The rapid development of biotechnology has helped promote the whole biomedical industry. Companies in the cell therapy industry, the most popular sector in Zhangjiang, now face fierce competition with other players across the world. 

As scientific research achievements have attracted global attention and some industrialization projects begin clinical trials, Zhangjiang’s cell sector has maximized its value and empowered the ecosystem for the whole industry. 

Reformative measures for cell therapy and other fields are expected to be rolled out and more disruptive innovations will be made to help Zhangjiang become a high-level sci-tech highland. 

Yescarta® (Axi-Cel), a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy product developed by Fosun Kite, was officially approved by the National Medical Products Administration on June 23. It is the first cell therapy product that received approval for market access in China. 

This news signaled that cell therapy products can be commercialized in China, and greatly boosted the confidence of the industry. 

During a summit forum on CAR-T cell therapy, Chen Saijuan, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a genetics expert from Shanghai's Ruijin Hospital, an affiliate of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School, said the CAR-T “will bring exciting clinical efficacy to patients with recurrent refractory lymphoma, and let doctors and patients see the hope of curing lymphoma.” 

Ruijin Hospital and Nasdaq-listed Kite Pharma had earlier facilitated Yescarta’s commercialization in China after rounds of academic exchange.

At the beginning of this year, Shanghai rolled out guidelines to develop the biomedicine industry, especially cutting-edge biological fields such as cell therapy, stem cell and regenerative medicine, and technologies related to somatic cell reprogramming and artificial tissue and organ construction. The city will also promote the clinical application of stem cell technology in treating pathological injury and tissue and organ regeneration. 

In the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, Zhangjiang Science City will focus on areas such as gene therapy, high-end biological products, innovative chemicals and high-end preparations, biotechnology drugs such as gene drugs and new vaccines, immune cell therapy, stem cells and gene therapy, as well as chemical innovative drugs based on new mechanisms, targets and indications. 

Cell therapy is a key focus area for global scientific research institutions, medical circles and industries. According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 2,000 cell therapies in the world, and various innovations and breakthroughs in treatment and clinical drug testing for tumors have developed rapidly. 

For industry insiders, cell therapy is a vast "blue ocean". The development of every sunrise industry must be accompanied by huge investments into infrastructure. The life bank storing thousands of cells, blood and tumor tissues, or "concentrated life", is the infrastructure for the development of life technology and biopharmaceutical products in the era of cell therapy. 

Human cells, blood and tumor tissues are stored in the "bank". They can be extracted and transformed centrally for scientific research or clinical research, which will play a key role in promoting pharmaceutical research and development, health industry, transformation of scientific research achievements. 

Such "banks" have made new progress in Zhangjiang. 

Phase II of the Shanghai Zhangjiang Biobank can store 10 million biological samples and manage them in a fully automatic, intelligent, professional and safe manner. 

With a total investment of about 100 million yuan ($15.44 million), Zhangjiang Biobank is the most advanced third-party biological sample storage institution in China that has obtained the national administrative license for human genetic resources. 

The institution provides important biological sample resources for the basic and clinical research of major diseases around the world. It is an important resource in drug research and development, clinical diagnosis and treatment technology R&D, health research and industrialization, and is also an important guarantee for the rapid industrialization and clinical application of scientific research achievements such as important genes and proteins in functional genome research. 

As of April this year, Zhangjiang had received 15 clinical approvals for cell therapy, accounting for more than 25 percent of the total in the country. About 75 percent of cell therapy project applicants in Shanghai are located in Zhangjiang. 

At the same time, a number of achievements have made breakthroughs. 

Hrain Biotechnology's CD19/CD22 dual target CAR-T therapy is the first of its kind to obtain clinical trial approval in China. 

In addition, the world's first prostate cancer cell therapy drug, Provenge, which was developed by Dendreon, has begun drug registration in Zhangjiang. 

As all kinds of resources are being gathered in Zhangjiang, the zone is considering revitalizing the industrial chain. Over the past two years, Zhangjiang Group has forged strategic cooperation ties with Ruijin Hospital, Renji Hospital and Shanghai No 9 Hospital, held matchmaking meetings for cell and gene drug companies, and promoted the two-way docking and transformation between enterprises, entrepreneurs and hospitals’ clinical needs. 

At the same time, the super organ R&D center will be built in the Zhangjiang Cell Industry Park. It will use stem cell technology to find the "code" of "organ regeneration" to manufacture and repair organs. 

The Zhangjiang Biobank revitalizes scientific research resources, provides incubation services for entrepreneurial teams, trains leading scientists, and realizes independent control of key technologies with the support of the strong industrial foundation and high-level public service platform of the National Engineering Center. 

The Zhangjiang Cell Industrial Park will create a convenient and efficient achievement transformation platform and a globally influential cell industry ecosystem integrating storage, R&D, preparation, transportation, treatment and equipment.