GC Cell Joins U.S Cancer Moonshot Project

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Oct 24, 2023, 23:27 ET

Brining Expertise in NK Cell Therapy to Advance Efforts in Cancer Prevention, early detection, and treatment development

▶ New focus on NK cell therapy for conquering cancer

▶ GC Cell seizes the opportunity to share its cell gene therapy technology and capabilities globally

▶ Development of solid tumor and HER2-targeted CAR-NK cell therapy (AB-201) marks a groundbreaking milestone; Initiating clinical trials in Australia and Korea for the first-ever allogeneic CAR-NK cell therapy in South Korea.

YONGIN, South Korea, Oct. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GC Cell, led by CEO James Park, has announced its participation in CancerX, part of the U.S. Cancer Moonshot project. The Cancer Moonshot, an initiative by the Biden administration, aims to reduce cancer patient mortality rates by over 50% over the next 25 years. In February of this year, CancerX, a public-private collaboration led by the Moffitt Cancer Center and the Digital Medicine Society, was established to boost innovation in the fight against cancer as part of the reignited Cancer Moonshot.

CancerX boasts participation from multinational pharmaceutical companies such as Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, and Takeda, along with prestigious medical institutions like MD Anderson, Mayo Clinic, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Leading global IT companies, including Intel, Amazon, and Oracle, specializing in digital healthcare, AI, diagnostics, and genomics, also contribute to the ambitious goal of conquering cancer.

As a CancerX member, GC Cell gains access to real-time communication through community-based platforms and actively collaborates in monthly online/offline meetings, fostering opportunities for dynamic cooperation.

GC Cell is at the forefront of cell gene therapy (CGT) research and development. In Korea, the company has garnered extensive expertise by treating over 9,000 patients with the autologous T cell therapy "ImmunCell-LC", which received approval and commercialized as an adjuvant treatment for liver cancer since 2007, now be ready to share its extensive experience and data with members of Cancer X. Additionally, GC Cell is advancing clinical trials for NK cell therapy. With its affiliation, BioCentriq, a CGT-focused Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) in the U.S., GC Cell is well-positioned to share diverse capabilities and insights in cell therapy.

The recent simultaneous initiation of clinical trials for CAR-NK cell therapy 'AB-201' in Korea and Australia marks a historic moment as the first allogeneic (off-the-shelf) cell gene therapy in South Korea. AB-201, a freeze-preservable cell gene therapy, targets solid tumors like HER2-overexpressing breast and gastric cancers. By addressing the heterogeneity of solid tumors, this introduces a promising additional treatment option for cancer patients.

Through Cancer Moonshot participation, GC Cell aims to highlight the importance and potential of cell therapy in cancer treatment. The company anticipates acting as a dynamic platform for open innovation, engaging in exchanges with global digital healthcare and AI companies. This collaborative effort is envisioned to accumulate diverse experiences and knowledge but also culminate in substantive and strategic partnerships.

CEO James Park expressed his excitement, stating, "I am pleased to contribute to projects that can change the lives of many patients and their families. The Cancer Moonshot & CancerX provides an expanded opportunity to build diverse collaborative research and partnership frameworks with global companies."

"Multi-stakeholder collaboration is critical to harness the potential of digital innovation in the fight against cancer, and we're honored to partner with GC Cell to achieve the ambitious goals of CancerX," said Smit Patel, Associate Program Director at DiMe. "Through this impressive collaboration, we will establish best practices, build capacity, and demonstrate the impact of innovation on the life of every person on a cancer journey."

GC Cell has submitted plans for Phase 1 clinical trials of CAR-NK cell therapy 'AB-201' to the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and Australian Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) is awaiting the results.

About GC Cell

GC Cell is an integrated corporation created through the recent merger of Green Cross Labcell and Green Cross Cell, and is focusing on the development and production of treatments using immune cells and stem cells. In particular, it has a variety of pipelines for autologous and allogeneic cell therapies. It also has global competitiveness based on platform technology and experience throughout the entire period from the initial research stage to the commercialization stage.

GC Contacts (Media)

Sohee Kim
[email protected]

Yelin Jun
[email protected]

SOURCE GC Cell