AI-Powered Cancer Vaccine Platform: XtalPi and CK Life Sciences Launch Innovative Collaboration

Recently, XtalPi has launched a new collaboration with CK Life Sciences, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings. The partnership will leverage the strengths of both parties to co-develop a novel AI-based tumor vaccine research and development platform. This initiative aims to progressively enhance the discovery and design capabilities of tumor vaccines, expedite the development of a wider range of tumor vaccines, and ultimately achieve the goal of precise treatment for patients.

According to public data, there were nearly 20 million new cancer diagnoses globally in 2021, of which approximately 4.5 million were in China. Cancer types are diverse and highly damaging, with both high incidence and mortality rates, and there are currently many unmet clinical needs. Designing and developing specific tumor vaccines targeting different tumor neoantigens, tumor-associated antigens (TAA), and tumor-specific antigens (TSA) within patients can activate the body's own specific immune response to achieve the goal of immunotherapy.

Currently, two therapeutic cancer vaccines—sipuleucel-T for melanoma and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) for bladder cancer—as well as prophylactic cancer vaccines targeting human papillomavirus infection and hepatitis B infection, have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Many other cancer vaccines have also entered clinical development and shown some evidence of efficacy.

According to data from the globally renowned market analysis firm Mordor Intelligence, the global cancer vaccine market size was $6.79 billion in 2021, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.53% from 2022 to 2026, and is expected to reach $11.72 billion by 2026.

However, the current lengthy and complex preclinical design and validation experiments for tumor vaccines hinder the efficiency and success rate of tumor vaccine development.

Based on XtalPi's new drug research and development model that integrates intelligent computing, expert experience, and automated experiments, the AI tumor vaccine R&D platform will utilize advanced AI algorithms and precise molecular modeling to predict and design a variety of tumor vaccines capable of activating specific immune responses and killing tumors. These vaccines will be screened and validated through automated experiments, optimized for their activity and drug-like properties with feedback and iteration from the algorithm, and ultimately yield tumor vaccines with strong immune activity that meet the requirements for preclinical candidate compounds.

Wen Shuhao

XtalPi Co-founder, Chairman

"XtalPi is headquartered in the Futian-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, located by the Shenzhen River. As a pioneer and practitioner of innovation at the source of drug discovery, XtalPi is also exploring new models for the coordinated development of Shenzhen and Hong Kong, as well as new paradigms for innovative interaction within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Driven by intelligent and automated technology, AI is empowering more areas of innovative drug discovery. XtalPi continues to push boundaries and explore more application scenarios for cutting-edge technologies. The establishment of an AI tumor vaccine research platform will support Yangtze Life Sciences in conducting vaccine research across various technological platforms targeting multiple types of cancer, accelerating the achievement of more milestones in tumor vaccine projects. We look forward to this becoming a bridge where Hong Kong enterprises can further synergize with mainland China, incubate new technologies, and seize new opportunities. Continuous and deep interaction between Guangdong and Hong Kong enterprises will inject more vitality into the collaborative innovation of the biopharmaceutical industry in the Greater Bay Area."

Du Jianming

Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Yangtze River Life Technology

"The development of tumor vaccines is one of the directions of Yangtze River Life Technology. This cooperation with XtalPi will leverage XtalPi's platform technologies such as AI algorithms, molecular modeling, and automated experiments to accelerate the development speed of tumor vaccines, increase the success rate of research and development, and enhance the tumor-killing effects of the vaccines."

XtalPi is a technology company in drug research and development driven by intelligence and automation. By improving the speed, scale, innovation, and success rate of drug R&D, it is committed to achieving an industry revolution in pharmaceutical research. As a company based in China and the U.S. while serving the world, XtalPi consistently explores the best solutions to fully utilize cutting-edge R&D and computational resources, maximizing the satisfaction of customer and partner needs.

XtalPi's intelligent drug discovery platform integrates cloud-based supercomputing digital R&D tools with advanced experimental capabilities to form a high-precision predictive and targeted experimental system that mutually verifies and guides the R&D process. As one of the global pioneers in AI-driven drug discovery, XtalPi has established a comprehensive iterative R&D process that closely combines quantum physics dry labs with advanced wet labs, challenging the efficiency bottlenecks of traditional R&D and empowering innovative breakthroughs in speed and scale for new drug discovery.

CK Life Sciences (Stock Code: 0775) is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. With the mission of enhancing the quality of human life, CK Life Sciences engages in the research and development, manufacturing, commercialization, marketing, sales, and investment of products, covering projects and assets in three major areas: health, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture-related businesses. CK Life Sciences is a member of the CK Hutchison Holdings Group.