The ACTO times: 2026 Summer edition

Dear ACTO members and readers,

It is our great pleasure to distribute ACTO Times 2026 Summer Version today. We are grateful to Prof. Huang and the ACTO Times editorial office team members who made it possible again.

We are expecting the 17th ACTO Annual Meeting in Jakarta, supported by Indonesia Ministry of Health. We are able to organize an attractive program arranged by Jakarta meeting organizing team. We will have an additional session focused on regulatory practical matters, especially for those in regulatory agencies. Regulatory Committee members, under the guidance of Dr. Maruyama, will help those who are starting new regulations for cell and gene therapy.

We will have the following ACTO annual meeting in Niigata, Japan, August 19~21, 2027, under the guidance of Prof. Shuji Terai, Niigata University. Please be ready to submit your abstract and be ready for presentation in Niigata.  We would like to welcome your publication, overview, and opinion to be published on ACTO Times. Prof. Huang, Editor-in-Chief, will help with your publication.

We welcome you to share ACTO Times with your friends/colleagues and encourage them to become a member of ACTO. We have a Vice President in each country who represents ACTO. You are welcome to contact them for any advice related to ACTO activities. Also, you will be able to find past ACTO Annual Meeting presentations via the ACTO Website. You will have access when you contact ACTO HQ for help.

ACTO is an organization for those in the field of cell and gene therapy in Asia and any area who are interested in this field of research and development. Our members are from academia, industry, and regulatory agencies to work together for patients. The majority of Cell and Gene therapy uses patient cells, not for multiple patient use. We need regulations based on a new concept to control autologous therapy; conventional regulation is to control commercial products for distribution. Safety standards are different for autologous cell therapy. There are many patients who need cell and gene therapy. Harmonized regulation is important for those patients to be able to receive new therapy in their home country. ACTO will work for harmonization and provide opportunities for key players, academia, industry, and regulatory agencies to share information and discuss freely for the development of new therapy. All three payers are equally responsible for the development of new therapy.

Best regards,

Akihiro Shimosaka, Ph.D.

Chairperson, Asian Cellular Therapy Organization (ACTO)