Joint effort to explore innovative cancer treatment solutions and broaden options for customers

AXA China Region Insurance Company (Bermuda) Limited, together with AXA International Reinsurance (Shanghai) Company Limited ("AXA"), is pleased to announce the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Biotech Services Holdings Limited (HKEX stock code: 8037; "China Biotech Services"). The collaboration aims to explore innovative cancer treatment technologies, including Boron Neutron Capture Therapy ("BNCT") and related services, with the goal of providing customers with a broader range of diversified treatment options.

BNCT is a targeted radiotherapy that involves administering a boron-containing drug as a targeting agent. After the tumour absorbs the boron-containing drug, it is then irradiated with a neutron beam, triggering a nuclear reaction in the boron atoms. This reaction causes the boron atoms to undergo nuclear fission, releasing high-energy particles that selectively destroy tumour cells while sparing the surrounding healthy cells. BNCT offers greater precise than traditional radiotherapy, effectively targeting cancer cells without damaging nearby normal cells. It is particularly suitable for treating malignant tumours resistant to traditional radiotherapy or those that have recurred, such as malignant gliomas (brain tumours) and recurrent head and neck cancers. Additionally, BNCT shows potential efficacy for melanoma, liver cancer, and malignant pleural mesothelioma. In 2020, BNCT was approved in Japan as a clinical treatment covered by the national health insurance system and has since been incorporated into the public healthcare system¹. Currently, BNCT is conducting a Phase I clinical trial in Japan for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma, exploring treatments for earlier-stage patients and covering more types of cancer².

Notably, head and neck cancer encompasses a range of common malignancies, including nasopharyngeal, oral, oropharyngeal, laryngeal, and hypopharyngeal cancers. According to the Hong Kong Cancer Registry, there has been a steady rise in new cases of head and neck cancers over the past decade. In 2022, there were 1,464 new cases involving the lip, oral cavity, pharynx, and nasopharynx, with approximately two-thirds of patients being male. The highest incidence was recorded among individuals aged 45 to 65, indicating a pronounced gender and age-related prevalence³.