Inside Hong Kong’s Bold Leap to Revolutionize Biotech at US BIO 2025

From June 16 to 19, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), in partnership with InvestHK, organized a delegation of 16 leading life and health technology companies to participate in BIO 2025 in Boston, the world’s largest biotechnology conference. For the first time, the delegation included representatives from both the LKS Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). The group presented Hong Kong’s latest research developments and technological innovations in life sciences and healthcare. The initiative aimed to promote international collaboration, attract investment, and position Hong Kong as a competitive center for biotechnology and health innovation.

HKSTP Forges Global Ties With New HIV Vaccine Collaboration and Regulatory Partnership 

The HKSTP Pavilion showcased a range of advanced technologies and products developed by companies based in the park. These included novel drug discovery platforms, next-generation diagnostic tools, and medical technology innovations. The 16 participating companies represented various stages of development and specialization, including members of HKSTP’s incubation programs such as Incu-Bio and the ELITE Programme, research output from InnoHK centres, and other high-performing biotech firms. On the first day of the event, the delegation drew strong interest from international industry leaders, potential partners, and investors.

Throughout the conference, HKSTP and its park companies actively engaged in building cross-border innovation networks and identifying new business opportunities. One notable development came from Immuno Cure, which is co-developing ICVAX, the world’s first-in-human therapeutic HIV vaccine, with the LKS Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong. During the event, the company announced a new collaboration with PharmaJet to assess the use of needle-free injection technology for ICVAX, with the goal of accelerating its global commercialization.

In a further effort to expand international collaboration, HKSTP signed a partnership agreement with DLRC, a provider of regulatory and legal services for clinical trials and product certification. This agreement aims to support biotech companies in navigating complex global regulatory pathways and to foster closer integration between Hong Kong’s biotech ecosystem and international markets. Mr. Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP, said, “With strong policy and funding support from the HKSAR government, Hong Kong will further serve as a bridge connecting Mainland China and global tech partnerships, solidifying its leadership in life sciences innovation.”

Site Visits and Company Showcases Highlight Hong Kong’s Efforts to Strengthen Global Biotech Collaboration

The delegation organized a series of networking events and site visits to facilitate engagement between Hong Kong companies and international stakeholders. These activities provided opportunities to connect with overseas investors, multinational corporations, and prominent academic institutions. Key visits included meetings with Professor Robert Langer of MIT, often referred to as the “Edison of Medicine”, as well as tours of the Harvard Innovation Labs and the Cambridge Innovation Center.

These interactions allowed Hong Kong delegates to exchange insights, explore collaboration opportunities, and gain exposure to global innovation ecosystems. The visits also offered a platform to showcase Hong Kong’s strengths in biomedical research, entrepreneurship, and technology commercialization.

Sixteen park companies joined the HKSTP delegation, each presenting core technologies that reflect Hong Kong’s growing capabilities in biotech innovation. Allegrow Biotech specializes in antibody-drug conjugates, while ARBELE focuses on immunotherapeutic platforms for gastrointestinal cancers. Beth Bioinformatics provides AI-driven bioinformatics solutions for precision medicine. The Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology and the Centre for Virology, Vaccinology, and Therapeutics showcased their breakthroughs in regenerative medicine and infectious disease research, respectively. DECODE CURE works on gene therapy for genetic and rare diseases, and GenEditBio develops genome editing tools. Great Bay Bio offers AI-enabled bioprocessing platforms, and Hong Kong Universal Biologicals focuses on diagnostics and biomedical reagents.

Also featured were Immuno Cure, which is advancing DNA-based immunotherapies including the therapeutic HIV vaccine ICVAX; and the Institute for Innovation, Translation and Policy Research (ITPR), which supports translational biomedical research and regulatory policy. LEE’S PHARMACEUTICAL (HK) presented its portfolio of specialty therapeutics including treatments for cardiovascular disease and rare disease. Serilink Biotechnology focuses on protein detection and diagnostics, while Xiaomo Biotech and XUXIN Biotechnology specialize in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and stem cell technologies. Lastly, Zhaoke Ophthalmology highlighted its targeted therapies for eye diseases. Together, these companies reflected the depth of research focus and technological development currently emerging from Hong Kong’s life sciences sector.

Author

Denisse Sandoval