Teijin and Hilleman Laboratories to Expand Business in Asia-Pacific via Strategic Partnership to Promote CDMO Services in Cell and Gene Therapy

SINGAPORE, Oct. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Teijin Limited and Hilleman Laboratories, a biotechnology company based in Singapore, announced today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, for the establishment of a strategic international business partnership. The goal of this partnership is to promote the expansion in contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) business in the field of cell and gene therapy.

Under this partnership, Teijin and Hilleman Laboratories will leverage their individual strengths to foster greater synergy for the development and manufacturing of cell and gene therapy products, and mutually advance CDMO business activities of respective parties.

The partnership was formed to strengthen support for Japanese customers aiming to expand into the Asia-Pacific region and to attract overseas customers from Singapore and surrounding areas to the Japanese market. Further, Teijin and Hilleman Laboratories share a vision for building a support system in Singapore for the development and manufacturing of cell and gene therapies.

In November 2023, Hilleman Laboratories launched its newest facility, a 30,000 square foot current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) pilot-scale plant. Building upon this, Teijin will support Hilleman Laboratories in the establishment of a cell processing center in Singapore for cell and gene therapy. Teijin's accumulated knowledge and experience in this field will be shared with Hilleman Laboratories.

"Teijin and Hilleman Laboratories are contributing to the provision of innovative medical care through manufacturing," said Takayuki Nakano, Ph.D., Mission Executive and General Manager, Regenerative Medicine & Implantable Medical Device Division of Teijin Limited. "And we will build a strong cooperation system for the cell and gene therapy CDMO business to provide more desirable development and manufacturing support services to customers in the Asia-Pacific region."

Teijin group will invest in facilities and human resources to meet customer needs, with a goal of generating JPY 20 billion in regenerative medicine sales by FY 2030. The partnership with Hilleman Laboratories will help achieve this goal.

"At Hilleman Laboratories, we are driven by our mission to deliver impactful healthcare solutions" said Raman Rao, Chief Executive Officer of Hilleman Laboratories. "This partnership with Teijin marks a significant milestone in Hilleman Laboratories' journey to expand our capabilities in bioprocessing. By combining our expertise with Teijin's leadership in regenerative medicine, we are pushing the boundaries of innovation to develop cutting-edge solutions. This collaboration opens new opportunities for innovation and growth, enabling us to meet the evolving needs of the global healthcare market and positioning Singapore as a hub for the next generation of advanced therapeutic products."

Demand for CDMO services in cell and gene therapies, including regenerative medicines, is rising due to heightened technical levels in manufacturing and greater specialization in manufacturing and development functions. The fast-growing regenerative medicine market in Japan is forecast to exceed JPY 850 billion in 2030. This trend is expected to result in a greater number of regenerative medicine products that originate outside Japan. For this reason, it is vital to create a system that connects development demand within and outside Japan.

Teijin has established a comprehensive CDMO platform that provides everything from product design to industrialization for regenerative medicine products, focusing on cell and gene therapy. This platform leverages the product launch experience, technical capabilities and knowledge of Japan Tissue Engineering Co., Ltd.(J-TEC), a Teijin Group company, and the advanced research, development and production system of Teijin Regenet Co., LTD.

Hilleman Laboratories, established in 2009 as a joint venture between Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC (MSD) and the Wellcome Trust, aims to make vaccines and biologics affordable in low- and middle-income countries.  Hilleman Laboratories operates a dual-feature development and manufacturing hub, which provides comprehensive end-to-end biopharmaceutical product development solutions, from concept to the pilot manufacturing of clinical trial materials (CTM) for phase I and II clinical studies.

About the Teijin Group
Teijin (TSE: 3401) is a technology-driven global group with two core businesses: high-performance materials and healthcare solutions. Established in 1918 as Japan's first rayon manufacturer, Teijin today comprises some 170 companies employing 20,000 people in 20 countries. Through "Human Chemistry, Human Solutions," Teijin relentlessly strives to aims to be a company that supports the society of the future by protecting the global environment and addressing the needs of people and communities. Teijin posted consolidated sales of JPY 1,032.8 billion (USD 6.6 billion) and total assets of JPY 1,251.0 billion (USD 8.0 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.

Visit www.teijin.com.

About the Hilleman Laboratories
Hilleman Laboratories was established in 2009 as a joint venture between Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC (MSD), a global research-driven pharmaceutical company, and Wellcome, a global charitable foundation dedicated to human and animal health. Hilleman Laboratories' mission is to develop affordable vaccines and biologics against infectious diseases that affect low- and middle-income countries.

The company's expertise in end-to-end product development is targeted at creating novel vaccines and biologics in areas of high unmet need as well as adapting existing vaccines and biologics with more effective delivery tools to meet challenging environments in developing countries. Hilleman Laboratories also seeks to collaborate with local, regional, and global partners and stakeholders, including policymakers and governments, to facilitate wider, affordable access to life-saving vaccines and biologics.

Visit www.hilleman-labs.org

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Teijin and Hilleman Laboratories to Expand Business in Asia-Pacific via Strategic Partnership to Promote CDMO Services in Cell and Gene Therapy

SHANGHAI, Oct. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2024 ESG Global Leaders Conference was held in Shanghai from October 16th to 18th. Ban Ki-moon, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia, attended and delivered a closing remarks.

The 2024 ESG Global Leaders Conference was co-hosted by CITIC Group and Sina Group, and organized by Sina Finance and CITIC Press. Kweichow Moutai served as the Chief Strategic Partner, while China Construction Bank and Great Wall Motors were Strategic Partners.

In his remarks, Ban Ki-moon highlighted essential pillars for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, starting with a people-centered approach and the importance of protecting the planet. "We are people living in this earth. We have the right to live in peace and harmony with a good health. This is the only planet, of course, there are some experiments to go to moon or Mars, etc., but nobody has been able to confirm that those places are the place where human being can live. So we have only one place in this universe. This is our planet Earth," he stated.

Peace, he emphasized, is another critical component. "If there is war, if there is political instability, can you continue to do business? Can people continue to receive education? How can we live a peaceful life? We must have peace," Ban Ki-moon said.

He also discussed the significance of partnerships for prosperity. Ban Ki-moon sees ESG as a vital partnership model, one where good governance inspires political leaders to foster collaboration among business, government, and society. "We have to join all our hands together. We must make sure that future generation, our young people should be able to live in peace, harmony, and in good health. This is what we have to do. That's our moral responsibility," he said, expressing his hope that future generations will be free from suffering, poverty, and preventable diseases, and will have equal access to education.

Ban Ki-moon also highlighted gender equality, calling for fair opportunities for women: "There must be an equal right and privileges and opportunities for women. That's what I did at the United Nations. I just wanted to make sure that women should be given equal opportunities politically, socially, economically, whatever equal like a man."

Turning to China, Ban Ki-moon acknowledged the country's influence, vast resources, and role in sustainable development. He praised the Belt and Road Initiative as "visionary," expressing his hope that China will fulfill its ambitious goals. He noted China's progress towards high-quality, low-energy consumption development as a model of sustainable and inclusive growth, serving as an example for the world. Ban Ki-moon also commended China's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, underscoring that such efforts prove ambitious climate goals are within reach and necessary for a cleaner future.

He concluded with a call to action, urging global cooperation to create a sustainable world, protect our planet, and secure a better future for generations to come.

Additionally, During the conference, Ban Ki-moon presented a gift of ginseng to Cai Lei, a renowned ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) fighter, serial entrepreneur, and former Vice President of JD.com.

Due to health reasons, Cai Lei could not attend the conference in person, so his wife, Duan Rui, accepted the gift on his behalf. In return, Duan Rui presented Ban Ki-moon with a piece of traditional Chinese porcelain, symbolizing Chinese culture.

Cai Lei shared his regret online for being unable to meet Ban Ki-moon in person, referencing an earlier live video conversation they had in January during the "China Economic Newsmakers and Entrepreneurs Night." He expressed how Ban Ki-moon's attention to the ALS cause was both inspiring and encouraging for him and other ALS patients.

He went on to thank Ban Ki-moon for his advocacy efforts with governments, research institutions, medical facilities, and charities worldwide, which have helped Cai's team build broader international collaborations.

Cai Lei also announced that he and his wife had donated an additional 100 million yuan earlier this year to support ALS-related research, drug development, and clinical treatment. He expressed hope for future collaboration with the Ban Ki-moon Centre and other international institutions, aiming to accelerate drug development and clinical trials to bring life-saving treatments to the 500,000 ALS patients and 300 million rare disease patients worldwide.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Ban Ki-moon Calls for Global Unity in Pursuit of Sustainable Development at 2024 ESG Global Leaders Conference

Ban Ki-moon Calls for Global Unity in Pursuit of Sustainable Development at 2024 ESG Global Leaders Conference

Ban Ki-moon Calls for Global Unity in Pursuit of Sustainable Development at 2024 ESG Global Leaders Conference

Ban Ki-moon Calls for Global Unity in Pursuit of Sustainable Development at 2024 ESG Global Leaders Conference