BTI in the News

New Singapore mRNA Facility Aims to Automate Manufacturing, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News
20-Nov-2024

A*STAR has launched Asia’s first mRNA BioFoundry dedicated to advancing nucleic acid therapeutics in Singapore. Dr Koh Boon Tong, ED BTI and NATi, highlighted that the facility is Asia's first non-GMP facility of its kind, offering a scalable, automated platform for early-stage research and preclinical development. It incorporates advanced technologies to streamline mRNA production, purification, and encapsulation into lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) with minimal human intervention.

Located at A*STAR BTI and open to both public and private sector researchers, the BioFoundry leverages A*STAR’s global partnerships, including the Wellcome Leap R3 network, to integrate AI-driven innovations for enhanced mRNA design and analytics. This initiative aims to strengthen Singapore’s position in the rapidly expanding mRNA sector.

Singapore: Pioneering the Future of mRNA Technology, OpenGov Asia
11-Nov-2024

A*STAR has launched the non-GMP NATi mRNA BioFoundry at its Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI). The facility aims to transform mRNA manufacturing and research and make Singapore a central hub for innovation. The NATi mRNA BioFoundry is part of the US$97 million Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Initiative (NATi). Supported by global partners like Wellcome Leap, the facility aims to position Singapore at the forefront of mRNA production, driving future innovations in RNA-based vaccines, cancer treatments, and other therapies. Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng said that the BioFoundry is a critical step towards realising RNA therapies that are developed and manufactured locally, boosting Singapore’s ambition to be a biomedical innovation hub.

Dr Koh Boon Tong, Executive Director of A*STAR BTI and NATi, said: “Automated mRNA manufacturing has enhanced productivity and reduced costs, accelerating breakthroughs in research and commercialisation, positioning Singapore as a leader in nucleic acid drug development.”

Ring Therapeutics Announces New Strategic Partnerships with A*STAR and SERI to Establish Gene Therapy R&D Efforts in Singapore, a Growing Global Biotech Hub, BioSpace
05-Nov-2024

Ring Therapeutics, a life sciences company, announced a new strategic partnership with A*STAR and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) to advance innovative R&D efforts and support the continued development of the biomedical science ecosystem in the region. The partnership will accelerate the creation of new potential treatments for eye diseases and cancer, and improve the methods and technologies needed to produce these treatments. The collaboration will bring together synergistic expertise in scale-up manufacturing and capabilities for continued advancements of scientific breakthroughs and technological development in the region.

Professor Tan Sze Wee, Assistant Chief Executive (BMRC) at A*STAR, said that this collaboration holds great promise for translating groundbreaking discoveries into impactful therapeutic solutions for patients. He added that this strategic fit will foster continued scientific collaboration and inspire advanced R&D development within the Singapore biotech ecosystem.

New mRNA production facility paves way for pandemic preparedness, The Straits Times
05-Nov-2024

A*STAR’s Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Initiative (NATi) officially launched the NATi mRNA BioFoundry on 4 November. This cutting-edge mRNA production laboratory can rapidly produce materials for pre-clinical or animal studies, enabling a swift response to future pandemics, as well as the development of drugs for cancer and other diseases. The technology platform supports the production of high-quality pre-clinical materials for testing mRNA drugs targeting cancer, eye infections, cardiovascular diseases, and other illnesses. This facility forms part of the $97 million NATi programme announced by Second Minister for Trade and Industry Dr Tan See Leng during the 2024 parliamentary debate on the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s budget.

Singapore Advances mRNA Manufacturing Capabilities with Opening of non-GMP NATi mRNA BioFoundry
04-Nov-2024

The Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Initiative (NATi), a national platform hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), officially launched the non-GMP NATi mRNA BioFoundry today. Located at the A*STAR Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), this state-of-the-art facility marks a significant milestone in Singapore’s efforts to build self-reliance in mRNA technology and strengthen the country’s position in nucleic acid therapeutics.

Officiating the launch, Second Minister for Trade and Industry Dr Tan See Leng highlighted the facility’s impact: “The NATi mRNA BioFoundry will position Singapore at the forefront of mRNA manufacturing, providing critical infrastructure to support nucleic acid therapeutics research and production. This marks an important first step towards realising RNA therapies that are not only discovered but also manufactured right here in Singapore, contributing to our ambition of becoming a leading hub for biomedical innovation.”

SCG Cell Therapy and A*STAR launch joint labs to advance iPSC technology for cellular immunotherapies, BioSpace
17-Apr-2024

SCG Cell Therapy and A*STAR announced the launch of joint laboratories for cellular immunotherapies with a combined funding of close to S$30 million supported under Singapore's RIE2025 Plan. The collaboration aims to advance the development of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology to produce novel cell therapies that meet Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and to establish a talent development programme to train the next generation of experts in this field.

A*STAR BTI’s Executive Director Prof Koh Boon Tong highlighted that the discovery of iPSCs has revolutionised regenerative medicine, offering the potential for standardised, off-the-shelf cell therapies. Through this collaboration, the joint labs will leverage the complementary expertise and resources of SCG Cell Therapy and ASTAR to accelerate the translation of iPSC research into clinically viable therapies, strengthen Singapore's position as a global leader in cell therapy innovation, and serve as a platform for nurturing the next generation of talent in this transformative field.

SCG Cell Therapy and A*STAR Launch Joint Labs with Collaboration Nearing S$30 million to Advance iPSC Technology towards Scalable GMP Manufacturing of Cellular Immunotherapies
17-Apr-2024

SCG Cell Therapy and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research announced the launch of joint laboratories for cellular immunotherapies. This collaboration, at a combined funding of close to S$30 million supported under Singapore’s Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 Plan, aims to advance the development of induced pluripotent stem cell technology to produce novel cell therapies that meet Good Manufacturing Practice standards. The collaboration will also establish a talent development programme to train the next generation of experts in this field, in accordance with current GMP and regulatory requirements.

SMART researchers pioneer novel method to optimise bone marrow stem cell extraction for advanced cell therapies, Medical Xpress
15-Nov-2023

Researchers from the Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalised Medicine (CAMP) Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) of the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), in collaboration with A*STAR's Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) and the National University Health System (NUHS), have developed a groundbreaking technology capable of extracting mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) directly from pure bone marrow, also known as bone marrow aspirate (BMA), a pivotal source of MSCs, without dilution.

A*STAR’s BTI performed the conventional MSC isolation method which CAMP’s technology was benchmarked against. Using Deterministic Lateral Displacement (DLD) microfluidic technology, a label-free cell sorting method which distinguishes between stem cells and blood cells, the platform processed small bone marrow samples (2.5mL) in just 20 minutes with double the stem cell yield compared to traditional methods, and bypasses costly reagents and complex processes. This advancement represents a significant step toward more accessible and efficient advanced medical treatments that use MSCs—including treatment for osteoarthritis, autoimmune and infectious diseases, and neurological disorders.

Mirxes receives US FDA's breakthrough device designation for blood-based cancer detection test, BioSpectrum Asia
12-Aug-2023

A*STAR spinoff and ribonucleic acid (RNA) technology startup, Mirxes Pte Ltd, has announced that its flagship product GASTROClearTM, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based in vitro diagnostic test for early detection of gastric (stomach) cancer, has been granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Globally, this marks the first time that a blood microRNA (miRNA) test, an in vitro diagnostic (IVD) test for early detection of gastric cancer, and a molecular in vitro diagnostic test developed in Southeast Asia have received a Breakthrough Device Designation from the US FDA. Launched in 2019, GASTROClearTM was developed and manufactured in Singapore through a seven-year public-private partnership by physicians and scientists at A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Diagnostics Development Hub (DxD Hub), the Singapore Gastric Cancer Consortium (SGCC), the National University of Singapore (NUS), the National University Hospital (NUH), Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), and Mirxes.

A*STAR, Hilleman Laboratories to jointly study new tech to develop Nipah virus vaccine, The Straits Times
30-May-2023

Vaccine research organisation Hilleman Laboratories has announced a collaboration with A*STAR to study the use of novel circular ribonucleic acid (circRNA) technology to develop a Nipah virus vaccine. The research project will examine the viability of a circRNA vaccine, allowing for a faster response to an outbreak. Researchers from Hilleman Laboratories and A*STAR’s Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) as well as Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) will design and test different circRNA constructs to prove that the technology can work as a vaccine precursor. The study will also look at whether circRNA provides a better and longer-lasting immune response, as well as whether there is less need for booster doses using the technology than with current commercial mRNA vaccines.

Professor Ng Huck Hui, Assistant Chief Executive of A*STAR’s Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) said that said the technology could address storage and cost challenges facing distribution, enhancing Singapore’s preparedness against future pandemics.

First made-in-Singapore drug that targets cancer cells approved for US clinical trials, Channel News Asia
7-Jan-2023

Singapore’s drug discovery efforts reached a new milestone as EBC-129, the first made-in-Singapore antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that can selectively target cancer cells across a range of solid tumours, was cleared by the US FDA to progress into first-in-human studies and clinical development. The ADC and the test to be used for patient selection were discovered and developed through the collaborative efforts of A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) and Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), the Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), and the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS).

Dr Andre Choo, Deputy Executive Director at BTI and Dr Veronica Diermayr, Asset Development Leader at EDDC were interviewed live on CNA Singapore Tonight to share more about the ADC, its developmental process, and the next steps for the team.

AI: Tremendous Potential to Transform Bioprocessing Efficiencies, BioSpectrum Asia
6-Jan-2023

This is an opinion piece about how the biopharma manufacturing industry has started embracing Bioprocessing 4.0 solutions like intelligent automation to enable the industry’s unprecedented growth. For instance, US-based instrumentation company Waters Corporation partnered with A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) in 2021 to advance structural analysis and annotation of complex biomolecules using advanced bioinformatics and ML.

First Made-in-Singapore Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) Approved to Enter Clinical Trials, Channel News Asia
5-Jan-2023

Singapore’s drug discovery efforts reached a new milestone as EBC-129, the first made-in-Singapore antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that can selectively target cancer cells across a range of solid tumours, was cleared by the US FDA to progress into first-in-human studies and clinical development. The ADC and the test to be used for patient selection were discovered and developed through the collaborative efforts of A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) and Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), the Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), and the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS).

Professor Damian O’Connell, CEO of EDDC, called the ADC a milestone for Singapore. Approvals will be sought from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and relevant ethics boards for the trial to open to patients in Singapore through the NCCS and National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS).

Dr Andre Choo, Deputy Executive Director at BTI and Dr Veronica Diermayr, Asset Development Leader at EDDC were interviewed live on CNA Singapore Tonight to share more about the ADC, its developmental process, and the next steps for the team.

First Made-in-Singapore Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) Approved to Enter Clinical Trials
4-Jan-2023

Approval has been obtained from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct the first-in-human trial for EBC-129 in patients with solid tumours. EBC-129 is the first made-in-Singapore antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that is entering clinical development. It is able to selectively target cancer cells across a range of solid tumours. The ADC and the test to be used for patient selection were discovered and developed through the collaborative efforts of A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute and Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, the Experimental Drug Development Centre, and the National Cancer Centre Singapore.

A*STAR and RVAC Medicines to set up joint lab to develop mRNA vaccines, The Business Times
22-Nov-2022

A*STAR and mRNA platform firm RVAC Medicines have signed a master research collaboration agreement to build capabilities to manufacture mRNA vaccines in Singapore. Under the agreement, they will set up a joint laboratory at A*STAR's Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) to develop a preclinical manufacturing platform to generate novel raw materials and potentially clinical-grade assets.

"A*STAR’s multidisciplinary R&D capabilities in infectious diseases, artificial intelligence, analytics and protein engineering, coupled with RVAC’s expertise, will advance the development of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics and contribute to better health outcomes for Singapore and beyond,” said Prof Ng Huck Hui, assistant chief executive of A*STAR’s Biomedical Research Council.

RVAC Medicines and A*STAR to Build Capabilities for mRNA Production in Singapore
21-Nov-2022

RVAC Medicines Pte. Ltd. (RVAC), a messenger RNA (mRNA) technology platform company incubated by CBC Group, a healthcare-dedicated asset management firm headquartered in Singapore, and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) today announced the signing of a master research collaboration agreement to jointly study and develop solutions to build mRNA manufacturing and analytics capabilities in Singapore.

With this collaboration, RVAC and A*STAR will set up a joint laboratory based at A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) to develop a preclinical manufacturing platform, which will facilitate the generation of novel raw materials and potentially clinical-grade assets for the development of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics targeting infectious diseases and other conditions with unmet needs.

Singapore: Using an AI/ML Approach to Meat and Seafood Production, OpenGov Asia
24-Jun-2022

The CentRe of Innovation for Sustainable banking and Production of Cultivated Meats (CRISP Meats), a multi-institutional research programme by A*STAR and its partners address the difficulties faced by businesses in accelerating the development and production of cultivated meat and seafood through public-private partnerships.

Dr Ng Say Kong, Principal Scientist and Co-Director of CRISP Meats, said that the use of animal serum in the manufacturing process and high costs of culture media are key contributors to the challenging commercial viability of bringing cultivated meat and seafood products to the general population. The programme is made to address the demands of the cultivated meat and seafood business, from the isolation and documentation of cell lines to the development of novel bioprocesses and animal serum-free growing mediums. It also addresses the high cost of animal serum and cell culture media. They use cutting-edge technology to determine the metabolic needs of cells from various species to accelerate their growth rate, and artificial intelligence and machine learning modelling (AI/ML) techniques to speed up the media formulation process.

Sixteen labs from A*STAR, Singapore Institute of Technology, and National University of Singapore are involved in CRISP Meats. The research teams focus on local seafood, fish, and premium chicken breeds to identify cell lines from food species that cater to Asian palates.

The Future of Biomanufacturing: How Technologies for Biologics Production can be used to Grow Food, A*STAR News
22-Jun-2022

Dr Ng Say Kong grows animal cells to develop antibody therapeutics that can be used to treat diseases like arthritis and cancers. He also leads a group that specialises in animal cell culture media development and upstream bioreactor process development.

Dr Tan, who leads the Immune Cell Manufacturing group at BTI, works on deriving cells from premium seafood species such as abalone and tiger prawn, as part of the CRISP Meats programme, by cross-applying his knowledge of isolating primary cells from mammalian sources.

Dr Ng and Dr Tan both co-lead a multi-disciplinary team for CRISP Meats, which aims to develop novel technologies for cost-effective manufacturing of cultivated meat and seafood. CRISP Meats was funded by the Singapore Food Story Grant Call on Future Foods in 2021 and administered by A*STAR, in collaboration with the Singapore Institute of Technology and the National University of Singapore. The aim is to support Singapore’s national agenda towards strengthening the country’s food supply resilience.

Serving Up Cultivated Meat and Seafood for Singapore, A*STAR News
22-Jun-2022

CRISP Meats, a multi-institutional research programme by A*STAR and partners addresses the challenges faced by industry to accelerate the development and production of cultivated meat and seafood through public-private partnerships.

The fresh catch of the day coming to a restaurant near you could soon be lab-grown fish, according to A*STAR and Avant Meats. A newly established joint research laboratory between A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute and Hong Kong’s Avant Meats is looking to enable cost-effective, food-grade production of cultivated fish in Singapore, by optimising scalable production of cultivated fish cells. The joint lab is part of a vibrant alternative protein ecosystem that has emerged locally.

Hong Kong cell-cultured seafood start-up Avant Meats raises $10.8m, Asian Nikkei Review
22-Jun-2022

Cell-based seafood producer Avant Meats has secured $10.8 million in a Series A funding round led by S2G Ventures. S2G Ventures, which typically invests in companies specialising in the food, agriculture, ocean, and clean energy sectors, has invested $5 million in Avant Meats, according to its filings with Singapore's Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA).

Avant is looking to produce traceable and sustainably cultivated proteins in a fully contained environment for consumption, skincare and functional applications. In line with this, the company joined hands with the Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) under A*STAR last year to scale up its proprietary process for producing cost-effective food-grade cultivated fish.

WuXi Advanced Therapies and A*STAR announce partnership to advance cell and gene therapy in the Asia-Pacific region, Biospace
28-Apr-2022

WuXi Advanced Therapies (WuXi ATU), a wholly owned subsidiary of WuXi AppTec, and A*STAR's Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), announced a new partnership to bring WuXi ATU's proprietary Tetracycline-Enabled Self-Silencing Adenovirus (TESSA™) technology to the Asia-Pacific region. This partnership aims to foster scientific innovation in cell and gene therapy, and establish a joint professional development programme to train and develop the next generation of scientists and engineers in GMP manufacturing for the cell and gene therapy industry.

Dr Koh Boon Tong, Executive Director of A*STAR's BTI said that with BTI's extensive experience in bioprocessing science and engineering, they are excited to collaborate with WuXi ATU in the area of advanced cell and gene therapy and further R&D together, adding that this is a significant step towards Singapore's goal to be an innovative biotherapeutics bioprocessing R&D hub.

WuXi Advanced Therapies and A*STAR announce partnership to advance cell and gene therapy in the Asia-Pacific region
28-Apr-2022

WuXi Advanced Therapies (WuXi ATU), a wholly owned subsidiary of WuXi AppTec, and A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), announced a new partnership to bring WuXi ATU’s proprietary Tetracycline-Enabled Self-Silencing Adenovirus (TESSA™) technology to the Asia-Pacific region. This partnership aims to foster scientific innovation in cell and gene therapy, and establish a joint professional development programme to train and develop the next generation of scientists and engineers in GMP manufacturing for the cell and gene therapy industry.

SCG Cell Therapy and A*STAR’s BTI Collaborate to Advance Antibody Development for Infectious Diseases and Cancer Treatments
10-Mar-2022

Singapore-based SCG Cell Therapy Pte Ltd (“SCG”), a leading biotechnology company, has signed a collaboration agreement with A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) to advance the development of multi-specific antibodies.

The collaboration will leverage BTI’s multi-specific antibody technology platform and SCG’s product development expertise for novel therapeutic antibody screening and Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control (CMC) process development to discover new treatment candidates for infectious diseases and related cancers, particularly the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human papillomavirus (HPV). Such treatments could complement and augment existing drugs and result in more effective, safer and affordable treatments for patients.