# From cancer to diabetes: Singapore biomedical startups expand into China to accelerate development of new treatments

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/from-cancer-to-diabetes-singapore-biomedical-startups-expand-into-china-to-accelerate-development-of-new-treatments/
- Published: 2026-11-06T04:51:04+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T05:25:19+00:00
- Original publisher: CNA (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/singapore-biomedical-startups-expand-china-cancer-diabetes-treatments-6516196
- Topics: Asia, Business, Companies, Health, Medicine, World

## Key points

- Singapore biotech firms are developing cancer and diabetes therapies in China.
- China offers large patient pools and integrated research and manufacturing.
- Cost and time savings come alongside regulatory challenges.

## Summary

Singapore biomedical startups are expanding into China to use its large patient population, hospital networks and manufacturing capacity to develop treatments more quickly. Lion TCR is testing an immune-cell therapy for hepatitis B-related liver cancer, while BetaLife is preparing stem-cell treatments for diabetes; both are A*STAR spin-offs.

Lion TCR says its Guangzhou facility could halve development time and is running trials with local hospitals, while it explores an off-the-shelf therapy and new uses for its technology. China has an estimated 148 million adults with diabetes, about a quarter of the global total. BetaLife has partnered with a Xiamen hospital and estimates a small first-in-human study could cost 20 to 50 per cent less than in Singapore, though both firms face complex and changing regulations.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.