August 19, 2018: Singapore biotechnology company Lion TCR Pte. Ltd. was approved by the Singapore Health Sciences Authority (HSA), and its candidate product (LioCyx ™) can be used for phase I / II clinical research for the treatment of liver cancer that recurs after transplantation. This type of trial was approved for the first time in Singapore. It uses precision T cell receptor (TCR) immune cell therapy to target hepatitis B virus (HBV) -related liver cancer. At least 80% of liver cancers in Asia are caused by HBV. 80% of the 800,000 new liver cancer cases in the world are diagnosed in the Asia-Pacific region, covering China, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and Singapore. Liver cancer is the third deadliest cancer in the world, with very limited treatment options and poor treatment results. At present, there is no effective treatment for patients with liver cancer recurrence after liver transplantation.
LioCyx ™ was developed by Professor Anto nio Bertoletti, the scientific founder of Lion TCR and a world-renowned HBV liver cancer clinical scientist. In Singapore and China, some LioCyx ™ trials sponsored by researchers have shown good safety and encouraging efficacy. Dr. Victor Li Lietao, founder and CEO of Lion TCR, said: “We are very pleased that the Phase I / II clinical trial of LioCyx ™ has been approved. LioCyx ™ is Singapore ’s first TCR-T cell therapy for liver cancer. HSA Singapore We have been reviewing our innovative immunotherapy clinical trial applications very efficiently, transparently and professionally. “
Recruitment of patients for Phase I / II clinical trials will begin at the National University of Singapore Hospital (NUH). Lion TCR plans to include Singapore and China medical centers in the trial.
