Recently, Henlius successfully held its first Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) meeting of 2024 in Shanghai, China. The gathering brought together leading experts in the fields of molecular and cellular biology, oncology, and immunology to discuss the latest scientific findings, industry practices, as well as Henlius' R&D strategy, technology platform and core innovative products.
The meeting was held in a hybrid format, incorporating both in-person and virtual participation. Henlius' SAB members including Professor Christopher Garcia, a leading expert of molecular and cellular physiology, and of structural biology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, members of the National Academy of Science and the National Academy of Medicine; Professor Alberto Mantovani, a renowned scholar researching inflammation-cancer connection, Scientific Director and Emeritus Professor at Humanitas Clinical and Research Center in Italy; Professor Kun-Liang Guan, a biochemist and cell biologist, Chair Professor at Westlake University College of Life Sciences, Ph.D. mentor now; Professor Yang-Xin Fu, an expert in the field of tumor targeting immunotherapies, Endowed Professor at Tsinghua University School of Medicine; Professor Lixin Zhang, Foreign Member of Academia Europaea, Director of National Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering at East China University of Science and Technology; Mr Qiyu Chen, Fosun Global Partner, Executive Director and Co-CEO of Fosun International; Dr Xingli Wang, Executive President of Fosun Pharma,Co-CEO of Innovative Medicines Division and CEO of Global Research and Development Center; Dr Xiang Li, CSO of Fosun Pharma Innovative Medicines Division, Co-President of Global Research and Development Center, along with Henlius management team members and scientists from Henlius' Global Innovation Center, attended the meeting.
The scientific advisors and Henlius’ scientists engaged in in-depth discussions regarding industry tends and novel approaches to oncology immunotherapy, inflammation-cancer treatment, and new strategy as well as cutting-edge technologies in the field of innovative treatments synthesis and manufacturing, the progress of projects that of high development priority, covering scientific rationale, competitive landscapes, the latest research data, and future plans. The SAB members also provided constructive feedback regarding the R&D layout and innovative strategy of Henlius.
Mr Jason Zhu, Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Henlius, remarked: "Henlius has transformed itself from a biosimilar-focused company to a two-wheel drive by investing more in innovation. We encourage more innovation and keep doing innovation mapping faster by building an innovation pool. With the support of our SAB scientists, we have gained new insights and scientific guidance that have fostered innovation and further strengthened our R&D pipeline." Dr. Yongqiang Shan, general manager of Henlius' Global Innovation Center, provided an overview and summary of the company's recent research progress and strategic ambitions. He said: "We look forward to working with our SAB team to accelerate the development of new therapies to treat unmet medical needs and to provide patients around the world with affordable and innovative drugs."
Mr Qiyu Chen, Fosun Global Partner, Executive Director and Co-CEO of Fosun International, was in attendence at the meeting. Speaking at the meeting, he said, "Over the past 15 years, Henlius has made significant strides in the industry with the mission of providing affordable innovative therapeutics for patients worldwide. To reinforce the company's commitment to excellence, we need to further promote differentiated innovation that meet unmet medical needs by leveraging the expertise of industry leaders. With additional insights and guidance from external advisors, we will boost our competencies in R&D capabilities and innovative pipeline, benefiting more patients with valuable products and contributing to the advancement of human health."
Focusing on unmet medical needs, Henlius coordinated its strategy of innovation from an international perspective, and established a world-class Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) composed of global renowned scientists to provide cutting-edge scientific concepts and valuable guidance to advance innovative layout of the company. Since its inception in 2018, the SAB has successfully held several meetings. Moving forward, Henlius will continue to focus on developing ground-breaking treatment solutions, enhancing its innovation capabilities and global presence in relevant areas, and ultimately benefiting more patients around the world.