The ACTO times: 2025 summer edition

Akihiro Shimosaka

Dear ACTO members,

We are glad to share the Summer edition of The ACTO Times 2025, the second annual electronic magazine for ACTO’s global connection in cell and gene therapy (CGT).

The Asian Cellular Therapy Organization (ACTO) was founded in 2010 to support Asia’s scientific community. Established by experts from all over Asia, ACTO serves for peoples in Asian as well as those in other countries who need CGT. Since our first meeting in Japan, led by Dr. Yoichi Takaue in 2010, we have successfully invited leaders from Taiwan, Singapore, Israel, Korea, Thailand, Iran, and China to create a platform tailored to the unique needs of the Asian region. ACTO has hosted 15 annual meetings since 2010 across Asia, uniting academia, industry, and regulatory agencies to advance new therapies for patients. Now we are happy to invite Indonesia to be a key member country for the operation of ACTO who will organize the 17^th ACTO Annual Meeting in 2026.

Today many countries in Asia introduced new regulation for CGT. Regulator agency members are directly participating ACTO activities and can exchange information freely. It is important for academy, industry and regulatory agency to work together for the development of CGT. ACTO will take responsibility to share the correct, precises information related to CGT. We started ‘The ACTO Times’, led by Editor-in-Chief Distinguished Prof. Rita Yen-Hua Huang of Taipei Medical University, for this purpose. Prof. Huang has made remarkable contributions by publishing the five editions (Spring, Summer, and Autumn, 2025 New Year and Spring), gathering updates from 15 Asian territories on advanced cell and gene therapy (CGT) from regulatory and industry committees.

Now we are ready for the 16^th ACTO Annual Meeting, August 14~16, 2025 in Singapore. We sincerely thank ACTO Vice President Dr. Mickey Koh and Industry Committee Chairman Dr. Kellathur N. Srinivasan and their team for hosting the 2025 ACTO Annual Meeting in Singapore. We warmly invite all ACTO members to join us.

Once again, we truly appreciate your invaluable contributions in making The ACTO Times a key resource for our members. Thank you for your support and involvement.

Sincerely 

Chairperson, Asian Cellular Therapy Organization (ACTO)  

Akihiro Shimosaka, Ph. D.