Lion TCR Recognized as a '2024 Hurun China Medical Rising Star' and Advances mRNA-Encoded TCR-T Therapy Pipeline

On December 5, 2024, Hurun Research Institute, known for providing high-quality rankings and research, released the "2024 Hurun China Emerging Medical Companies" list, aiming to identify Chinese medical companies with development potential that have been established within the past 10 years.Guangzhou Laien Biological Medicine Co., Ltd. Successfully Included in the "2024 Hurun China New Medical Powerhouse Enterprises" List with Outstanding Pharmaceutical Innovation Capabilities.

It is reported that this is the first time for Hurun Research Institute to release a medical industry ranking list.The list focuses on emerging Chinese healthcare companies established in 2014 or later, covering three major fields: pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and medical services. Among the listed companies, there are 28 "unicorn" enterprises, primarily concentrating on tackling key challenges in critical healthcare areas such as cancer (60%), chronic diseases (25%), and aging/pediatrics (15%).Guangzhou Laien Biological Medicine Co., Ltd., as the "leader" in the mRNA-encoded TCR-T cell therapy track, has been successfully selected for this list, which is a high recognition of Laien Biomedical's innovation capabilities and also provides motivation for Laien Bio's continuous exploration in the TCR-T cell therapy field.

Rupert Hoogewerf, Chairman and Chief Research Officer of Hurun Report, said:    

"The Hurun New Forces Enterprises and Young Entrepreneurs Series aims to highlight young companies within 10 years of establishment across various industries and outstanding young entrepreneurs aged 45 and below. Through this series, we hope to help these young companies and entrepreneurs gain more social resources, including support from investors, local governments, and strategic partners, thereby encouraging them to grow faster and go further."

"We hope these two lists will help everyone understand the current successful medical entrepreneurship tracks and innovation trends, as well as the most dynamic and entrepreneurial companies and entrepreneurs."

"With the rapid development of AI, its application in the healthcare industry is leading a revolution, especially in areas such as cancer treatment, chronic disease management, and elderly care. What impressed me was that this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to 48-year-old British scientist Demis Hassabis, who has made outstanding contributions in the AI field. He does not have a traditional chemistry background but instead possesses expertise related to AI. Demis, along with his colleagues, used AI models to predict the structures of nearly all 200 million known proteins. Our list features nearly 30 new influential companies in the AI medical field, accounting for over 20%, primarily focusing on...AI Drug DiscoveryAI Medical Imaging, AI Medical Robots, AI Health Management

Rupert Hoogewerf, Chairman and Chief Research Officer of Hurun Report, and Dr. Xiaoming Peng, CEO of Guangzhou Laien Biological Medicine Co., Ltd.

Dr. Peng Xiaoming, CEO of Guangzhou Laien Biological Medicine Co., Ltd., stated in the roundtable forum:    

"Guangzhou Laien Biological Medicine Co., Ltd. leverages the advantages of two-way international expansion, fully utilizing overseas resources, China's R&D talent dividend, and clinical resources to develop innovative and cost-effective original drugs. Through two-way international expansion, the company achieves global commercialization. In facing different regulatory environments across countries, Laien Biological Medicine has accumulated extensive experience and obtained clinical trial approvals in China, the U.S., and Singapore. It is recommended that companies expand internationally by collaborating more with local enterprises to create strong alliances. Laien Biological Medicine focuses on core technologies to drive innovation in R&D and advancements in clinical trials, while partnering with large pharmaceutical companies for late-stage clinical trials and commercialization. This is the key to sustainable growth for innovative enterprises."Guangzhou Laien Biological Medicine Co., Ltd. is actively developing platform technologies to create universal products, reduce treatment costs, and expand into treating various solid tumors by leveraging AI to discover new TCR targets, benefiting more patients.”

Dr. Peng Xiaoming (third from the right), CEO of Guangzhou Laien Biological Medicine Co., Ltd., discusses expanding international medical cooperation with entrepreneurs from various sectors of the healthcare industry.

As a clinical-stage biotech company incubated by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore, LioCyx Bio is a global leader in mRNA-encoded TCR-T cell therapy for the treatment of solid tumors and infectious diseases. The company’s lead product targets liver cancer and has received FDA clearance for an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to proceed with a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial. This marks the world's first FDA-approved international multicenter clinical trial for a TCR-T therapy targeting HBV (LioCyx-M) for the treatment of liver cancer. Additionally, LioCyx-M has been granted both Fast Track and Orphan Drug designations by the FDA.

Recently, Guangzhou Laien Biological Medicine Co., Ltd. received the implied permission for IND from the NMPA CDE in November 2024. This event not only marks the drug's official entry into the clinical trial stage in China but also signifies that Laien Biological has taken a crucial step forward in the exploration of TCR-T cell therapy.

Laien Bio leverages its mRNA technology and AI-powered TCR neoantigen discovery platform to expand into the treatment of various solid tumors, such as lung cancer, breast cancer, and gastrointestinal tumors, providing innovative therapies for unmet clinical needs. Meanwhile, the company has developed an autologous cell therapy platform and an off-the-shelf (also known as universal) therapy product platform that utilizes mRNA-LNP delivery technology to achieve in vivo TCR-T therapy, significantly reducing the cost of the product.

Laien Bio has established its China headquarters in Guangzhou's Sino-Singapore Knowledge City, creating an innovative drug base that integrates R&D, clinical operations, and GMP production. Combined with the previously established GMP innovative drug base in Singapore, Laien Bio has completed its global layout, leveraging the advantages of two-way international expansion to become a benchmark enterprise in the field of cell therapy under Sino-Singapore cooperation.Looking ahead, Laien Bio will continue to make breakthrough progress in clinical settings, advancing domestic and international clinical trials to the next stage. At the same time, by leveraging platform technology, it will push more R&D pipelines into the clinical stage, accelerate the layout and expansion of its off-the-shelf product platform, bringing patients safer, more effective, and lower-cost breakthrough treatment options.