Advancing Oligonucleotide & Peptide Therapeutics from Clinical R&D to Manufacturing in Asia

Janya Grainok holds a PhD in Biomedical Science, a Master’s in Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology. Her background includes specialised training in RNA therapeutics and cancer immunotherapy, and her PhD research contributed to establishing PYC’s first drug development program for RP11.

Janya has broad expertise in antisense oligonucleotides and their application in developing molecular therapies for unmet medical needs. She leads a team of scientists advancing PYC’s drug development programs.

Ryuichi Morishita, M.D., Ph.D., graduated Osaka University Medical School in 1987, and received Ph. D. from Osaka University in 1991. After following postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University School of Medicine, he served as an Assistant Professor, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Osaka University Medical School from 1994 to 1998. Then, from 1998 to 2003, he was Associate Professor, Division of Gene Therapy Science, Osaka University Medical School. Then, he became Professor & Chairman of Division of Clinical Gene Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University Medical School from 2003 to present.

Professor Dr Chin Sze Piaw is the co-founder of Cytopeutics, a biotech company in Malaysia that is spearheading research in cell and gene therapy products. Prof Chin and Cytopeutics were the first in Malaysia to be awarded the CTX license for stem cell manufacturing for clinical investigational use under Malaysia’s strict Cell and Gene Therapy Products (CGTP) regulations and the only group to have successfully passed Phase 2 screening for CGTP registration. Prof Chin and his team have successfully completed 6 randomized controlled clinical trials including a First-In-Human safety study, severe stroke, heart failure, osteoarthritis and acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) with other multicenter trials currently underway (wound healing, diabetes and colorectal cancer). Prof Chin has over 60 full-paper publications in international peer-reviewed journals and has received numerous government grants for his research. He also holds 3 US and 9 Malaysia patents and was recently nominated by the MOSTI and MOE for the UNESCO Life Science Researcher’s award for his pioneering work on secretomes. Prof Chin is also the first Asian recipient of the major global International Society for Cell Therapy (ISCT) award from the International Society for Cell Therapy.

Biography - A leader with 20+ years of experience in aseptic manufacturing and quality excellence, inspiring innovation and continuous improvement in the pharmaceutical industry.

I bring over 20 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical industry, specializing in Quality functions, Commissioning & Qualification, and Formulation Development. My career has focused on aseptic manufacturing of bulk and final fill operations, where I have successfully led the setup of new facilities, managed regulatory audits, and driven technology transfers across diverse dosage forms. I am passionate about operational excellence, digital innovation, and continuous improvement—transforming complex challenges into opportunities for growth. Over the years, I have guided teams through critical projects that strengthened compliance, enhanced efficiency, and elevated standards in manufacturing.

As I share my journey, my goal is not only to highlight the importance of quality and innovation but also to inspire the next generation of professionals to embrace excellence, adaptability, and a forward-looking mindset in shaping the future of our industry.

Chimeric Therapeutics CEO Dr Rebecca McQualter joined the Company in May 2024, bringing senior experience from a range of big pharma roles. Dr McQualter holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine from Monash University. Dr McQualter has an extensive commercial career with exposure to many aspects of international pharmaceutical operations. This included as the Head of Strategic Access at Novartis Australia, where Dr McQualter developed new commercial partnerships, built external networks spanning policy makers, research institutes and NGOs, and engaged with federal and state government, trade associations and other stakeholders to implement policy and process improvements. Other previous roles include Country Medical Head for Bioverativ ANZ, a $5 billion Biogen spinout focusing on rare diseases, and leadership roles at Amgen and GSK.

Dr. Seokjoong Kim is the Chief Strategy Officer at GenEdit, leading platform development, portfolio strategy, and partnerships across genome medicine. He previously served as Executive Director at ToolGen, where he oversaw genome editing R&D programs, strategic alliances, and major licensing deals. With a background spanning CRISPR, non-viral delivery platforms, and translational immunology, he has built multidisciplinary programs from early discovery to clinical planning. Dr. Kim received his Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine from the University of Texas Health Science Center and began his genome editing research at Seoul National University. He works at the intersection of science, strategy, and innovation.

Wonil Kim, Ph.D., is Chief Scientific Officer at Aston Sci, Inc., where he leads the development of mRNA-based vaccines for oncology and infectious diseases using the AI-driven Th-Vac® platform. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics from the University of Minnesota and completed postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard Medical School and the NIH. Dr. Kim has served as a Staff Scientist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, where he pioneered cancer biology programs, and has held senior R&D positions at GeneOne Life Science and Cyrus Therapeutics. He is recognized for his expertise in mRNA vaccine design and cancer immunology.

Dr. H. Fai Poon is a distinguished leader in the biopharmaceutical industry, currently serving as the CEO of Sirnaomics. His impressive career includes founding Quacell, which was later acquired by Lepure, and holding key positions at Hisun Biopharm, Merck (SAFC), and the Roskamp Institute in the USA. Dr. Poon's academic credentials are equally notable, with a Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from the University of Kentucky and an MBA from the University of South Florida.

With extensive experience in biological therapeutics, analytical research, bioinformatics and proteomics, Dr. Poon has over a decade of expertise in cell culture, particularly focusing on biopharmaceutical products. His scholarly contributions are substantial, having published more than 30 peer-reviewed articles and contributing to over 5 book chapters.

Dr. Poon's influence extends to the editorial realm, where he serves as the managing editor for a biomedical and pharmacology journal, and as an associate editor for the Journal of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology, as well as the Journal of Bioinformatics and Biometrics. His leadership and expertise continue to drive innovation and excellence in the field of RNA therapeutics and beyond.

Dr. Xian Zeng, the Co-Founder and CEO of Byterna Therapeutics, leads this enterprising startup at the vanguard of groundbreaking circular mRNA-based immunotherapies.

Holding a PhD in pharmaceutical science from the National University of Singapore, he previously served as Associate Professor at Fudan University School of Pharmacy, spearheading interdisciplinary research in AI-empowered mRNA drug discovery.

Under his visionary leadership, Byterna is pioneering SEAA (Safe, Effective, Accessible, Affordable) in vivo CAR-T therapies for global patients, leveraging proprietary circular mRNA platforms and targeted delivery systems.

Jin Li is Head of the Research Department at CanSino (Shanghai) Biological Research Co., Ltd., where she leads research and development in mRNA vaccine and therapeutic innovation. She graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Biomedical Engineering, and has over nine years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Jin has been with CanSino for eight years, and was among the first scientists in China to enter the mRNA vaccine field, playing a foundational role in building the company’s mRNA R&D capabilities from the ground up.

She was the chief designer of CanSino’s monovalent and bivalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, CS-2034 and CS-2602. Both candidates received IND approvals and successfully completed five clinical trials, demonstrating strong safety profiles, robust immunogenicity, and protective efficacy.

Currently, her focus includes the development of inhalable mRNA vaccines, as well as expansion into prophylactic and therapeutic human vaccines, veterinary vaccines, and mRNA-based therapeutic products. She is also spearheading innovation in self-amplifying RNA platforms and the ISL-3C-LNP delivery system, with the goal of improving expression efficiency, safety, and immune response.

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Nori Shiraishi is Chief Scientific Officer at NANO MRNA Co., Ltd., where he leads research and development (R&D) of mRNA therapeutics. He focuses on establishing a robust pipeline by combining internal research with external collaborations with academia, venture companies, and pharmaceutical companies. Prior to joining NANO MRNA Co., Ltd., he served in senior management roles in corporate planning at Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., and as global clinical project lead for multiple programs in global clinical drug development, including low molecular weight compounds, antibodies, and other biologics, across oncology, hematology, and nephrology. His research background covers microbiology, bioinformatics, and molecular biology.

Dr. Chuang earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology from Cornell University. In 2023, he joined Immunwork to lead the clinical development of TE-8214 (a therapeutic candidate for neuroendocrine tumors) and TE-8105 (a therapeutic candidate for weight management). At Immunwork, he successfully completed the first-in-human clinical trials of TE-8214 and TE-8105 in Australia, demonstrating preliminary safety and efficacy, and is currently advancing both programs into Phase II clinical trials.

Dr. Zhao is among the first class graduate graduating class from Biological Science and Biotechnology department at Tsinghua University in 1990. He received his Ph.D in molecular biology from University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and MBA from University of Chicago in the United States. Dr. Zhao was a senior manager at Pfizer in US. After returning to China in 2003, he founded Beijing LongMed Inc. and later became partner of CASH and C-Bridge Capital. Dr. Zhao has over 30 years of industry experience and excellent investment achievements, invested in Innovent, BerryGenomics, ASLETIS, I-Mab, Laekna and GKHT. Dr. Zhao is the founding Chairman of Tsinghua Alumni Association for School of Life Sciences, School of Medicine and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, a senior member of BayHelix group. AnlongMed is a leading venture fund in Chinese life sciences and Biotech, focusing on biotech & biopharma, medical devices, life sciences and medical services in China. Dr. Zhao also founded AnlongBio in 2019, a leading player in genetic medicine discovery in China, focusing on gene therapy, iRNA, mRNA, and other genetic medicines, with a leading product in gene therapy for ophthalmology already in clinical stages. Outside of his professional life, Dr. Zhao is a DJ, soccer player, ski lover and has three lovely daughters.

Madhavan obtained his PhD at Jacobs University Bremen, Germany and completed postdoctoral research at Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands before moving to Singapore. Over more than 15 years at Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE, A*STAR) and as an Asst. Professor at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore, he pioneered polymersome (polymer/lipid nanoparticle) technology and translated it into a clinical platform.

Under his leadership, ACM Biolabs has built a diversified pipeline spanning vaccines, immuno-oncology and mRNA therapeutics.  The company’s first product, a second-generation COVID vaccine, successfully completed Phase 1 studies. ACM’s lead oncology program, ACM-CpG is in clinical development and leverages ACM’s nanoparticle delivery technology to fundamentally reshape the mechanism of action of well-established TLR-9 agonist for solid tumors. ACM is collaborating with CEPI to advance next-generation mRNA vaccines for global health and developing targeted mRNA therapeutics as a stable and flexible alternative to Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs).

Dr. Chang Jia-Ming is the Chairman and General Manager of Vacino Biomedical Co., Ltd. He obtained his Ph.D. from the Institute of Biochemistry, National Taiwan University School of Medicine in 1996.

Dr. Chang has held various key positions in Taiwan’s biomedical and regulatory sectors, including Executive Director of the Institute of Drug Platform Technology at the Biotechnology Development Center, and advisory member of the Genetically Modified Food Review Committee under the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW). He also serves on the Editorial Committee of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Standard-setting Committee of the National Bureau of Standards, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the TAF ISO Medical Laboratory Technical Review Committee.

In academia, Dr. Chang has contributed as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at several institutions, including the Institute of Pathology and Parasitology and the Institute of Medical Sciences at the National Defense Medical Center, as well as the Department of Applied Chemistry at National Chiao Tung University.

Dr. Horak brings more than 20 years of experience in the global pharmaceutical industry, predominantly focused on oncology drug development, and is a board-certified medical oncologist. Prior to funding Tikva Allocell, Dr. Horak was Head of Global R&D and Chief Scientific at Tessa Therapeutics, a mid-stage cell therapy company in Singapore. For eight years, he was Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Officer at Symphogen, a clinical-stage antibody company, and President of R&D at Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Horak has also held a number of senior research leadership positions in various pharmaceutical companies as well as at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health in US. During his career, Dr. Horak has advanced multiple oncology treatments into the clinic, and has successfully led a number of FDA new drug applications. 

Dr. Li Lietao (Victor) builds ventures that translate scientific discoveries into first-in-class immunotherapy clinical assets. He has led the BioIP Group since 2021.

Previously, as Founding CEO, he led the development of PIKA adjuvant vaccines and TCR/CAR-T cell therapies for viral infections and related cancers. Multiple lead assets have since advanced to Phase I and Phase III clinical trials.

Dr. Arvind K Jain is a Formulation Scientist with over 15 years of experience in nanomedicine, mRNA therapeutics, and advanced drug delivery systems. Currently working as DGM, R&D (mRNA Therapeutics) at Biological E. Limited, Hyderabad, leading formulation development for RNA therapeutic formulations, including LNPs. His work focuses on building RNA therapeutic platform capabilities, scaling up formulation processes, and supporting the establishment of state-of-the-art vaccine research/manufacturing facilities.

Before joining Biological E., Dr. Jain worked at Sun Pharma, India, for the development of oncology and ophthalmic products, focusing on complex injectables, liposomal and micellar formulations, and supporting technology transfer and regulatory filings for global markets.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Jain served as a Postdoctoral Scientist at the University of Oxford, where his research involved designing and developing targeted nanoparticulate systems for the intracellular delivery of therapeutic molecules such as mRNA, siRNA, and antibody fragments, focusing on cancer-related pathways. He also gained research experience as a Research Associate at IIT Kanpur, developing polymeric nanoparticles and electrosprayed microparticles for oral and cancer therapeutics. Dr. Jain holds a Ph.D. in Nanomedicine (Gene Delivery) from Queen’s University Belfast.

Prof Torresi (Qualifications: MBBS, B.Med.Sci, PhD microbiology, FRACP) has over 25 years of experience as a molecular virologist and infectious disease physician. He heads a virology research laboratory with research including work on SARS-CoV-2 and hepatitis C immunology and vaccine development, hepatitis B and C virology and pathogenesis, viral hepatitis induced liver cancer, dengue vaccines and influenza.

He has 190 publications including original papers, reviews, book chapters, books and 10 patents including 4 provisional and two PCT patents related to his vaccine platform. His works have 10968 citations and he has a h-Index of 54.

Successful grants for the past 10 years: In the past 10 years Professor Torresi has received research funding totalling $16.6 million ($9.5 million last 5 years) for basic research in SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, hepatitis B and C, dengue, novel vaccine platforms for enveloped viruses and clinical research in Travel Medicine through numerous funding bodies (NHMRC, MRFF, ARC, Australia-India Research Foundation, Australian Centre for Hepatitis and HIV Virology) and industry.

Current research focus: Prof Torresi’s current focus is on the development of virus like particle vaccines for complex enveloped RNA viruses using the AdaptiVax platform developed in his laboratory and progressing these vaccines to clinical trials and commercial manufacturing.

Mr. Vipul Doshi has been in pharmaceutical Industry from more than four decades with diverse leadership and operational expertise across development, manufacturing, R&D, GXP quality assurance (QA) and manufacturing operations (parenterals, solid dosage forms, biotechnology, transdermal, biologics and vaccines).

He has been leading the Quality and Regulatory affairs function in the Pharmaceutical Companies of high credentials. Throughout his career he has been providing passionate global leadership and pioneered in guiding the companies to meet the Global Regulatory, Quality Standards and Compliance requirements.

He has been a Great Contributor in developing and implementing Quality attributes and Culture of Excellence based upon a set of core values and ethical practices, which integrate and improve business operations and enhance the compliance within the Organization.

Dr. Volker Patzel is a German chemist who earned his degree in biochemistry from the Technical University of Darmstadt. He completed his Ph.D. at the Ruprecht Karls University Heidelberg and later obtained an MBA from the Steinbeis University Berlin. He conducted postdoctoral research at the German Cancer Research Center before leading a research group at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology. In 2009, he joined the National University of Singapore through the NUS-Cambridge Scheme. Dr. Patzel has filed 16 patent families and authored more than 50 publications. He is the founder of the Steinbeis Transfer Centre for Nucleic Acids Design and AVECRIS Pte Ltd. His research focuses on RNA-based therapeutics and vaccines, and he teaches RNA technologies, translational microbiology, and entrepreneurship.

A/Prof Bi has more than 30 years of research experience on protein/peptide analytics and proteomics. He is currently leading the protein analytics group at the Bioprocessing Technology Institute, working closely with industry partners to develop streamlined LC-MS technologies for modalities-independent biotherapeutics product quality attributes characterization, innovative process analytical technologies and online sensors for automated process parameters and product quality real-time monitoring. He has also been appointed as adjunct associate professor at Duke-NUS medical school for clinical proteomics since 2019 and Singapore Institute of Technology on food proteomics since 2023.

Dr Yasumasa Ota,have scientific background is primarily in biological research within Japanese pharmaceutical companies, focusing on areas such as microbial fermentation, molecular biology, and biotechnology engineering. Drawing on this experience, I successfully led biosimilar monoclonal antibody (mAb) research and development at my current company, Meiji.

In my current role as mRNA Technology Leader, I am responsible for the development and regulatory management of sa-mRNA vaccines in Japan.

Dr. Mohamed ElSayed is the Executive Director of NATi, where he previously served as its inaugural Chief Scientific Officer. He brings over 25 years of leadership experience across the pharmaceutical, biotech, and academic sectors. Prior to NATi, he was the Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at RVAC Medicines and formerly the Vice President of Biotechnology at Eli Lilly, where he led the development of oral biologics and mRNA platforms, advancing multiple assets from discovery to clinical proof-of-concept. He has also held senior roles at Abbvie, Samyang, and Guilford Pharmaceuticals, and was a tenured professor at the University of Michigan. Dr. ElSayed holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy from Cairo University and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Maryland. He completed his postdoctoral research at the University of Washington with fellowships from the National Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Andrew is the Founder and CEO of Loxegen which is developing a nanoparticle delivery system, primarily for pDNA. Andrew has more than a decade of experience in gene therapy, 25+ years' experience in law, finance and economics, including 10 years as a Partner of a leading corporate law firm. He has raised substantial capital across several projects. He is well connected in the cystic fibrosis community and is the parent of a child with cystic fibrosis.

A/Prof Tan leads the Immune Cell Manufacturing group at BTI, A*STAR which focuses on developing deep capabilities in lab- and bioreactor-scale processes including media optimisation to support the production of unmodified or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered allogeneic NK and gd T cells for cancer immunotherapy. This involved engineering feeder cells with immunostimulatory molecules and cytokines which promote the proliferation and anti-tumor potency of NK cells. He has filed several technology disclosures and previously led a joint laboratory with a local CDMO to establish scalable expansion of CAR virus-producing cells and CAR-T cells. His research has been supported by A*STAR, National Research Foundation, National Medical Research Council and industry funding where he led or co-led collaborative projects with biotechnology companies.

A/Prof Tan received his BSc and MSc in Physics from National University of Singapore (NUS) and PhD in Immunology from NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering under the A*STAR Graduate Scholarship. He then completed postdoctoral training in Immunogenomics at John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University before joining BTI as a research scientist. He was subsequently appointed Group Leader and currently serves as Adjunct Associate Professor with Food, Chemical and Biotechnology Cluster, Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT).

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David Haylock is a stem cell biologist who jointly pioneered mobilised blood stem cell transplantation and associated mobilisation strategies and apheresis procedures that are the basis for treatments of blood cell cancers and other diseases.

Haylock developed the concept of ex vivo expansion of haemopoietic stem cells to generate cells for therapy and, as Head of Experimental Cell Therapy at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, led Australia’s first clinical trial with GMP, ex vivo expanded CD34+ cells in the setting of repetitive high dose chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.

Haylock was appointed as the CSO of VivaZome Therapeutics in January 2018. In this role Haylock has developed a universal extracellular vesicle (EV) manufacturing process and a suite of analytics and potency assays for EV therapeutics.

Haylock has initiated and secured multiple collaborative partnerships with academic research groups, Australian SMEs and national and multinational biotech and pharma companies to evaluate a diverse range of technologies, materials, and assays for EV manufacture.