Caring Cross and HIEx Launch Advanced Therapies Investment Platform to Expand Affordable Care for Cancer, Sickle Cell Disease, and Other Chronic Global Diseases in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

New partnership launches during the World Health Assembly as part of the Sigmastack Climate & Health impact investing platform in collaboration with Symbiotics

GENEVA, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Caring Cross, in collaboration with the Health Innovation Exchange (HIEx), is proud to announce the official launch of the Advanced Therapies Caring Cross (ATCX), a new initiative focused on expanding access to affordable advanced therapies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This partnership will be highlighted during a dedicated side event at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, titled "Accelerating Advanced Medical Technology & Innovations for Equitable Health", to be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 13:00 – 14:00 CEST at the InterContinental Geneve.

ATCX operates as a dedicated track within the Sigmastack Climate & Health impact investing platform, an initiative launched by HIEx in collaboration with Symbiotics. This platform combines an open-ended investment fund—with a target size of up to USD 500 million over the next decade—with a specialized Technical Assistance (TA) facility. The TA facility, backed by catalytic grants amounting to 5% of the fund's capital, is designed to mitigate investment risks and strengthen the surrounding ecosystem. It will provide tailored support to portfolio companies, foster innovative business models, and facilitate collaboration among entrepreneurs, corporate partners, investors, and public sector stakeholders.

"We're honored to launch ATCX in partnership with HIEx and to be part of a broader movement to build sustainable, equitable, and locally driven solutions for advanced therapies," said Dr. Boro Dropulic, Executive Director of Caring Cross. "By embedding ATCX within the Sigmastack platform, we're ensuring that advanced therapies are not only effective but also scalable, affordable, and community-empowered."

The launch event will bring together global health leaders, innovators, and policy-makers to address persistent access gaps and the urgent need for context-driven innovation in oncology and mental health.

The event will spotlight:

• Solutions to close the oncology access gap in LMICs
   
• Models for scaling affordable, advanced cancer therapies
   
• The intersection of patient-centered innovation and health equity
   
• How AI and neurotechnology can transform mental health systems globally

Event Details:
 Title: Accelerating Advanced Medical Technology & Innovations for Equitable Health
 Date & Time: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 | 13:00 – 14:00 CEST
 Location: InterContinental Geneve, 9 Chemin du Petit-Saconnex, 1211 Genève, Switzerland

Register to the event, here.

This collaboration is a crucial step forward in the effort to build resilient health systems through innovation and investment. By integrating OCC into the Sigmastack platform, Caring Cross and HIEx are paving the way for a future where life-saving cancer therapies are available to all, regardless of geography or income.

About Caring Cross:
Caring Cross is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to accelerating the development of advanced medicines and ensuring global access to cures. To achieve its mission, Caring Cross develops technologies and therapeutic candidates that improve the accessibility, affordability, and applicability of advanced medicines like CAR-T therapy and stem cell gene therapy. Vectors used for Caring Cross ATMPs are manufactured by Vector BioMed, a for-profit vector contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), specializing in rapid lentiviral vector manufacturing solutions, to provide the industry with affordable, high-quality GMP lentiviral vectors.

For more information on Caring Cross, visit https://caringcross.org. For more information on Vector BioMed, visit https://vectorbiomed.com.

Caring Cross Media Contacts: 

Daniel Laender 
Director of Communications
Caring Cross
[email protected]
+1 (240) 447-3692

Kathy Fowler 
On The Marc Media
[email protected]
+1 (410) 963-2345

About HIEx
The Health Innovation Exchange (HIEx) is a United Nations-born initiative that connects policymakers, innovators, and investors to scale impactful health solutions globally, with a strong focus on implementation in LMICs. hiex.ch

About Symbiotics
Symbiotics is the leading market access platform for impact investing, dedicated to private markets in emerging and frontier economies. The group offers investment, asset management and capacity building services. Since 2005, we have originated over 8,200 investments representing more than USD 10.5 billion for 608 companies in 99 countries. We manage an aggregate portfolio of USD 2.5 billion spread across 19 funds and mandates. Our portfolio companies have also benefited from over 170 technical assistance projects worth more than USD 19 million. symbioticsgroup.com

Symbiotics Media Contacts: 

Samy Derradji
Symbiotics
[email protected]
+41 (0)22 338 15 55

SOURCE Caring Cross