Darers & Doers: The Quest for AI-Powered Cancer Vaccines

Program description: Darers and Doers, a special segment of China Business Uncovered, showcases groundbreaking innovations from China and features company founders and CEOs who are turning cool, bold ideas into reality. Produced by Caixin Global.  Episode intro: Cancer treatment has long relied on a largely fixed set of options: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and targeted drugs. But a new generation of biotech founders is trying to push the field toward something more precise — treatments built around the biology of a single patient. In this debut episode of Darers & Doers, Likang Life Sciences Founder and CEO Chen Li explains how his Beijing-based biotech startup is using artificial intelligence to develop personalized mRNA cancer vaccines.  Chen's entrepreneurial journey began with the cancer diagnosis of his mother, who later became his company's first patient. Ten years on, Likang's product, LK101, is already being used on patients in South China's Hainan province under a pilot policy, has won FDA approval, and is now advancing toward international clinical development. Speaking with Caixin Global Managing Director Li Xin, Chen discusses how his approach aims to overcome the limits of current immunotherapy, how he sees the race between biotech startups and pharmaceutical giants, and why China's biotech boom matters to the rest of the world. Chapters: (01:41) Why current cancer treatments aren't enough (04:44) Likang Life Science's approach and success (07:19) A founder's personal mission (10:56) Rethinking cancer treatment for solid tumors (16:06) The race between startups and big players  (21:09) From China lab to FDA approval (24:04) Real world clinical application and scaling up (26:45) Why China's biotech boom matters globally This episode of Darers & Doers was recorded in Mandarin and produced in English with the help of AI. Producers: Kelsey Cheng and Qing Na Read more on Caixin Global: Cover Story: Chinese Pharma Turns to Global Deals to Cure Capital Crunch China Aims to Tame Cancer Gene Test Pricing With Bulk-Buying Plan Subscribe now to unlock full access to Caixin Global and The Wall Street Journal for $200 a year. Group discounts are available — contact us for a customized plan.