Nest.Bio Hosts 'Rising Tide, Nesting Innovation' 2023 Annual Forum and Officially Launches Beijing Accelerator

On the morning of April 27, 2023, the Beijing Zhongguancun Conference Center was filled with distinguished guests as the “Rising Tide, Nesting Life” • 2023 ChaoSheng Annual Forum and the Launch Ceremony of the ChaoSheng Beijing Accelerator were grandly held.

Co-hosted by LifeX Innovation Lab, DTI Pharma, Yuyan Bio, and InnoVax, this event aimed to share the most cutting-edge biomedical technologies and discuss the latest trends in translating technology into industrial applications. Attendees included leaders from Beijing’s municipal and district governments, as well as numerous industry experts, investors, and executives from major pharmaceutical companies.

Lin Jianhua, Member of the Standing Committee of the Haidian District Committee of the Communist Party of China and Executive Deputy District Mayor; Gong Weimi, Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Service Division of the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission and the Zhongguancun Administrative Committee; and Dr. Zhou Yuexin, Investor at Nest Capital and Head of Nest Labs, delivered opening remarks.

Address by Dr. Zhou Yuexin, Investor at Nest Capital and Head of Nest Labs

Dr. Zhou Yuexin stated that the LifeHub Beijing Accelerator is the first accelerator in Beijing to include a laboratory animal platform, aiming to provide stronger support and more services to entrepreneurial partners. LifeHub also hopes to leverage the accelerator to accompany companies throughout their long-term growth, facilitating the commercialization of technological innovations.

She introduced, “In 2021, the Beijing Innovation Flagship Laboratory of Nest Biosciences was officially established and began operations. Today marks exactly its second anniversary. Over these two years, with strong support from municipal and district-level leaders, as well as the care and assistance of industry partners, the Beijing Laboratory and its resident partner companies have grown together and achieved significant progress. The companies whose facilities we are jointly inaugurating today—Yuyan Biotech, InnoVital Health, and DTI Pharma—are representative examples. They have all delivered impressive results and gained recognition from capital markets, partners, and other stakeholders.”

 Address by Lin Jianhua, Member of the Standing Committee of the Haidian District Committee of the Communist Party of China and Executive Deputy District Mayor

In his address, Lin Jianhua, Deputy District Mayor, stated that the launch of the ChaoSheng Beijing Accelerator would serve as a significant boost to the development of the pharmaceutical industry in Haidian District. He expressed hope that ChaoSheng would continue to expand its space, attract more outstanding enterprises, and further leverage its strengths in identifying early-stage projects and connecting with overseas resources.

 Address by Gong Weimi, Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Services Division, Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission and Zhongguancun Administrative Committee

In his address, Director Gong Weimi extended congratulations on the successful holding of the forum and the establishment of Nest Beijing Accelerator. He pointed out that Nest Labs is one of the first benchmark incubators jointly supported by the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, the Zhongguancun Administrative Committee, and the Haidian District Government. As a pioneer and leader in exploring advanced incubation models, it has incubated nearly 30 outstanding technology innovation enterprises. The launch of the Nest Accelerator will further streamline the chain from translational incubation to industrial acceleration, thereby more effectively supporting the healthy development of Beijing’s biopharmaceutical industry.

Joint Launch Ceremony for the Nest Beijing Accelerator Enterprises

Lin Jianhua, Member of the Standing Committee of the Haidian District Committee of the Communist Party of China and Executive Deputy District Mayor; Gong Weimi, Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Service Division of the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission and the Zhongguancun Administrative Committee; Wang Tonghui, Executive Director of Zhongguancun Science City Company; Bai Jin’an, Executive President of Jiaming Investment; Professor Huang Chaolan, Founder and Chairman of Yuyan Bio; Dr. Wang Cheng, Founder and CEO of InnoVicon; Dr. Wang Wenshou, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of DTI Pharma; and Dr. Cheryl Cui, Founder of Nest.Bio, jointly participated in the launch ceremony.

The event also focused on frontier life sciences technologies and the exploration of innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities, providing attendees with platforms for sharing and exchange through keynote speeches and roundtable discussions by experts and industry professionals.

During the keynote session, two industry experts presented research advancements in their respective fields and shared their outlooks for the future.

Speech by Academician Chen Hongmin, Co-founder and Head of R&D at Metagenomi

Academician Chen Hongmin, Co-founder and Head of R&D at Metagenomi, delivered a presentation titled “Drug Delivery: Past, Present, and Future,” sharing new advances and directions in drug delivery research.

 Speech by Professor Li Ning, Vice President of the National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

Professor Li Ning, Vice President of the National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, delivered a speech titled “Innovative R&D in Oncology: Building a Collaborative System.” He shared insights and recommendations on the innovative research and development process for oncology pharmaceuticals, as well as the critical role of clinical trials in innovation-driven R&D.

Roundtable Discussion

During the roundtable discussion, industry leaders and experts explored the topic of “Translation of Frontier Life Science Technologies and Exploration of Market Opportunities.” Participants included Ms. Xie Qirun, Chairwoman of the Board of China Biopharmaceutical Holdings Limited and Director of Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group; Mr. Cao Xi, Founding Partner of Monolith Capital; Professor Huang Chaolan, Deputy Director of the Medical Science Research Center at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Founder and Chairman of Yuyan Bio; Dr. Wang Wenshou, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of DTI Pharmaceuticals; and Dr. Wang Cheng, Founder and CEO of InnoVivo. The session was moderated by Ms. Dai Lian, Deputy General Manager of Zhongguancun Science City Company.

 Shared by Dr. Wang Wenshou, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Metagenomi

Regarding the impact of AI technology in the life sciences sector, Dr. Wang Wenshou believes that its primary role is to reduce costs and enhance efficiency. He explains that a major pain point in pharmaceutical development is the lengthy cycle and high costs; AI can significantly shorten the R&D timeline, thereby driving down expenses. He further points out that AI can minimize ineffective exploration during the R&D process, transcend the limitations of human expertise, and model changes within complex systems.

 Shared by Dr. Wang Cheng, Founder and CEO of InnoVicon

Regarding the future of gene and cell therapy, Dr. Wang Cheng believes that the technology is still in its early stages. By analogy with the development of computers, gene and cell therapy is roughly equivalent to the transition from first-generation computers to the 386 and 486 eras. It will take a considerable amount of time before gene and cell therapy becomes as ubiquitous as portable laptop computers.

 Ms. Xie Qirun, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of China Biopharmaceuticals and Director of Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group, Shares Insights

Ms. Xie Qirun shared her experience in selecting cutting-edge biotechnologies. She stated that their greatest advantage lies in the ability to aggregate extensive information from national-level laboratories, universities, scientists, frontier innovative companies, and investment firms worldwide. This enables them to identify innovative pathways from scientific literature and achieve full-industry-chain translation from research and development to production and sales.

 Shared by Mr. Cao Xi, Founding Partner of Monolith Capital

The panelists also discussed the impact of ChatGPT on the life sciences sector. Mr. Cao Xi stated that while ChatGPT may introduce new changes to medical consultations, its practical application remains premature given the extremely low tolerance for error in healthcare settings. Dr. Wang Cheng, however, noted that although ChatGPT is convenient for literature reviews, data availability in the biopharmaceutical field is still relatively limited. He suggested that as data accumulates to a certain extent, ChatGPT could offer greater assistance, particularly in the field of gene therapy.

 Shared by Professor Huang Chaolan, Deputy Director of the Medical Science Research Center at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Executive Deputy Director of the State Key Laboratory of Rare Diseases, and Founder and Chairman of Yuyan Bio.

Regarding the hardships and rewards of entrepreneurship, Professor Huang Chaolan shared her moments of happiness. Her team delivered outstanding efficacy results for a globally first-in-class targeted drug, validating her long-advocated concept that “biomarker-driven precision medicine translation” is a feasible approach. This achievement provides high-quality targets and biomarkers that are in urgent demand within China’s biopharmaceutical sector. She also noted that although starting a business is challenging, working together with her team to focus on problem-solving and business advancement makes the journey feel far from arduous.

Drawing from their respective professional domains, the guests shared insights on how cutting-edge technologies are impacting life sciences. Their diverse perspectives sparked vibrant intellectual exchanges. The event concluded amidst enthusiastic discussions among the participants.