HONG KONG – Chinese biotech companies, long in-licensors of innovative biopharma assets for the region, have started to reverse the flow by out-licensing domestically generated candidates to global players. The changing tide signals China’s innovation in the life sciences is bearing fruit. But the country’s efforts isn’t without complication, shadowed now by tense relations with the U.S.
HONG KONG – Interim results of a phase I study CT-P59, an anti-COVID-19 monoclonal antibody being developed by Incheon, South Korea-based Celltrion Inc., have confirmed the candidate’s safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics in healthy subjects, giving the company confidence to ramp up production of the experimental antiviral.
HONG KONG – The Korean 2020 KoNECT-MOHW-MFDS International Conference, which is taking place online this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, faced a challenging start. Technical difficulties hampered some of the early proceeding. However, technology took focus again later in the day in a more positive, with an exploration of artificial intelligence (AI).
The BioWorld Artificial Intelligence price-weighted index, which includes biopharmaceutical companies, medical devices and health care services companies, has climbed in value and is currently up almost 37% year-to-date.
HONG KONG – The use of artificial intelligence in drug discovery was back in the spotlight on the last day of the 2020 KoNECT-MOHW-MFDS International Conference, with drug developers pointing out both challenges and possible solutions.
HONG KONG – Tokyo-based Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has launched a subcutaneous injection of Enspryng (satralizumab) in Japan to prevent relapses of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), including neuromyelitis optica (NMO).
HONG KONG – Telangana, India-based Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. has launched Avigan (favipiravir), Fujifilm Holdings Corp.’s potential COVID-19 treatment, in India.
The FDA granted accelerated approval to Viltepso (viltolarsen) to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients (DMD) who have a confirmed mutation of the DMD gene amenable to exon 53 skipping, pitting it against Sarepta Therapeutics Inc.’s Vyondys (golodirsen), which was given accelerated approval last year in a controversial decision by the FDA following an agency complete response letter (CRL) highlighting safety concerns.
KARACHI, Pakistan – Geopolitics and a fraught relationship with its neighbors are hurting Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry and the ability of people to access active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and modern drugs.
With the economy and public health on the line, U.S. President Donald Trump thumped his Made in America pulpit again Thursday on a campaign swing through Ohio, in which he vowed to bring the pharmaceutical supply chain home over the next four years.