Advanced solutions for breast cancer and plastic waste: HKBU researchers secure over HK$3 million in ITC funding

Under the Innovation and Technology Commission's (ITC) Innovation and Technology Support Programme (ITSP), two research projects have been awarded funding.Professor Zhang Ge, Chair Professor and Associate Dean (Research) of the School of Chinese Medicine, has received HK$2,185,000 from the ITSP (Platform) scheme. In parallel, Professor Zhao Jun, Associate Professor in the Department of Biology and Director of the Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment, has been awarded an ITSP (Collaborative) project with total funding of HK$1,692,915, of which 50 per cent is contributed by industry sponsorship.

Professor Zhang to lead development of novel protein-degrading drug for triple-negative breast cancer

The grant will fund a project titled “Aptamer-Based Proteolysis Targeting Chimera to Degrade Intracellular Sclerostin for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Therapy” led by Professor Zhang, with experts from HKBU, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Clausthal University of Technology, and Fudan University.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients exhibit the shortest survival time among all breast cancer patients, yet current treatments only benefit a small proportion of them. To address this gap, developing effective drugs that pinpoint molecular targets highly expressed in the majority of TNBC patients is desirable. Data from the research team’s clinical TNBC biobank revealed that sclerostin protein was expressed in most clinical TNBC tissues and was actively associated with a poor prognosis.

Genetic testing reveals that intracellular sclerostin drives TNBC progression and metastasis, convincing researchers to develop Apc101 - an innovative, aptamer-based, protein-degrading chimera that has already outperformed traditional chemotherapy (paclitaxel) in tumour regression models. To pave the way for future clinical trials, the project will focus on three transitional milestones: evaluating Apc101’s efficacy at varying concentrations in tumour models, mapping its pharmacokinetic profile in Sprague-Dawley rats, and establishing its chemical, manufacturing, and purity standards through comprehensive Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) studies.

• Professor Zhang’s research profile: https://scholars.hkbu.edu.hk/en/persons/ZHANGGE

Professor Zhao to convert plastic waste into sustainable aviation fuel

This funded project, titled “Catalytic Upcycling of Waste Plastics to Sustainable Aviation Fuel”, aims to develop a novel molten waste-plastic pyrolysis technology that converts plastic waste efficiently into sustainable aviation fuel. 

The project is a response to the increasing accumulation of waste plastics which presents severe environmental challenges. Traditional waste plastic disposal methods, such as landfilling and incineration, contribute to land degradation, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers saw a critical need for the development of more environmentally friendly, economically viable, and sustainable waste plastic processing technologies.

The research team will focus on catalyst development and optimisation, as well as the fabrication of prototype reaction systems for process scale-up validation. Simultaneously, a techno-economic analysis will evaluate the feasibility of this technological approach. This innovative solution not only addresses the growing issue of plastic waste but also supports aviation decarbonisation by creating a commercially viable circular economy pathway.

• Professor Zhao’s research profile: https://scholars.hkbu.edu.hk/en/persons/ZHAOJUN

About the schemes

The ITSP (Platform) was launched in 1999 to support applied research and development (R&D) projects undertaken by designated local public research institutes and R&D centres. Its goal is to transfer these innovative scientific results directly to local industries.

The ITSP (Collaborative) was established in 2019 to support applied R&D projects undertaken by designated local public research institutes or R&D Centres in collaboration with companies.