Xi’an host biomedicine development conference

The Conference on Multidisciplinary Collaborative Clinical Transformation and Industrial Development of Cell and Gene Therapy and the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Biopharmaceutical Technology Branch was held on September 13 in Xi’an, Shaanxi province.

The conference hosted by Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital and organized by several branches of the China Medicinal Biotechnology Association, brought together leaders from academia and industry.  With the themed "Cross · Integration · Innovation · Connection", the event focused on advancing intelligent manufacturing, optimizing clinical solutions, and building an industrial ecosystem. It aimed to create a collaborative system linking "R&D–manufacturing–clinical–payment", addressing key challenges in clinical translation and industrial application.

The conference was attended by leading academicians from the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, senior officials from the Shaanxi Association for Science and Technology and Xi'an Municipal Government, representatives of the China Medicinal Biotechnology Association, along with executives from Xi'an International Medical Investment Co Ltd and Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital.

Experts and scholars from across the country, clinical research leaders, R&D/ production leaders, researchers and representatives from industrial parks and investment institutions attended the conference to conduct in-depth discussions on hot issues in cell and gene therapy.

At the summit, leaders and experts delivered speeches on the current status, regional strengths, and future prospects of the biopharmaceutical industry, in order to build consensus for its high-quality development.

Professor Wei Yuquan, a renowned tumor therapy and immunology expert in China, CAS academician and professor at West China Hospital of Sichuan University, presented the latest research progress and development trends of advanced therapeutic medicinal products (ATMPs). He shared in-depth insights into breakthroughs in immunotherapy, tumor vaccines, gene therapy, and stem cell therapy, highlighted China's strengths in clinical translation, cost management, and original R&D, and offered valuable guidance for the industry’s development.

The era of Biopharmaceuticals 4.0 leverages AI's powerful capabilities in data processing pattern recognition, prediction, and generation to transform traditional research and development, production, and clinical practices. It enables unprecedented efficiency, precision, and personalized medicine, and represents the inevitable direction of future healthcare.

Professor Chen Zhinan, academician of the CAE member and professor at the Air Force Medical University, presented "AI Accelerating the Era of Biomedicine 4.0". He outlined the cutting-edge trends in the deep integration of AI and biomedicine, highlighting China's breakthroughs in AI-driven drug R&D, immune cell therapy, and related fields. His talk focused on four key areas: AI's past and present, AI-powered biomanufacturing, the era of immune cell therapy 2.0, and the frontier of major diseases and microenvironment homeostasis.

Professor Wang Songling, academician of the CAS member and a professor of Southern University of Science and Technology, shared the latest research results and practical experience of Clinical Translation and Application of Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

China has achieved remarkable progress in the clinical translation of stem cells, with some technologies at the global forefront. Highlights include dental stem cells and chronic periodontitis therapies, while the Boao pilot policy has helped overcome key industrial bottlenecks. Future breakthroughs in regenerative medicine and chronic disease treatment are expected, offering a Chinese solution for global stem cell translation.

Cell and gene therapy are cutting-edge directions in the field of life sciences, and China has achieved leapfrog development in this area. It is now at a pivotal stage, moving from technological breakthroughs toward broader clinical application.

The conference featured six sub-venues, covering topics such as clinical translation of gene and cell therapies, innovation and clinical practice of antibody drugs, innovation and clinical practice of regenerative medicine, policy guidance and industrial transformation, industrial transformation empowerment through intelligent manufacturing, and the innovative contributions of young scholars.

Over 50 experts from top hospitals, leading universities, and prominent research institutes across China gathered to share the latest advances and cutting-edge developments in their fields.

With the influx of new innovative forces, cell and gene therapies are no longer distant-future technologies, but a medical revolution unfolding in real time.

Driven by growing public demand for healthcare and supportive national policies, the cell and gene therapy industry is entering

an era of unprecedented opportunities, emerging as a transformative force in advancing a Healthy China.

The conference is set to spark new breakthroughs and opportunities, propelling China's cell and gene therapy field to new heights.

Shi Jin, president of the Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital, the host of the conference, introduced that as Shaanxi’s only nationally registered stem cell clinical institution, the hospital is advancing the trial and application of cutting-edge technologies and contributing to the development of the "Belt and Road International Cell Valley".