Precise treatment for tumors is one of the most cutting-edge fields of precision medicine. In the past year, we have witnessed the emergence of new achievements, new technologies and new products in such popular fields as immunotherapy and liquid biopsy, and experienced successive failures of clinical trials for new drugs based on new targets. In terms of personalized diagnosis and treatment of tumors, there is still a long way to go. As one of the earliest industry pioneers committed to personalized treatment of tumors in China, Beijing ACCB Biotech Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “ACCB”) has gradually grown into a highly influential well-known brand in the field of tumor companion diagnosis after fifteen years of development, enjoying a good reputation in the industry.
The development and growth of an enterprise is inseparable from the drive of technological innovation and the guidelines of strategic planning. Recently, ACCB has announced its integration with a start-up in the field of liquid biopsy - WeCyte. The strong alliance between the two parties not only enriches ACCB’s technical reserves in the field of liquid biopsy, but also has a profound impact on the Company’s strategic layout. Based on this, Seqchina.cn promptly contacted ACCB’s CEO XU Junpu. In the interview, XU Junpu talked about how ACCB had formed ties with the team of WeCyte, and put forward his insights into the future development of the industry.
Integration with WeCyte in Liquid Biopsy
With the development of the liquid biopsy technology, domestic and foreign startups have sprung up. XU Junpu believes that among many entrepreneurship teams, Guardant Health, a star company in liquid biopsy from the United States, has unique advantages in technology. MEI Gangwu, the founder of WeCyte, formerly joined the Human Genome Project (HGP) and later served as the head of the Technical R&D Department at Guardant Health. He is also one of the earliest researchers engaged in the R&D of liquid biopsy technology in China, with a profound understanding of the technology. Under his leadership, the WeCyte team conducts R&D independently, blazes a new way different from the general liquid biopsy products on the market, solves a series of technical problems in liquid biopsy and cooperates with hospitals to combine liquid biopsy technology and immunotherapy organically. At present, its stability, accuracy and repeatability in the liquid biopsy technology have reached an ideal level.
The integration of the two companies is not an easy task. As XU Junpu told Seqchina.cn, ACCB has a step-by-step cooperation model, from initial contact to small-scale trial cooperation, then to in-depth cooperation and even integration of both parties. With the development of cooperation, ACCB’s has more and more understanding of partners, which guarantees adequate information for decision making. According to XU Junpu, the cooperation with WeCyte is a process of “mutual help and mutual accomplishment”. At the very beginning of the inception of WeCyte, ACCB provided sample support to help WeCyte continuously optimize and verify the technology. After the stabilization of the technology, whether large-scale operation could be achieved would become an important consideration. Thanks to the joint efforts of the teams of both parties, this goal was also successfully achieved. After a lot of trials, the WeCyte team has stood out among many potential cooperators as one of the important layouts of ACCB in the field of personalized diagnosis and treatment of tumors.
Take Technology as the Cornerstone to Seek Development on the Vast Markets
As XU Junpu emphasized, the integration will maximize the technical advantages of WeCyte and the channel promotion advantages and brand advantages of ACCB, which will enable ACCB to take a solid step forward on the track of liquid biopsy and take the lead. The WeCyte team has solid technology and mature products to fully meet the real needs of the market. Its excellent R&D capability is essential for extending the business line and product line in the future and building a full-cycle tumor management system. Ranging from the upstream early tumor screening and precise drug use to the downstream drug resistance monitoring and recurrence monitoring, there are a lot of application scenes and market space for liquid biopsy. ACCB will take the core technology as the cornerstone to realize its rapid development under the new market situation.
ACCB has been engaged in the field of personalized diagnosis and treatment of tumors for many years. So it has accumulated rich experience in this regard. XU Junpu expressed his own opinions about the future development trend of the industry. He believes that the companion diagnosis market will be “differentiated”. On the one hand, large-scale Class III Grade A hospitals will become important leaders in the clinical application of high-grade, precise and sophisticated detection technologies; just as next-generation sequencing was first promoted in large hospitals, such new technologies as liquid biopsy will gradually radiate from areas with the most abundant medical resources; in terms of treatment, targeted drugs will gradually become popular, and immunotherapy will usher in rapid development. The changes in the market situation will lead to a higher demand for the independent innovation capabilities of companies and a greater stage for the development of companies.
On the other hand, with the transfer of medical resources to the grass-roots level, personalized treatment of tumors will benefit more tumor patients. After some targeted drugs are included in medical insurance, the demand for targeted drugs and companion diagnosis will increase significantly. For this part of the market, companies should focus on developing the detection products that are more applicable and affordable for patients, so that every tumor patient in each region has the opportunity to benefit from personalized diagnosis and treatment of tumors. In a word, ACCB will strictly abide by the development law of the industry and give full play to its advantages in core technologies and market channels, so as to boost the development of personalized diagnosis and treatment of tumors.
Join Hands with TusHoldings for Business Leapfrogging
Tus-S&T Service Group (hereinafter referred to as “Tus-S&T Service”), jointly launched by Tus-Holdings Co., Ltd. and Tsinghua Holdings Co., Ltd., is an enterprise group that provides professional scientific and technological services. It has long been closely linked with ACCB. At the very beginning of the inception of ACCB, the angel investment from Tus-S&T Service provided powerful help for the growth of ACCB. In 2016, ACCB received a strategic investment from Tus-S&T Service. This cooperation between the two parties has far-reaching significance for ACCB to maintain its leading position in the industry and achieve strategic transformation. So what does ACCB think about its relationship with investors?
As XU Junpu pointed out, in the development process of ACCB, the role of Tus-S&T Service has been constantly changing. At first, it might mainly play the role of VC. In 2016, ACCB ushered in a rare opportunity to achieve leapfrogging, and Tus-S&T Service’s strategic investment allowed the Company to promote industrial integration through mergers & acquisitions, business development, etc. Through long-term cooperation, ACCB and Tus-S&T Service have established a good relation with mutual trust. And the timely role changes in different periods have ensured ACCB’s healthy and rapid development to the greatest extent.