SUZHOU, China – A recent revision to China's legal infrastructure for the pharma industry represents a concrete step toward bolstering domestic biotech innovation, said stakeholders gathered at last weekend's China Biomed Innovation and Investment Conference.

SUZHOU, China – The Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) chief proposed to unleash China's rich data resources to advance big health care, after he steered a groundbreaking move last year to welcome pre-revenue biotech companies, a move that has become a hot topic for the industry at home and abroad.

Shanghai-based Micurx Pharmaceuticals Inc. is preparing to file an NDA for its lead antibacterial candidate, contezolid, with China's National Medical Products Administration after results of a pivotal phase III trial there showed the drug providing comparable clinical cure rates to linezolid for complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTI). Reduced hematologic toxicity for the tablet-based antibiotic vs. linezolid was also seen, highlighting one of contezolid's key advantages.

SUZHOU, China – The global biotech market continues to look promising and Chinese companies are taking notice as they lay the foundation for new advances.

BEIJING – China has cleared for marketing the country's first domestically developed artificial heart, according to Chongqing, Sichuan province-based regulators. Evaheart I was developed by Chongqing Evaheart Medical Device Co. Ltd.

Shares of San Diego-based Tocagen Inc. (NASDAQ:TOCA) fell 77.7% to 93 cents on Sept. 12, and further since, after its two-part immunotherapy for people with recurrent brain cancer failed to surpass standard of care on overall survival (OS), the primary endpoint of the company's phase III Toca 5 trial. Secondary endpoints in the registrational study were also missed, showing no meaningful difference between study arms.

HONG KONG & BEIJING – Chinese biosimilar make Shanghai Henlius Biotech Inc. is ready to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) on its second try. The firm plans to issue 64.7 million shares globally under the stock code 2696. The maximum offer price is HK$57.8 per share, which means the biosimilar maker could raise as much as HK$3.74 billion (US$477 million).

BEIJING – Biologics developer Hisun Bioray Bio-pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Chinese state-owned drugmaker Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., received ¥3.8 billion (US$540 million) from Hong Kong investor PAG for a 58% stake in the company.

HONG KONG & BEIJING – Chinese biosimilar maker Shanghai Henlius Biotech Inc. is ready to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) on its second try. The firm plans to issue 64.7 million shares globally under the stock code 2696. The maximum offer price is HK$57.8 per share, which means the biosimilar maker could raise as much as HK$3.74 billion (US$477 million).