On September 3, 2023, the Second West the Taihu Lake Lake Cell and Gene Therapy Frontier Technology Development Conference opened. Many academicians and experts gathered by the lake to share the latest progress in the field of cell and gene therapy, promote the transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements, and jointly promote the high-quality development of the cell and gene therapy industry. He Wei, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party, attended the conference and delivered a speech. Wang Fusheng, Yan Xiyun and Wang Songling, academicians of the CAS Member, delivered keynote speeches. Vice Governor Xia Xinmin and Mayor Sheng Lei delivered speeches respectively. Cui Wei, Deputy Secretary General of the Provincial Government, Jiang Wei, Member of the Central Standing Committee of the Workers' Party and Chairman of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee, and Bai Yunping, Director of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress, participated in the event.

He Wei pointed out in his speech that the biopharmaceutical industry is a strategic emerging industry that is related to the national economy, people's livelihood, and national security. Changzhou West the Taihu Lake Lake Cell Therapy Frontier Technology Research Institute, as a new public welfare research institution, has focused on the cutting-edge field of cell and gene therapy since its inception, giving play to the effect of technology integration and talent gathering, creating a common technology platform, making efforts to break through key core technologies, and achieving preliminary results. I hope that the research institute will continue to advance in the breadth and depth of cell and gene therapy technology to meet the growing health needs of the people; We hope that Changzhou can further improve the ecosystem of the cell and gene therapy industry, fully leverage its geographical advantages, and promote the research institute to continuously make new breakthroughs in technological innovation, achievement transformation, and talent cultivation, providing strong support for regional industrial agglomeration and high-quality economic development.

Xia Xinmin said in her speech that Jiangsu has always adhered to innovation as the primary driving force for development, and prioritized biopharmaceuticals as an innovative industrial cluster for development. The output value, research and development strength, and innovation level have all maintained national leadership. This conference will focus on the key and difficult points in the field of cell and gene therapy, which will accelerate theoretical innovation and technological breakthroughs in this field, drive the convergence of industry resources in the Yangtze River Delta, and promote the implementation and transformation of cutting-edge achievements. I hope that participating experts and enterprises will adhere to the forefront of world technology, the main battlefield of the economy, the major needs of the country, and the life and health of the people, overcome difficulties, and climb new heights, strive to achieve high-level technological self-reliance and self-improvement in the field of cell and gene therapy, accelerate the transformation of achievements and leapfrog industrial development, help Jiangsu improve its health service level, and continuously enhance the sense of gain and happiness of the people.

Sheng Lei stated that the pharmaceutical industry in Changzhou has formed a dual wheel drive and cluster development industrial layout of "Northern Medicine and Southern Machinery". In 2022, the output value of the biopharmaceutical industry in the city reached 55.82 billion yuan, an increase of 32%. Currently, Changzhou is accelerating the construction of the "Two Lakes" innovation zone, and there is an urgent need for a forward-looking layout and innovative leadership of future industries, including cell and gene therapy. We will be committed to building the research institute into a first-class and domestically leading public service platform for cell therapy technology in the growth triangle region, an advanced technology transformation and project incubation platform, and a high-end cell industry equipment research and development platform. We hope that experts, scholars, and entrepreneurs will continue to support the high-level operation and high-quality development of the research institute, and promote the convergence of more industry resources in Changzhou and the transformation of more cutting-edge achievements in Changzhou.

At the meeting, mesenchymal stem cell production research and development project, stem cell and CAR-T cell laboratory system and preparation production system project, recombinant collagen intervention stem cell degradation research and transformation application project, new cell targeted regenerative medicine technology application project, universal UNKT cell medicine research and development project signed a contract with Changzhou West the Taihu Lake Science and Technology Industrial Park Management Committee. Changzhou Revised Pharmaceutical Industry Investment Fund, Shenzhen Venture Capital Red Earth Medical Phase II Fund, and Changzhou Xinghu Venture Capital Fund have signed contracts for three major cell therapy cooperation funds. The unveiling of the Changzhou Regional Cell Center will help our city build a domestic highland for the cell and gene technology industry.

After the opening ceremony, He Wei and his delegation investigated Changzhou West the Taihu Lake Lake Cell Therapy Frontier Technology Research Institute on the spot. At present, the research institute has completed the formation of a research team, including academicians and professors, and has initially carried out research and development work on immune cells, stem cells, and exosomes, and officially launched technical services to the outside world. Changzhou West the Taihu Lake Lake Cell Therapy Frontier Technology Development Foundation has funded four major projects of academicians and professors, and plans to incubate 20 key cultivation projects this year. At present, the selection work has been completed, and the project implementation is progressing in an orderly manner.

City leaders Qiao Junjie, Jiang Pengju, Zhu Zhengqing, and City Government Secretary General Zhou Chengtao participated in the event.