Excalipoint Therapeutics Inc. launched with an oversubscribed $68.7 million seed financing round to advance a portfolio of T-cell engagers for solid tumors, marking one of the largest early stage financings in China biotech history.
Imbiologics Corp.’s market capitalization reached ₩1.5 trillion (US$1.02 billion) on its Kosdaq debut March 20, as the biotech seeks to become a leading antibody drugmaker for autoimmune diseases.
Early clinical data from Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. suggest its PD-L1/IL-15 bispecific antibody, SIM-0237, could emerge as a next-generation contender in Bacillus Calmette-Guérin-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
Gilead Sciences Inc. said after U.S. market close March 23 that it will acquire privately held Ouro Medicines LLC and its autoimmune BCMA/CD3 bispecific T-cell engager, gamgertamig, in a deal valued at $2.17 billion.
Immutep Ltd.’s stock on Australia’s Securities Exchange plummeted nearly 90% on March 13 on the news that its phase III TACTI-004 trial evaluating eftilagimod alfa (IMP-321, efti) in first-line non-small-cell lung cancer was discontinued due to futility.
Multi-modality platform company Kanaph Therapeutics Inc. raised ₩40 billion (US$26.7 million) through its Kosdaq stock sale March 16, becoming the first Korean biotech to go public this year. The Seoul-based company’s shares (KOSDAQ:0082N0) climbed to ₩70,000 in intraday trading before closing at ₩50,600 – 153% higher than the offering price.
Two biotech and three med-tech companies are slated for Kosdaq debuts this month, signaling a potential rebound for Korea financings in 2026. Kanaph Therapeutics Inc. will open with a ₩40 billion (US$26.99 million) raise and Imbiologics Corp. will debut with ₩52 billion. Additionally, Mezoo Co. Ltd., Cosmo Robotics Co. Ltd. and Recensmedical Inc. will launch IPOs.
China’s National Medical Products Administration has approved Asieris Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.’s cold light photodynamic drug-device combination product, Cevira (APL-1702, hexaminolevulinate hydrochloride), which is used as a nonsurgical therapy for treating patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2.
On the heels of China’s approval of Sino Biopharmaceutical Ltd.’s rovadicitinib, Sanofi SA is now inlicensing the first-in-class dual JAK/ROCK inhibitor in a deal worth more than $1.4 billion.