Singapore Cell and Gene Therapy Pan-Asia Summit (SCGT) 2025 In Partnership with ISCT: Igniting Momentum for Cell & Gene Therapies Across Asia

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Eddie Tan, PhD, CABP
ISCT Asia Regional Sub-Committee
Singapore

Third Year Running for the SCGT Pan-Asia Summit

Singapore’s standing as a hub for advanced therapeutics was on full display at the Singapore Cell and Gene Therapy Pan Asia Summit (SCGT 2025), held from 16–18 July 2025 at the Matrix in Biopolis. The event was jointly organized by Advanced Cell Therapy Research Institute Singapore (ACTRIS), the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB, A*STAR), the SingHealth Duke-NUS Cell Therapy Centre and Regenerative Medicine Institute of Singapore (REMEDIS). The yearly event, now in its third consecutive edition, brought together leaders in the field to chart Asia-Pacific’s progress in cell and gene therapy (CGT).

Advancing the Next Generation Locally and Regionally

SCGT 2025 was notable not only for sheer breadth of science discussed, but also for the strength of the local CGT ecosystem which has rapidly matured in the past few years, with state-of-the-art GMP facilities, vibrant translational research and dynamic hospital networks driving Singapore's progress in CGT.

Notable recent developments include:

Assembling Screening, Production, High-throughput Analytics, and Lentiviral Targeting for T Cells (ASPHALT): initiative aimed to enable 24-hour bedside CAR-T manufacturing with decrease in cost-of-goods and vein-to-vein time. Increase patient access via neuroblastoma and B cell autoimmune disease use cases.

Engineered Extracellular Vesicles for Anti-Cancer Therapy (EVANTICA): research program focused on developing a novel anti-cancer therapy using engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Initiative (NATi): thematic program established within A*STAR to drive the development and translation of RNA-based medicines in Singapore.

Process Accelerator for Cell Therapy Manufacturing (PACT-MAN): a collaboration between A*STAR Bioprocessing Technologies Institute (BTI) and ACTRIS to accelerate process development and translation of assets from research to GMP-compatible workflows.

Reliable Cell Production for Stem Cell-based Therapies (ReCePro): A key initiative aimed to provide scalable platform for rapid, high potency iPSC production. Aimed to also provide fast, reliable quality control for iPSCs and derivatives, and to manufacture best-in-class therapies with improved accessibility and affordability.

The conference also welcomed speakers and participants from all over the Asia Pacific, including Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. The importance of a synergistic approach in the region was underscored by plenary and panel sessions with key CGT leaders from across the Asia Pacific. Speakers highlighted affordable and scalable innovations, notably indigenously-developed reduced-cost CAR-T platforms, as well as regional initiatives for point-of-care CAR-T manufacture, and regulatory advancements, demonstrating Asia Pacific’s regional push towards accessibility without compromising product quality.

Global Thought Leaders: Keynotes That Shaped the Summit

The conference boasted an all-star line-up of keynote and plenary sessions, each pushing the frontiers of CGT science and clinical translation:

Prof. Shin Kawamata (Cyto-Facto; and Secretary of ISCT Asia Regional), at the pre-conference workshop, shared his extensive experience in evaluating iPSC quality control parameters using a Quality by Design (QbD)-based approach.
Prof. Chang Yun-Sil (Sungkyunkwan University), a leader in neonatology, unveiled ground-breaking progress using mesenchymal stem cells and their extracellular vesicles to tackle severe neonatal disorders, with results from preclinical and emerging clinical trials.
Prof. Hu Baoyang (Chinese Academy of Sciences) gave a plenary lecture on his ground-breaking research of using human-derived stem cells to treat Alzheimer's disease.
Prof. Andras Nagy (University of Toronto) outlined next-generation stem cell sources that are engineered to be both safe and immune-evasive; properties critical for scalable regenerative products.
Prof. Harvey Lodish (MIT) reflected on his decades of translating biomedical discoveries into therapeutics, emphasizing vision and perseverance in bringing cell biology to the clinic.
Prof. Dimitrios Mougiakakos (Otto-von-Guericke-Universitat Magdeburg) shared new vistas for CAR-T cell therapy beyond cancer, reporting striking outcomes in autoimmune disease and discussing the journey from hematology to autoimmunity.
Prof. Jae Park (Memorial Sloan Kettering) gave a panoramic overview of CAR-T's transformative impact on hematologic malignancies, highlighting its evolution to standard-of-care status and its future in earlier-line and solid tumor indications.
Prof. Hiroshi Kawamoto (Kyoto University) introduced the dream of universal "off-the-shelf" T-cells derived from ES and iPS cells, that may one day treat leukemia and viral, even pandemic, threats through engineered immunity.

These sessions provided inspiration and practical roadmaps, reinforcing SCGT’s role as a gathering of minds for innovation in the region.

SCSS-ISCT Special Session: Driving Excellence through Collaboration

The highlight of SCGT 2025, for me, was the Stem Cell Society Singapore (SCSS)-International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (ISCT) joint session. This collaborative forum tackled the scientific, regulatory, and practical realities of bringing cell and gene therapies to patients across Asia, combined with the global perspective that ISCT brings.

[From Left to Right: A/Prof Aloysius Ho (Executive Director, ACTRIS), Dr. Pawan Gupta (ISCT Asia Region VP), Mr. Kunihiko Suzuki (ISCT Asia Region VP-Elect), Prof. Miguel Forte (ISCT President), Prof. William Hwang (ISCT Asia Region Immediate-Past VP), A/Prof. Zlatibor Velickovic (ISCT ANZ Regional Immediate-Past VP), Prof. Jonathan Loh (SCSS President)]

Group Photo of ISCT and SCSS Senior Leaders at SCGT 2025 (photo courtesy of SCGT2025 organizers).

Key Discussion Points:

Regulatory Collaboration: Prof. Miguel Forte (President, ISCT) highlighted the importance of working with regulators throughout research and product development and how ISCT’s global perspective assists members in upholding scientific and ethical excellence.
Affordability and Access: Dr. Pawan Kumar Gupta (Vice President, ISCT Asia Regional) showcased cost-effective models for CGT commercialization of CAR-T and MSCs.
Standards and Quality: Mr. Kunihiko Suzuki (Vice President-Elect, ISCT Asia Regional) provided conceptual clarity on frameworks for approved, and unapproved, but regulated CGT products.

By leveraging collective expertise, the session exemplified how societies like ISCT and SCSS enable the region’s scientists, regulators, and industry to both accelerate innovation and maintain the highest standards.

Panel Roundtable Discussions: Navigating Cost, Regulation and Investment Challenges in Cell and Gene Therapy's Future

Each day's sessions concluded with engaging Panel Roundtable discussions. I was given the immense privilege to moderate the first day's panel made up of seasoned regulatory experts from Australia, China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore. We delved into the regulatory and policy considerations of advanced therapies, focusing on how greater collaboration between jurisdictions and amongst stakeholders can be leveraged to further the adoption of cell and gene therapies in the APAC region.

The Panel Roundtable discussion on Day 2 brought together distinguished international experts including our current ISCT President, Prof. Miguel Forte. The lively discussion on the future of cell and gene therapies, expertly moderated by Dr. Lisa Ooi (Assistant Chief Executive of the Biomedical Research Council, A*STAR Singapore), highlighted 3 key challenges and opportunities for CGT in Asia:

Cost reduction and accessibility emerged as a critical priority, with panelists noting that indigenization of manufacturing processes in regions like ASEAN, rather than importing therapies, could significantly lower costs and improve patient access.
Regulatory frameworks are evolving to reduce barriers, with the FDA already reducing CAR-T monitoring requirements from longer periods to 4 weeks, though implementation varies by institution.
The panelists emphasized that while the field should pursue both in vivo and ex vivo approaches based on specific applications, convincing investors and payers remains challenging in the current lukewarm investment climate, requiring clear demonstration of clinical value and sustainable business models for widespread CGT adoption.

Looking Ahead: The First ISCT Asia Regional Meeting in 2026

The potential for CGT in Asia is exemplified by this event's strong scientific agenda, networking opportunities, and the convening of diverse regional and global expertise in Singapore. SCGT 2025 has highlighted that Asia is no longer catching up but is starting to shape global CGT conversations.

With the first-ever ISCT Asia Regional Meeting landing in Singapore from 2nd to 5th September 2026, I am optimistic that Asia is developing to be a major CGT nerve centre, bridging basic research, clinical adoption and commercialization for the next generation of advanced therapies.