet clinical need," said Prof. Wanjin Hong, Executive Director of IMCB, A*STAR.

This new collaboration extends SCG's partnership with A*STAR. In November 2021, SCG acquired induced pluripotent stem cell" (iPSC) technology from A*STAR for off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy development. In March 2022, the company also announced a collaboration with A*STAR's Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) to advance antibody development for infectious diseases and cancer treatments.

About SCG Cell Therapy

SCG is a leading biotechnology company focusing on the development of novel immunotherapies in infections and its associated cancers. The company targets the most common cancer-causing infections: helicobacter pylori, human papillomavirus, and hepatitis B, and develops a broad and unique pipeline of T cell therapies, antibodies, and therapeutic vaccines against infections and to prevent and cure its associated cancers. Established and headquartered in Singapore, SCG combines regional advantages in Singapore, China and Germany, covering the entire value chain from innovative drug research and discovery, manufacturing, clinical development and commercialization. SCG collaborates with leading scientists and researchers to bring first-in-class and best-in-class medical products/technologies to enhance innovation in medical product development.

For more information about SCG, please visit us at https://www.scgcell.com/

About A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB)

The vision of Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) is to be a premier cell and molecular biology institute which addresses the mechanistic basis of human diseases and its mission is to conduct cutting-edge discovery research in disease pathways; to groom early career researchers to be future leaders in research; and to collaborate with the public sector, medical and industry communities for research impact. IMCB plays an important role training and recruiting scientific talents, and has contributed to the development of other research entities in Singapore. Its success in fostering a biomedical research culture in Singapore has catalysed Singapore's transformation into an international hub for biomedical research, development and innovation.

Funded by A*STAR, IMCB's use-inspired research comprises 4 major programmes: Neurometabolism in Health and Diseases; Cancer Signalling and Therapies; Cell Biology and Therapies; and Innovative Technologies. IMCB also has two semi-autonomous programmes, the Disease Intervention Technology Laboratory (DITL), and the Molecular Engineering Laboratory (MEL). IMCB's technologies and platforms focus on Mouse Models of Diseases, Molecular Histopathology, Cellular Microscopy, and Proteomics & Metabolomics.

For more information about IMCB, please visit www.a-star.edu.sg/imcb

About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector R&D agency. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit the economy and society. As a Science and Technology Organisation, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore, and enhances lives by improving societal outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability. A*STAR plays a key role in nurturing scientific talent and leaders for the wider research community and industry. A*STAR's R&D activities span biomedical sciences to physical sciences and engineering, with research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis. For ongoing news, visit www.a-star.edu.sg.

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 _{[1] https://www.bccresearch.com/market-research/pharmaceuticals/immunotherapy-drugs-market.html#:~:text=Report%20Highlights,the%20period%20of%202020%2D2025.}