CDMO Forms Strategic Collaborations for Cell-Based Therapies in Eye Disease and Solid Tumors
Porton Advanced has announced separate partnerships with TongEYE and Hualong Biological, as it moves into regenerative therapies for vision loss and innovative immunotherapies for solid tumors.
CDMO specializing in advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), Porton Advanced, has recently announced two strategic collaborations for the development of innovative cell therapies targeting ophthalmic diseases and solid tumors.
Porton Advanced, the service provider, revealed its first collaboration with TongEYE Medical Technology, a company focused on cell therapy drugs for eye diseases (1). The partnership centers on the development of an induced pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium cell (iPSC-RPEC) transplantation therapy which has shown significant potential in addressing blinding eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa. The company will provide comprehensive CDMO services, including chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) development and investigational new drug (IND) application assistance, to expedite the therapy's development process.
“We are pleased to partner with Porton Advanced, a leading CDMO with proven track records,” said Dr. Guo-Tong Xu, Founder and Chief Scientist of TongEYE, in a press release (1). “Their CDMO capabilities and project experience in iPSC will significantly accelerate our ophthalmic cell therapy development program to benefit patients sooner.”
Andrew Chen, CFO of Porton Advanced, added, “TongEYE’s R&D team has developed a robust RPE differentiation method and the products have been showing safety and functionality in preclinical studies. Through this collaboration, we will combine our iPSC-CMC expertise with their innovative platform to overcome key technical challenges in iPSC-based therapy development” (1).
In a separate announcement on May 12, 2025, Porton Advanced disclosed its partnership with novel cancer therapeutics company, Hualong Biological to work on the development of their Multi-Activated T Cell (MATC) therapy designed to treat solid tumors (2). Hualong's research team has established a strong clinical foundation for its MATC platform through multiple investigator-initiated trials (IITs) in which Porton Advanced will offer end-to-end CDMO services — from process optimization to regulatory submission — to advance the therapy’s development.
“We are delighted to partner with Porton Advanced,” said Mingguang Huang, Chairman of Hualong Biological, in a press release (2). “Their comprehensive CDMO technical expertise and regulatory experience in cell therapy will significantly enhance our MATC program's development efficiency and IND preparation timeline.”
“Collaborating with Hualong Biological marks a strategic expansion of our CDMO services in cell therapy,” added Chen, in the press release (2). “We are honored to provide regulatory-compliant, high-quality MATC CMC services to support their IND application. Porton Advanced is committed to supporting partners through our integrated technology platform and regulatory experience to bring cutting-edge therapies to patients faster.”
Both collaborations show how Porton Advanced is expanding into different areas of medicine as it works to meet a wide range of unmet medical needs.
The partnership with TongEYE taps into the fast-growing regenerative medicine market, which is projected to reach over USD 90 billion by 2030 (3). As the aging population increases, there is growing demand for advanced cell and gene therapies targeting degenerative eye diseases such as AMD. In the U.S. alone, approximately 19.83 million individuals were living with some form of AMD in 2019, and globally, AMD is the third leading cause of visual impairment, with its prevalence rising in tandem with increased life expectancy (4).
Meanwhile, the alliance with Hualong Biological aligns with the expanding demand for solid tumor treatments; the global solid tumor therapeutics market is forecast to grow from USD 195 billion in 2023 to nearly USD 500 billion by 2033 (5). This growth is being driven by innovations in targeted therapies and immunotherapies, which are helping to overcome the limitations of traditional cancer treatments. The trend is particularly pronounced in the Asia Pacific region, where a rising prevalence of cancer and increased healthcare investment are expected to significantly boost demand for advanced therapeutic solutions (6).
Both collaborations appear to be a strategic move for Porton Advanced as it positions itself as a long-term partner, rather than being just another service provider. However, the success of these partnerships will depend on more than just market potential, especially given that iPSC-based and T-cell therapies face complex technical, regulatory, and scalability challenges. Porton’s ability to deliver technical execution, navigate regulatory challenges and demonstrate clinical readiness will be critical. If successful, these partnerships could prove to be case studies in how CDMOs can move upstream in the value chain. If not, there's a risk that Porton could stretch its capabilities too broadly across unproven platforms.
References
Porton Pharma. Porton Advanced Announces Collaboration with TongEYE to Accelerate Development of iPSC-RPEC transplantation therapy. Press Release, May 22, 2025.
Porton Pharma. Porton Advanced Announces Collaboration with Hualong Biological to Accelerate MATC Cell Therapy Development for Solid Tumor Treatment Breakthroughs. Press Release, May 22, 2025.
Grand View Research. Regenerative Medicine Market Size, Share and Trends Analysis Report by Product (Cell-based Immunotherapies, Gene Therapies), by Therapeutic Category, by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2024–2030. Market Research Report, January 2024.
Prevent Blindness. Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Blog, Nov. 03, 2022.
Market.Us. Global Solid Tumor Therapeutics Market Analysis by Therapy Type, by Route of Administration, by End-Users, by Region and Companies — Industry Segment Outlook, Market Assessment, Competition Scenario, Trends and Forecast 2024-2033. Market Research Report, February 2024.
The Brainy Insights. Solid Tumor Therapeutics Market Size by Cancer Type, by Drug Type, Regions, Global Industry Analysis, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2024 to 2033. Market Research Report. January 2024.