The MOU signed by CytoMed and Hangzhou CNK Therapeutics Co.,
Ltd is the first of several collaborative efforts in North Asia.
SINGAPORE, Aug. 15,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CytoMed Therapeutics Limited
(NASDAQ: GDTC) ("CytoMed" or "Company"), a Singapore-based biopharmaceutical company
focused on harnessing its proprietary technologies to develop novel
donor-derived cell-based immunotherapies for the treatment of
various cancers, announces today that it signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with Hangzhou CNK Therapeutics Co., Ltd (CNK).
With this agreement, CytoMed can utilize CNK's PiggyBac technology
to permanently graft the Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) gene into
its gamma delta (γδ) T cells via a non-viral gene editing
method.
"We are currently using mRNA technology whereby the CAR gene is
transient, and hence, the CAR expression would cease after a period
of time, leaving non-CAR γδ T cells in the patient's body," said
Dr. Tan Wee Kiat, Chief Operating
Officer of CytoMed. "The γδ T cells that remain continue to be
cytotoxic with the ability to kill cancer cells. Leveraging CNK's
technology, the CAR gene now would be expressed for as long as the
γδ T cells are present in the body. This means that the CAR-γδ T
cells can now exert a targeted attack for as long as it is present
in the patient's body, potentially increasing the efficacy of our
CAR γδ T cells in the patient."
CytoMed was initially introduced to this opportunity by
Professor Wang Shu, an advisor on
the CytoMed Scientific Advisory Committee and co-inventor of the
Company's CAR γδ T cell technology. Professor Wang Shu's deep understanding of cell therapy
research, specifically CytoMed's technology, made it possible to
discern the potential matching synergy between CytoMed and CNK's
PiggyBac technologies.
The MOU has a duration of one year, with the option to renew,
and is subject to a definitive agreement and customary closing
conditions. There remains a potential opportunity for a joint
venture to conduct clinical trials in China.
The signing ceremony took place on Tuesday, August 15 at the 17th
Singapore-Zhejiang Economic and Trade Council Meeting. In
attendance was Senior Minister of State for National Development
and Foreign Affairs Sim Ann and Zhejiang Vice Governor Lu Shan.
"Such strategic partnerships augment CytoMed's technology and
bring us one step closer to our goal of advancing affordable,
"off-the-shelf" allogeneic cellular immunotherapies for a broad
spectrum of cancers," said Peter
Choo, Chairman of CytoMed. "We look forward to continuing
our growth with new and innovative partnerships."
About CytoMed Therapeutics Limited (CytoMed)
Incorporated in 2018, CytoMed was spun off from the Agency for
Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore's leading research and development
agency in the public sector. It is a biopharmaceutical company
focused on harnessing its licensed proprietary technologies to
create novel cell-based immunotherapies for the treatment of human
cancers. The development of novel technologies has been inspired by
the clinical success of existing CAR-T therapies in treating
hematological malignancies, as well as the current clinical
limitations and commercial challenges in extrapolating the CAR-T
principle into the treatment of solid tumors. For more information,
please visit www.cytomed.sg and follow us on Twitter @CytomedSG,on
LinkedIn, and Facebook
Forward Look Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as
defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans,
objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and
underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than
statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as
"may, "will, "intend," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate,"
"project," "estimate" or similar expressions that do not relate
solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the
actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations
discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are
subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to,
the following: the Company's plans to develop and commercialize its
product candidates; the initiation, timing, progress and results of
the Company's current and future pre-clinical studies and clinical
trials and the Company's R&D programs; the Company's
expectations regarding the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
on its business, the Company's industry and the economy; the
Company's estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital
requirements and needs for additional financing; the Company's
ability to successfully acquire or obtain licenses for additional
product candidates on reasonable terms; the Company's ability to
establish and maintain collaborations and/or obtain additional
funding and assumptions underlying or related to any of the
foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company
with the SEC. For these reasons, among others, investors are
cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking
statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed
in the Company's filings with the SEC, which are available for
review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to
publicly revise these forward–looking statements to reflect events
or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.
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SOURCE CytoMed Therapeutics Limited
