A New Opportunity for Regenerative Medicine in Asia

Dr. Jogin Desai, Founder & CEO, Eyestem
 

Developments in regenerative medicine are changing the way we think about health care by transforming the current emphasis on managing disease into developing the ability to repair cells and restore function. Most of these therapies are expected to be priced at $ 150,000 and above for a  single dose (refer : Japan approval for Parkinson therapy) A key issue as these therapies are commercialized will continue to be the ability to provide these at a price that is relatively affordable to the bottom 99 % of the world’s population. There is enormous potential for China and India to lead this race by creating therapies at a fraction of the cost of the West, thereby making them accessible to a large majority of patients in need.

India and China account for two of the world’s largest and most diverse healthcare populations, while countries such as Japan and South Korea are also witnessing rapid demographic and healthcare transitions driven by ageing populations. Nearly two-thirds of the  global population above the age of 60 is expected to reside in Asia by 2050, significantly increasing the burden of chronic and degenerative diseases across the region.

Rising Need for Regenerative Therapies

With the increasing burden placed on the healthcare system via these progressive degenerative diseases (retinal disease, neurodegenerative diseases of the brain and nervous system, cardiovascular diseases, and musculoskeletal diseases), regenerative medicine’s potential to assist in the management of chronic medical needs is becoming increasingly relevant. Regenerative medicine offers new avenues for providing cell-based therapies, tissue engineering, and cellular replacement to address the inability of current treatment options (conventional therapies) to restore lost function and repair damaged tissue.
Advancements in regenerative medicine are being made through advancements in stem cell technologies, manufacturing capabilities, translational research, and clinical delivery systems; these advancements have led to increased research activity in multiple therapeutic disciplines.
 
India and China’s Strategic Advantage

India and China have an exceptional opportunity to contribute significantly to biotech industry through delivery of health services, development of drugs and innovation in biotechnology on a large scale. The size of their patient populations will provide unique opportunities to conduct a broader evaluation of clinical trials and to obtain a better understanding of how diseases behave in other populations of different age, sex and ethnicities. India and China are in position to provide data that will help develop potential future therapies globally.
 
Another important factor is the issue of affordability. Novel therapies are often available to a very small group of patients because of the high cost of developing a new therapy, the complicated means by which they can be manufactured and the limited clinical availability of advanced therapies. Developments in regenerative medicine must produce "scalable" and economically feasible products, so that they will be available to the maximum number of patients possible when they are approved for use.

Asia offers a unique opportunity such as India, China, South Korea, and Singapore strengthening capabilities across manufacturing, translational research, and corporate healthcare infrastructure resulting in an increased level of access to advanced therapeutic options. Manufacturing scale with mature clinical development pathways may result in the availability of regenerative medicines at a lower cost and with less difficulty than was previously achievable only in highly specialised markets.
 
China is currently one of the largest markets in the world for biopharmaceutical and stem cell therapy, with India rapidly strengthening its capabilities for stem cell research, biopharmaceutical manufacturing, and clinical innovation. Industry estimates also suggest that the regenerative medicine market is expected to witness significant long-term growth, driven by increasing investments in stem cell research, advanced therapeutics, and translational medicine across Asia-Pacific.

Regenerative Medicine in Ophthalmology

The ophthalmology segment reflects this broader transition clearly. Retinal degenerative diseases such as Geographic Atrophy secondary to Age-related Macular Degeneration continue to represent major unmet clinical needs worldwide, particularly across ageing populations in Asia where demand for long-term vision restoration therapies is steadily increasing. Visual impairment and retinal disorders continue to rise globally, increasing pressure on healthcare systems to adopt more advanced therapeutic approaches.
Investigations into using cell-based therapies as a potential means of replacing damaged retinal pigment epithelial cells and restoring retinal function have begun to occur. Advances made in induced pluripotent stem cells technology, production methods, and surgical delivery systems assist with this process and will make the clinical use of retinal-related cell-based therapies more feasible. While these therapeutic techniques are being studied and evaluated for clinical effectiveness, the current progress made in the field of regenerative ophthalmology is representative of the broad trend within modern medicine.

Importance of Collaboration and Regulation
 
Asia has opportunities for collaborative scientific research and development with biotechnology firms, academic institutions, healthcare providers, and regulatory agencies in multiple countries. Collaborations of this type could help to expedite scientific exchange, improve the design of clinical research studies, and improve the understanding of production, safety evaluation, and long-term therapeutic assessment.

Policy development will also have an important impact on the future of regenerative medicine throughout the world as regulatory systems within several Asian nations become more engaged with advanced therapies while still supporting the safety and quality standards of patients and the clinical outcomes of therapies based on evidence. Establishing, maintaining, and building upon balanced pathways for regulation that provide both innovation with responsible oversight will continue to be key to achieving progress for the long term.

Challenges Ahead for the Sector
 
In addition, regenerative medicine is still confronted with a number of challenges, including long-term safety assessments, consistent manufacturing practices, physician training, logistic concerns related to storage, and equitable access through healthcare systems. Consequently, developing public understanding of these therapies, through public awareness and adoption based on scientific evidence will be vital as these therapies get closer to being used in a broader range of clinical settings.

The next stage in regenerative medicine will probably be characterized by scientific progress as well as the capacity to deliver advanced therapies to wider public audiences in a clinically appropriate and economically viable manner. India and China are well positioned to play an important role in this evolution, due to their scale, scientific capabilities, existing healthcare needs, and strengthening biotechnology infrastructure.

As continuing research and maturation of healthcare ecosystems happen, Asia could develop into an important location for developing, adopting clinically and expanding regenerative medicine solutions that are affordable and accessible for patients.