GC Cell Joins US Biden Administration's Cancer Moonshot Project Led to Conquer Cancer

GC Cell (GCsel) announced on the 25th that it will participate in the U.S. Biden administration's cancer conquest project, 'Cancer Moonshot,' and collaborate with CancerX members.

GC Cell English and Korean logos.
Photo by GC Cell

Cancer Moonshot is a cancer conquest project promoted by the U.S. Biden administration aiming to accelerate research and development in the cancer field and reduce cancer patient mortality by more than 50% within the next 25 years. In February, CancerX, a public-private partnership led by the Moffitt Cancer Center and the Digital Medicine Society, was established to promote Cancer Moonshot.

CancerX includes multinational pharmaceutical companies such as Johnson & Johnson (J&J), AstraZeneca (AZ), and Takeda, as well as medical institutions like MD Anderson, Mayo Clinic, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Digital healthcare companies such as Intel, Amazon, and Oracle are also collaborating in various fields including artificial intelligence (AI), diagnostics, and genomic analysis with the goal of conquering cancer. Becoming a CancerX member allows for mutual real-time communication and participation in regular online and offline monthly meetings to facilitate collaboration.

GC Cell is researching and developing cell and gene therapies (CGT) and has commercialized the autologous T-cell therapy 'ImmunCell-LC Injection,' approved as a post-surgical treatment for liver cancer in Korea since 2007, treating over 9,000 cumulative patients. The company plans to share this experience and data with CancerX members.

Additionally, GC Cell is conducting clinical trials for natural killer (NK) cell therapies and has a related company, Bioscentric, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in CGT, located not only in Korea but also in New Jersey, USA. Through this, GC Cell explains that it can share integrated capabilities and perspectives on cell therapies.

Recently, GC Cell is simultaneously advancing clinical trials in Korea and Australia for the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-NK cell therapy 'AB-201.' Upon clinical approval, it is expected to become the first domestic company to enter clinical trials for allogeneic CAR-NK cell therapies. AB-201 is an 'off-the-shelf' (standardized, ready-made), cryopreservable CGT targeting solid tumors such as HER2-overexpressing breast and gastric cancers.

Through participation in Cancer Moonshot, GC Cell aims to highlight the importance and potential of cell therapies in cancer treatment. Furthermore, based on active exchanges with global digital healthcare and AI companies, the company expects to accumulate diverse experiences and knowledge and achieve open innovation through strategic collaboration.

James Park, CEO of GC Cell, said, "Participation in Cancer Moonshot and CancerX will expand opportunities to establish various joint research and cooperation systems with global companies, and GC Cell's NK cell therapy is gaining attention as a new modality for cancer treatment." He added, "We are very pleased to contribute to projects that can meaningfully change the lives of many patients and families by sharing GC Cell's diverse CGT-related capabilities with global partners through this opportunity."

Smit Patel, Vice President of the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe), stated, "We are honored to collaborate with GC Cell to achieve CancerX's goals. Participation from various industries, including digital innovation, is crucial to winning the fight against cancer, and ultimately, such collaborations will maximize the impact on individuals' cancer journeys."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.