JY BioMed Unveils International Development Framework for GDT Cell Therapy in Glioblastoma

Building a New Paradigm for Cell Therapy in Taiwan

The three key hurdles for GDT cell therapy in glioblastoma: reaching the tumor, surviving within it, and sustaining function. Conceptual illustration. Image courtesy of JY BioMed.

JY BioMed announced that a study led by company Founder and Chairman Dr. Ethan Shen and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Benjamin Zhang, in collaboration with the Department of Neurosurgery at Taipei Medical University and Taipei Medical University Hospital, has been officially published in the international peer-reviewed journal Biomedicines. The study focuses on Gamma Delta T (γδ T) cell therapy for glioblastoma (GBM) and presents a comprehensive Clinical Development Framework that systematically addresses the key challenges of advancing cell therapy from preclinical research into human clinical trials, while outlining key principles for early-phase clinical trial design — offering an important reference point for the global development of γδ T cell therapy.

Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive primary brain tumors in adults. Even with surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, median survival remains limited, underscoring the urgent clinical need for new therapeutic strategies. The study notes that γδ T cells combine features of both innate and adaptive immunity, allowing them to recognize tumors independent of HLA restriction and positioning them as strong candidates for allogeneic, off-the-shelf cell therapies. However, the true determinants of successful clinical translation extend beyond cytotoxic potency alone — they also include whether the cells can effectively reach the tumor, survive within it, and sustain anti-tumor activity within the hypoxic, glucose-deprived, and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.

The research team further proposed four key clinical development recommendations: establishing quantifiable systems for cell tracking and pharmacodynamic assessment; conducting potency analyses under conditions that more closely replicate the tumor microenvironment; adopting allogeneic, off-the-shelf cell products combined with localized, repeat-dosing strategies; and prioritizing pharmacodynamic markers, biomarkers, and progression-free survival as early clinical endpoints before progressively evaluating overall survival benefit. The study concludes that establishing a consistent, quantifiable, and reproducible clinical development framework will be essential to advancing the maturity of γδ T cell therapy.

Dr. Ethan Shen, Founder and Chairman of JY BioMed, said the significance of this research lies not only in proposing a new therapeutic direction, but in establishing a clinical development methodology for cell therapy that can be adopted internationally — helping industry, medical, and academic communities accelerate the clinical translation of next-generation cell therapies and strengthen Taiwan's academic and technological influence in the global cell therapy field.

Dr. Adam Chen, CEO of JY BioMed, said Taiwan possesses an excellent healthcare system, strong clinical research capacity, and a solid biotechnology industry foundation, and that the key going forward lies in integrating academic, clinical, industry, and international resources to accelerate the advancement of innovative technologies into the global market. Dr. Chen previously served as Director-General of the Hsinchu Science Park Bureau and currently serves as CEO of JY BioMed and a board member of Taipei Medical University, with a long-standing focus on biomedical technology policy, industry-academia collaboration, and industry development. He noted that JY BioMed will continue to deepen its collaboration with research institutions and medical centers at home and abroad to build an internationally competitive cell therapy industry ecosystem — positioning Taiwan not only as a key hub for technology R&D, but as a leading driver of clinical development in cell therapy.

JY BioMed stated that the company has established a diversified technology platform spanning γδ T cells, heavy-chain antibody-drug conjugates (HCAb-ADC), umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC), and exosomes, and maintains a long-term industry-academia partnership with Taipei Medical University that connects R&D, manufacturing, clinical development, and commercialization resources. Within this ecosystem, the core γδ T cell platform technology was developed by JY BioMed; global clinical development for the glioblastoma indication is being advanced by SL Science Holding Ltd. (Nasdaq: SLBT), while large-scale manufacturing is handled by publicly listed biotechnology company HeXun Biosciences Co., Ltd. (TPEx: 6986), forming a complete cell therapy industry chain. Going forward, the company will continue to strengthen Taiwan's international visibility in cell therapy and regenerative medicine through international academic collaboration, peer-reviewed publications, and cross-border industry partnerships.

Selected Media Coverage

Commercial Times: https://www.ctee.com.tw/news/20260807701137-431205