Jianda Jiuzhou Advances Gene Therapy GA001 for Retinal Degeneration, Set to Enter Clinical Trials in 2026

InZhongguancunWithin the Life Science Park, there is a "park within a park" — the Changping Life Valley International Precision Medicine Industrial Park, which features 17 industrial combination spaces, providing various functional carriers for settled enterprises, such as R&D experimentation and production. Jianda Jiuzhou, an innovative pharmaceutical company that moved into the park earlier this year, is accelerating new drug development in its brand-new laboratory. This year, the company’s gene therapy drug, GA001, will enter clinical trials.

As clinical trials approach, the laboratories of Janda Jiuzhou are bustling with activity. With just a single injection, there is a chance to restore vision for patients suffering from late-stage blindness caused by retinitis pigmentosa — this is not a fairy tale. Yu Tao, Vice General Manager of Janda Jiuzhou, introduced that in the earlier investigator-initiated clinical studies (IIT research), most patients experienced varying degrees of improved light sensitivity and partial recovery of visual function, bringing light back into their previously dark worlds. As the clinical trial draws nearer, the distance between the new drug and the patients grows ever shorter.

The International Precision Medicine Industrial Park of Life Valley is the first project of Phase III of Zhongguan Village Life Science Park. Currently, companies such as Jianda Jiuzhou and Yourui Pharmaceutical Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. have moved into this brand-new space, and several high-quality projects have also signed agreements to move in. Here, outstanding scientific research achievements with global influence are accelerating their transformation.

"In terms of innovation ecosystem development, this park is undoubtedly one of the best in China. The Life Science Park has attracted a large number of innovative pharmaceutical companies, and truly original achievements from top universities and research institutions are gathered here." Yu Tao often exchanges experiences with his "neighbors," and when encountering difficulties, they will help each other.

Less than two kilometers apart, Junda Jiuzhou and NEUCYBER have long been collaborating in the fields of neuroscience and brain disease treatment. Yu Tao said that Junda Jiuzhou has strengths in animal experiments and disease models, while NEUCYBER excels in medical device expertise. "We support each other at the foundational R&D stage and are both advancing rapidly."

The R&D process of new drugs has no "textbook" to refer to; every step involves exploration, innovation, and even a trial-and-error process. The Beijing Drug and Medical Device Innovation Service Station, located in the park, can help "clear the obstacles" for new drug development. "For instance, regarding the contract manufacturing of clinical trial drugs, how to manage it in a compliant and precise manner was initially uncertain for us," said Yu Tao. "The service station has provided critical support, and any challenges related to the registration pathway during new drug development can be promptly resolved here."

As a "park within a park" in the Life Science Park, the Life Valley International Precision Medicine Industrial Park specifically undertakes industrial landing projects in the direction of precision medicine, such as precise diagnosis, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Relevant responsible persons from Chang Development Group introduced that the park will focus on industrial fields such as cell and gene therapy, brain science and brain-computer interface, AI healthcare, AI pharmaceuticals, and synthetic biology, providing a complete ecological system for settled enterprises including headquarters offices, research and development centers, pilot production, and production bases, achieving an upgrade from single-point breakthroughs in technology research and development to full-chain achievement transformation.

Source: Beijing Daily Client