GEORGE TOWN, Malaysia, Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- UnionPay International, a global leader in payment solutions, is proud to announce a landmark partnership with the Penang Centre for Medical Tourism (P.MED) and StudyPENANG. This strategic collaboration reinforces UnionPay International's commitment to becoming the preferred payment solution for high-value transactions, particularly within the healthcare and education sectors.
In 2023, Malaysia's healthcare travel industry generated RM2.23 billion in revenue, with Penang attracting 50% of Indonesia's medical tourists. As part of this partnership, UnionPay International will enable medical tourists and healthcare service providers in Penang to benefit from their payment solutions, ensuring smooth, secure transactions for high-ticket size medical services.
UnionPay International's collaboration with local hospitals will also provide exclusive privileges for its cardholders, such as a dedicated customer helpline for personalized service, ensuring that tourists receive the highest level of care and convenience. Beyond hospital visits, UnionPay International recognizes that medical tourists often require additional services, such as hotel stays, meals, and leisure activities. To meet these needs, UnionPay International is working with various providers in Penang to offer a holistic experience, giving tourists access to a wide range of privileges and discounts on accommodations, food, and tourism services, ensuring a comfortable and memorable stay in Penang.
Penang has become a thriving hub for international students, attracting students from around the world due to its high-quality education institutions and diverse, multicultural environment. The largest groups of international students in Penang currently come from China's Mainland, Bangladesh, and Indonesia—markets where UnionPay International already has a strong presence.
Through this partnership, UnionPay International will leverage its extensive cardholder base to further enhance Penang's appeal as a preferred educational destination. By offering secure, efficient payment solutions, UnionPay International aims to simplify financial transactions for international students, whether they are paying tuition fees, managing daily living expenses, or engaging in cross-border transfers.
With UnionPay International's trusted payment network and strong market presence, the partnership will further position Penang as a top educational destination for international students, offering not only financial convenience but also exclusive privileges that enhance the overall student experience. This collaboration will empower Penang to attract even more international students, contributing to Malaysia's goal of hosting 250,000 international students by 2025.
UnionPay International's entry into Penang's healthcare and education markets aligns with its broader goal to become the preferred payment channel for tourists—especially for large-ticket expenditures such as medical and educational services. UnionPay International's secure, multi-channel payment solutions will provide both tourists and students with peace of mind when making high-value payments, offering enhanced security and convenience across the entire transaction journey.
By collaborating with key local service providers and institutions, UnionPay International aims to create an integrated experience for medical tourists and students, making Penang an even more attractive destination for those seeking high-quality healthcare and world-class education. As Malaysia continues to grow as a key player in both industries, UnionPay International's seamless payment solutions will be crucial in driving forward the state's global competitiveness.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
UnionPay International Partners with P.MED and StudyPENANG to Enhance Penang's Healthcare and Education Sectors, Strengthening its Position as the Preferred Payment Solution for International Tourists and Students
YANTAI, China, Jan. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On Janurary 7th, 2025, Annals of Oncology (IF: 56.7), a top oncology journal globally, published remarkable long-term follow-up results of a phase 1b/2 clinical trial on Disitamab Vedotin (DV) (developed by Remegen Co., Ltd) combined with Toripalimab in treating locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC) (NCT04264936, study ID: RC48-C014). This trial was supervised by Professor Jun Guo and Professor Xi'nan Sheng's teams from Peking University Cancer Hospital.
It is the first time that long-term follow-up data has been released for a HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) and PD-1 inhibitor combination therapy in treating la/mUC, marking it a significant milestone. The nearly-three-year follow-up data revealed an objective response rate (ORR) of 73.2% and median overall survival (OS) of 33.1 months, superior to data published from any other prospective clinical studies on ADC plus PD-1 combination therapies for la/mUC.
New Treatment Options for Patients with La/mUC
UC is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. GLOBOCAN 2022 estimated the year 2021 saw 614,298 new cases and 220,596 deaths of UC. In recent years, the prognosis for patients with la/mUC has significantly improved with new drugs and combination therapies approved, among which ADCs demonstrated outstanding potential.
As a HER2-targeted ADC, DV has been approved in China for patients with HER2-overexpressing (defined as immunohistochemistry [IHC] test results of 2+ or 3+) la/mUC previously treated with platinum-containing chemotherapy. The approval is based on the pooled results of two studies (NCT03507166 and NCT03809013, study IDs: RC48-C005 and RC48-C009) where the ORR registered 50.5% and the median duration of response (DOR) registered 7.3 months.
Multiple clinical studies on la/mUCin recent years have confirmed the synergistic antitumor effects of ADC combined with immunotherapy. NCT04264936 offered stronger evidence as its long-term follow-up results published in the Annals of Oncology demonstrated the high response rate, significant survival benefits, and manageable safety profile of the DV and Toripalimab combination therapy.
DV Combined with Toripalimab: High Response Rate and Prolonged Survival
NCT04264936 is an open-label, multicenter, investigator-initiated phase 1b/2 clinical trial investigating the safety and efficacy of DV in combination with Toripalimab for the treatment of patients with HER2-expressing la/mUC. The dose-escalation study (phase 1b) assessed two dose levels of DV (1.5 and 2.0 mg/kg) combined with Toripalimab (3.0 mg/kg) to determine the recommended phase 2 dose which was then evaluated in the dose-expansion stage (phase 2).
From August 2020 to December 2021, 41 patients were enrolled with a median age of 66 years. 53.7% of the participants were male, 70.7% had an ECOG performance status score of 1, 17 (41.5%) had lung metastasis, and 10 (24.4%) had liver metastasis.
As of March 1, 2024, among all participants, the ORR was 73.2% with 4 (9.8%) achieving complete response and 26 (63.4%) achieving partial response, the DCR was 90.2%, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 9.3 months, the median DOR was 8.6 months, the median OS was 33.1 months and the 36-month OS rate was 49.2%.
Subgroup analysis revealed ORR benefits across all subgroups regardless of the number of prior lines of systemic treatments, HER2 expression (IHC 1+/2+/3+), and PD-L1 expression status. The ORRs for chemotherapy-naïve patients and those who progressed on platinum-based chemotherapy were 76.0% (19/25) and 68.8% (11/16), respectively. The ORRs for patients with HER2 IHC 3+, 2+, 1+, or 0 were 80.0%, 84.2%, 64.3%, and 33.3%, respectively. Compared with the three HER2 IHC 0 participants (one of whom achieved partial response), those with HER2 expression (IHC 1+/2+/3+) had a higher ORR (76.3% vs 33.3%) and longer PFS (median PFS: 9.3 vs 1.7 months).
In summary, the DV and Toripalimab combination therapy has preliminarily demonstrated promising efficacy and manageable safety profile among patients with la/mUC, wherein those with HER2 expression (IHC 1+/2+/3+) achieved high response rates and long-term survival benefits. These findings support the further exploration and validation of the benefits of DV combined with PD-1 inhibitors in treating la/mUC.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Published in Annals of Oncology: Disitamab Vedotin Combined with PD-1 Inhibitor is a Promising Treatment for Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma
