Research & Development

Alpha BioMedical R&D focuses on the following major areas incorporating recent advanced biotechnology approaches to benefit the societal impact, strongly backed by our experienced research team.

Product Development Focus Areas

#EarlyDISCOVERcancer
Cancer Test Kit Category 1 (Liver)
Cancer Test Kit Category 2 (Colon)
Cancer Test Kit Category 3 (Breast)

#SaveLIVEScancer
Immunotherapy using Natural Killer (NK) Cells

Early Cancer Diagnosis

Early detection of cancer biomarkers can save millions of lives worldwide. We embark on a program “Nanosensors for rapid and ultrasensitive detection of cancer biomarkers”. Using our expertise in nano/biotechnology approaches,* we leverage new platform technologies to build a robust point-of-care test kit for ultrasensitive early detection of cancer biomarkers (e.g., alpha-fetoprotein, AFP for liver cancer; HER2 for breast cancer; and/or combination of two or three biomarkers)

NK Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy

Natural killer (NK) cellular technology shows great potential for enabling autologous and allogeneic off‐the‐shelf cancer immunotherapy.

Our research focuses on NK cells as desirable tools in cell therapy for pre-clinical and clinical investigational studies of solid cancers and autoimmune disorders.

When the first and second lines of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy are proven unsuccessful, NK cells can be used as an alternative treatment option or a combination therapy for cancer treatment.

By partnering with a local lab pioneering in cancer research, we envisage that our NK cell therapy will be clinically proven, enabling the cure of liver cancer, Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Stem Cells

Our focus is on mesenchymal stem cells that can differentiate into different cell types with specialised repair functions (e.g., bone, cartilage, adipose, skin, liver, muscle, nerve, myocardium, trachea, cornea). Stem cells play a pivotal role in drug therapy products. This is the reason why, clinical trial research on stem cells is being pursued worldwide. However, the mass production of cell therapy products compliant with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations remains a global challenge.

Our research is embarked on focusing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs) for pre-clinical and clinical investigational studies.

Market Size

The oncology market size is anticipated to cross an annual valuation of over USD 469.5 billion by 2026, and 522 billion by 2028 (Source: BioSpace 2021; Global Market Insights, 2021).

NK cell market size is expected to reach USD 5.1 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 17.4% (Source: Allied Market Research, 2019).

The stem cell therapy market is expected to reach $20.87 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 20% (Source: Research and Markets, May 19, 2021).

Global iPSC market is expected to reach $2.3 billion by 2026; likewise, in Asia-Pacific it is gaining momentum due to a surge in R&D projects across countries like Australia, Japan, and Singapore (Source: “Stem cell-based therapeutics poised to become mainstream option,” Bio Spectrum Asia, October 1, 2021).

*Representative Patents

  1. S.T. Selvan, et al., “Cell-Targeting nanoparticles and uses thereof”, US Patent No. US 9,278,993 B2 (2016).
  2. D.K. Yi, S.T. Selvan, S.S Nanda, “Au-Cu nanocrystal and its synthesis method”, Korea Patent No. 10-2199699 (Dec 31, 2020).
  3. J.Y. Ying, S.T. Selvan, et al., Polymer Coated Magnetic Particles, US Patent No. US 8,790,633 B2 (2014).
  4. S. T. Selvan, et al., “Multifunctional Zinc Oxide Quantum Dots with Photoluminescence, Mesoporous and Anti-Cancer Properties”, SG Patent Application No. 201304450-8 (2013).
  5. S. K. Yen, S. T. Selvan, D. Janczewski, “Polymer Comprising A Dye, Nanoparticle Comprising The Polymer, And Methods Of Preparing The Same”, SG provisional patent application (2011). U.S. Patent Application No. 13/684,357 (2012).
  6. J. Y Ying, S.T Selvan, T. T Tan, Method of forming coated water-soluble nanoparticles by inverse emulsion, US Patent No. US7824731 (2010).

*Representative Publications

  1. S.T. Selvan, et al., Coordination chemistry of ligands: Insights into the design of amyloid beta/tau-PET imaging probes and nanoparticles-based therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, Coordination Chemistry Reviews, 2021, 213659.
  2. E.H. Ang, S.T. Selvan, et al., Silica-Coated Mn-Doped ZnS Nanocrystals for Cancer Theranostics. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2020, 3, 3088−3096.
  3. S.T. Selvan, et al., Nanotechnology Based Diagnostics and Therapy for Pathogens- Related Infections in the CNS, ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 2020, 11, 2371−2377.
  4. T. Boobalan, S.T. Selvan, et al., Mushroom-Derived Carbon Dots for Toxic Metal Ion Detection and as Antibacterial and Anticancer Agents. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2020, 3, 5910−5919.
  5. S.S Nanda, S.T. Selvan, et al., Experimental and Theoretical Structural Characterization of Cu-Au Tripods for Photothermal Anticancer Therapy, ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2019, 2, 3735−3742.
  6. H.Y. Yoon, S.T. Selvan, et al., Engineering Nanoparticle Strategies for Effective Cancer Immunotherapy, Biomaterials, 2018, 178, 597–607.
  7. H. Ang, S.T. Selvan, et al., Highly Luminescent Heterostructured Cu-Doped ZnS Nanocrystals for Application in Cancer Cell Labeling. ChemPhysChem, 2016, 17, 2489–95.
  8. Q.Q. Dou, S.T. Selvan, et al., Core-Shell Upconversion Nanoparticle – Semiconductor Heterostructures for Photodynamic Therapy. Scientific Reports, 2015, 5, 8252.
  9. S.K. Yen, S.T. Selvan, et al., Design and Synthesis of Polymer-Functionalized NIR Fluorescent Dyes – Magnetic Nanoparticles for Bioimaging. ACS Nano, 2013, 7, 6796–6805.
  10. K. Narayanan, S.T. Selvan, et al., Mimicking Cellular Transport Mechanism in Stem Cells Through Endosomal Escape of New Peptide-Coated Quantum Dots. Scientific Reports, 2013, 3, 2184.