Countries in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region have an opportunity, or a time-limited “gap,” to become leaders on the global biotechnology stage, panelists at the Bio Asia 2025 conference said in Singapore Sept. 9.

Although 2024 showed signs of recovery, 2025 is once again reflecting an IPO slowdown, with global biopharma IPO proceeds in the first seven months of the year falling to their lowest level since 2016.

Neurosciences specialist NRG Therapeutics Ltd. is poised to put its new class of small-molecule regulators of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore to the test after closing an oversubscribed £50 million (US$67 million) series B.

Epigenic Therapeutics Co. Ltd. closed a $60 million series B round to support clinical development of lead gene therapy candidates EPI-003 for chronic hepatitis B virus and EPI-001 for hypercholesterolemia.

Biopharma financing activity has continued to remain low compared to the highs seen in recent years, with a total of $39.83 billion raised across IPOs, follow-on offerings, public/other and private financings in the first eight months of 2025.

Propanc Biopharma, Inc. plans to acquire $100 million of Ethereum cryptocurrency over the next 12 months to accelerate its pipeline. The company is advancing its lead candidate, PRP, to enter a phase Ib trial in 30 to 40 advanced cancer patients with malignant solid tumors.