InvestHK Forum Highlights Hong Kong's Rise as a Global Hub for Advanced Therapy Products

2026-04-17 18:45 Last Updated At：18:58

Invest Hong Kong hosts advanced therapy products forum to champion biomedical innovation

Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) today (April 17) hosted the "Advanced Therapy Products Opportunities in Hong Kong and Beyond" forum, gathering over 170 leading scientists, industry leaders, and regulatory authorities from around the world. The event served as a definitive platform to showcase Hong Kong's ascending status as a world-class hub for biomedical commercialisation, specifically within the revolutionary fields of cell and gene therapy (CGT).

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Invest Hong Kong hosts advanced therapy products forum to champion biomedical innovation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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Invest Hong Kong hosts advanced therapy products forum to champion biomedical innovation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Delivering her welcome remarks, the Director-General of Investment Promotion of InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, said, "The Government is pressing ahead with the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation and the implementation of 'primary evaluation' for new drug registration - a move that will shorten time-to-market for innovative drugs and devices. InvestHK, as the investment promotion agency of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, stands ready to provide bespoke, end-to-end support for global pioneers looking to scale their operations across Asia from this strategic base."

In his keynote speech, the Assistant Director of Health (Preparatory Office for Centre for Medical Products Regulation), Mr Lot Chan, said, "We are actively propelling the modernisation of our regulatory framework, with the '1+' mechanism now successfully extended to encompass advanced therapy products. This allows manufacturers to apply for registration by submitting a single reference regulatory authority certificate, bolstered by local clinical data. As we are setting up the Centre for Medical Products Regulation this year and moving towards the 'primary evaluation' system, Hong Kong will be assessing innovative medical products independently. Coupled with our alignment with PIC/S (Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme) GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards, our reforms provide a robust springboard for enterprises to go global."

The forum also underscored the power of data-driven medicine and cross-boundary synergy. The Director of the Real-World Study and Application Centre at the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute, Professor Cheung Ching-Lung, noted, "Hong Kong possesses over 30 years of high-quality longitudinal medical data, providing a foundation for conducting international-standard real-world studies. Through the special measure of using Hong Kong-registered drugs and medical devices used in Hong Kong public hospitals in the Greater Bay Area, enterprises can accumulate data within authentic clinical settings. This provides essential support for pharmaceutical and medical device evaluation. We will continue to leverage the advantages of Shenzhen-Hong Kong collaboration to build a globally competitive clinical trial ecosystem."

Industry leaders shared tangible success stories illustrating the practical advantages of the Hong Kong platform. The Chief Business Officer of Eureka Bio, Mr Roy Liu, said, "As a key enterprise within the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, Eureka Bio has experienced first-hand the strategic benefits of the 'one zone, two parks' layout. Maintaining dual operations in both the Hong Kong and Shenzhen parks greatly facilitates the cross-boundary movement of researchers and the processing of biological samples. Supported by the zone's preferential tax policies and talent schemes, we are able to attract top-tier global experts more effectively, positioning Hong Kong as our central hub for CGT research and development (R&D) and international business expansion."

The impact of recent regulatory milestones was further echoed by the Chief Medical Officer of IASO Biotherapeutics, Dr Chen Jie, who remarked, "Our self-developed CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T) product, Fucaso, was officially approved by the Hong Kong Department of Health in November last year, marking a significant milestone following the implementation of the '1+' mechanism. Under this framework, we were able to complete the registration by submitting a single marketing authorisation from a reference country supplemented by local clinical data. This demonstrates that Hong Kong's regulatory system effectively upholds quality while significantly accelerating the accessibility of innovative therapies for the benefit of patients."

Multinational perspectives also affirmed the city's appeal as a talent magnet. The Vice President and Head of Cell Therapy Therapeutic Area, R&D China at AstraZeneca, Dr Effie Liu, commented, "Hong Kongs world-leading R&D capabilities and its regulatory environment, which is seamlessly integrated with global standards, are immensely attractive to multinational pharmaceutical firms. Importantly, the close collaboration between Hong Kong's research teams and the highly active CGT ecosystem on the Chinese Mainland creates a dynamic and effective innovation engine. We look forward to collaborating with Hong Kong's exceptional research teams through this platform to drive the development and clinical trials of more advanced therapies, working together to address global medical challenges."

The forum concluded with thematic panels focusing on homegrown CAR-T treatment breakthroughs, market access strategies through real-world studies, and the maturation of local Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation capabilities. These discussions proved that Hong Kong possesses the requisite infrastructure to turn scientific blueprints into globally recognised cures.

Hong Kong Showcases Fintech Opportunities at Berlin's FIBE Festival 2023

HKETO Berlin promotes Hong Kong's unique strengths in fintech at FIBE Festival in Berlin

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin), together with Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), promoted Hong Kong's vibrant fintech developments at the FIBE Festival, Germany's leading fintech festival, in Berlin, Germany, on April 15 and 16 (Berlin time).

The FIBE Festival is part of the joint business and investment promotion events under the Economic and Trade Express to highlight Hong Kong's dynamic developments and opportunities.

The Director of the HKETO Berlin, Mr Indiana Wong, together with representatives of InvestHK and the HKTDC, joined as speakers on April 16 at a thematic session, "How to scale your business from Europe to Hong Kong with all the support you need to succeed". They highlighted Hong Kong as an ideal gateway for European fintech businesses to expand to Asia, underpinned by the free flow of capital, a robust regulatory framework, and also Hong Kong's unique advantage of being connected with the world and the Chinese Mainland market.

"As a premier international financial centre with a robust regulatory environment and abundant business opportunities, Hong Kong is also a pioneer in the world of fintech. We stand out as a market with consistent, predictable, forward-looking policies, and a balanced and trusted regulatory framework. With a diverse and innovative ecosystem, we attract entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals from around the world, hosting over 1 200 fintech companies," Mr Wong said.

At the FIBE Festival, the HKETO Berlin, InvestHK and the HKTDC also hosted a booth to promote Hong Kong as an ideal business and work location.

About HKETO Berlin

The HKETO Berlin is the official representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Germany as well as Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.

InvestHK Forum Highlights Hong Kong's Rise as a Global Hub for Advanced Therapy Products

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