Shenzhen and Hong Kong Join Hands to Promote the Development of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone
"Driving the Globalization of Clinical Trials in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Implementing the First Key Cross-Border Multi-Center Clinical Trial Project"
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 30 July 2025 - The Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute of Hong Kong ("GBAICTI"), the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trials Center of Shenzhen ("BAY TRIAL"), Immuno Cure BioTech ("Immuno Cure") in Hong Kong are pleased to jointly announce today the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") in Shenzhen on July 29, 2025.This collaboration aims to advance the globalization of clinical trials in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area ("GBA"), further deepens clinical research cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and implements the first ever cross-border multi-centre Phase II clinical trial project for ICVAX, a therapeutic DNA vaccine for HIV/AIDS, developed through collaboration between Immuno Cure and the AIDS Institute at the University of Hong Kong. This marks a significant milestone in the development of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone.
This collaboration is witnessed by a Hong Kong Government delegation led by the Director of Health, Dr. Ronald LAM, and a Shenzhen Government delegation led by the Deputy Director General of Public Hygiene and Health Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, Ms. ZHOU Liping, following their GBA Clinical Trial Collaboration meeting held in Shenzhen.
GBAICTI and the BAY TRIAL plan to establish the GBA Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform ("Platform") by the end of this year. The Platform is expected to offer a range of services, including project evaluation, trial design consultation, and subject recruitment planning for multi-centre clinical trials, provided by a joint Shenzhen-Hong Kong advisory team; integration of artificial intelligence technologies to assist with matching clinical trial institutions and researchers, as well as offering intelligent consultation services; establishment of a coordinated ethics review mechanism between the two regions to enhance approval efficiency; promotion of talent exchange, collaboration, and professional training; creation of a research talent pool to facilitate talent mobility and regional collaboration; and as a pilot, the development of clinical databases and biobanks based on disease areas of strength in both Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
Professor Bernard CHEUNG Man-yung, Chief Executive Officer of GBAICTI, said: "The ICVAX vaccine, developed by Immuno Cure and the AIDS Institute at the University of Hong Kong, is now poised for cross-border clinical trials in the Greater Bay Area. This highlights the achievements and potential of innovation and technology in China and the Hong Kong SAR. If the clinical trial results are positive, the new vaccine would bring hope to HIV/AIDS patients worldwide, particularly in Belt and Road countries. We aim to leverage the strength of both Guangdong and Hong Kong to establish the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as a global hub for clinical trials."
Dr. LI Yichong, Director of BAY TRIAL, said: "This collaboration marks the first cross border clinical trial project between the BAY TRIAL and Hong Kong, signifying a new phase in the cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in the biopharmaceutical sector of GBA. We will fully leverage the synergistic advantages of both regions to establish an international clinical trial platform with the BAY TRIAL, continuously injecting new momentum into the high-quality development of the Bay Area's pharmaceutical and medical device industry."
Since the first discovery of AIDS in 1981, 40 million people have died from HIV infection. Currently, there are still over 39 million people living with HIV worldwide. Although antiretroviral therapy ("ART") can effectively control HIV, it cannot cure the disease, highlighting the importance of immunotherapy. Immunotherapy aims to enhance the host's immune response, with the expectation of controlling viral replication without ART, ultimately achieving complete viral suppression and functional cure. Immuno Cure's ICVAX induces broad-spectrum, multifunctional virus-specific T cells to achieve the goal of controlling viral replication without ART.
Immuno Cure completed the first-in-human Phase I clinical trial of the ICVAX vaccine in November 2024. The results demonstrated excellent safety and good immunogenicity. This year, two multi-center Phase II clinical trials will be conducted to evaluate the mechanism of action and efficacy, respectively, of ICVAX in humans. Both are randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation studies, with clinical trial centres in the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong and eight Grade 3A hospitals in China, including The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Beijing Youan Hospital, Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Tianjin Second People's Hospital, The Sixth People's Hospital of Zhengzhou, Chengdu Public Health Clinical Medical Center, and Chongqing Public Health Medical Center.
Dr. Xia JIN, Chief Executive Officer of Immuno Cure, said: "We are delighted to receive support from both GBAICTI and BAY TRIAL, integrating medical resources from both regions to advance Immuno Cure's therapeutic vaccine for HIV, ICVAX, to multi-center Phase II clinical trials. We will continue to collaborate with the HKU AIDS Institute to drive innovation in drug development, leverage local advantages in drug research and translation, accelerate ICVAX towards commercialization, provide more effective treatment options for HIV patients, and contribute to global health."
GBAICTI, BAY TRIAL, and Immuno Cure look forward to further deepening clinical trial cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in future collaborations, jointly promoting the development and globalisation of innovative drug development, and supporting the national "Healthy China" strategic goals.
Hashtag: #ImmunoCure #醫克生物 #医克生物
https://www.immunocure.hk/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/immuno-cure/
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About GBAICTI
The Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute (GBAICTI) is located in the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone. Its mission is to coordinate public and private medical resources in Hong Kong, providing a one-stop support platform for research institutions. This aims to promote process optimization, talent training, and collaboration within the Greater Bay Area, accelerating the research and development of drugs and medical devices, allowing research outcomes to benefit patients more quickly. By closely collaborating with the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trials Center, it leverages the unique advantages of "one institute, one center" to jointly coordinate cross-border, multi-center clinical trials that meet international standards.
To learn more about GBAICTI, please visit: https://gbaicti.hk/
About BAY TRIAL
The Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trials Center (BAY TRIAL) is a key initiative in implementing the "Notice of the State Council on Issuing the Development Plan for the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone" (State Council [2023] No. 12). It serves as strong support for Shenzhen's development as an international science and technology innovation centre and for promoting the high-quality development of the biopharmaceutical industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Located in the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Zone, BAY TRIAL leverages the zone's unique geographical and policy advantages to integrate clinical trial innovation resources across the GBA, deepen Shenzhen-Hong Kong science and technology collaboration, and establish a one-stop clinical trial platform. This platform provides top-tier clinical trial technical support, operational management, and registration services for domestic and international pharmaceutical and medical device R&D institutions. Additionally, BAY TRIAL will act as a "testing ground" for clinical trial regulation reforms and a "catalyst" for technological innovation, facilitating the alignment of clinical trial regulations and standards with international benchmarks, promoting the development and application of cutting-edge trial technologies, building a collaborative medical technology innovation network in the GBA, and enhancing the region's competitiveness in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry.
To learn more about BAY TRIAL, please visit: https://baytrial.smart.org.cn/about/index.html
About Immuno Cure
Immuno Cure is a clinical stage biotechnology group based in the Hong Kong Science Park, focusing on research and development of innovative DNA medicines and antibody immunotherapies to fight against cancers, inflammatory and infectious diseases based on its patented PD-1-enhanced DNA Vaccine, Anti-Δ42PD1 Antibody; and Vaccine Delivery platforms.
To learn more about Immuno Cure, please visit: www.immunocure.hk
