Top 10 CGT Startups in Asia

to Watch in 2025

Asia’s cell and gene therapy (CGT) landscape is entering a new era. From next-gen NK cell platforms to AI-driven cell engineering, a wave of bold startups is transforming how therapies are discovered, developed, and delivered across the region.

These 10 rising players are not only building powerful pipelines but also shaping the future of CGT in Asia - with fresh clinical data, major funding rounds, and strategic partnerships. Whether it’s allogeneic innovation, regulatory T-cell science, or regional manufacturing scale-up, they’re setting the tone for what’s next.

NKGen Biotech, South Korea

Year founded: 2017
Headquarters: Seongnam, South Korea
Focus: Developing NK cell therapies, with recent FDA clearance for a Parkinson's disease therapy

https://nkgenbiotech.com/

Tikva Allocell, Singapore

Year founded: 2023
Headquarters: Singapore
A preclinical-stage biotech company focusing on developing "off-the-shelf" T cell therapies for solid tumours

https://tikvaallocell.com/

Ivan Horak

Founder and CEO, Tikva Allocell, Singapore

Speaking at CGTWA 2025

Fosun Kite Biotechnology, China

Year founded: 2017
Headquarters: Shanghai, China
A joint venture between Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical and Kite Pharma, focusing on developing and commercialising innovative cell therapies in China

https://www.fosunpharma.com/en/

East Ocyon Bio, India

Year founded: 2023
Headquarters: Gurugram, India
Developing CAR-NK and CAR-gamma delta T cell therapies. Secured $4.2 million in seed funding to advance pre-clinical testing and establish a GMP manufacturing facility.

https://eastocyonbio.com/

Dinesh Kundu

Director & Co-Founder, East Ocyon Bio, India

Speaking at CGTWA 2025

RegCell, Japan

Year founded: 2022
Headquarters: Osaka, Japan
Developing regulatory T-cell (T-reg) therapies for autoimmune diseases and transplantation. Secured $45.8 million in funding and established U.S. headquarters to advance its global biotechnology initiatives.

https://regcellbio.com/

Acepodia, Taiwan

Year founded: 2017
Headquarters: Taipei, Taiwan
Focus: Developing first-in-class cell therapies using its unique Antibody-Cell Conjugation (ACC) platform technology to address gaps in cancer care headquarters to advance its global biotechnology initiatives

https://www.acepodia.com/

CytoMed Therapeutics

Year founded: 2018
Headquarters: Singapore
Focus: Treating solid tumors using allogeneic, off-the-shelf platforms.

https://w2.cytomed.sg/

Genepeutic Bio, Thailand

Year founded: 2020
Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand
Aims to deliver personalised cell and gene therapies to patients in Thailand and the Asia-Pacific region, starting with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies

https://www.gnptbio.com/

Carina Biotech, Australia

Year founded: 2016
Headquarters: Adelaide, Australia
Focus: Developing next-generation chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies aimed at treating various cancers

https://www.carinabiotech.com/

Nusantics, Indonesia

Year founded: 2019
Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
Focus: Specialises in microbiome and microbial testing, utilising advanced genomics technology

https://nusantics.com/en

Deborah Rathjen

Chief Executive Officer, Carina Biotech, Australia

Speaking at CGTWA 2025

WHY THEY MATTER?

Next-Gen Platforms

These startups are leading with cutting-edge technologies - including iPSC-derived cells, CAR-NK, gene-edited T cells, and novel ACC platforms

Clinical Trial Momentum

Several are advancing into Phase 1–2 trials and beyond, with preclinical assets moving fast thanks to local regulatory support and infrastructure

Strategic Collaborations

Strong alliances with CDMOs, big pharma, academic institutions, and VCs are accelerating their pipelines and de-risking scale-up

Asia-First Strategies

They’re designing therapies with affordability, regional disease burden, and APAC regulatory pathways in mind - making CGT more accessible for Asian markets

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