India’s drug regulatory system is under the lens again after the World Health Organization’s (WHO) latest medical product alert on two substandard cough syrups manufactured in the country, varieties of which have led to the deaths of scores of children in late 2022.
CAR T specialist Carsgen Therapeutics Holdings Ltd. out-licensed commercial rights for its B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) CAR T therapy, CT-053, in mainland China to Huadong Medicine Co Ltd. in a deal worth up to $152 million.
Hadasit Medical Research Services and Development Ltd. and BIRAD – Research & Development Company Ltd. have inked a development deal with Immix Biopharma Inc. for tissue specific therapeutics based on their jointly developed anti-B-cell maturation antigen CAR T cells targeting plasma cell technology.
After receiving approval in Japan for its orally administered COVID-19 antiviral, 3CL protease inhibitor Xocova (ensitrelvir/S-217622) in late November, Shionogi & Co. Ltd. is gearing up for approvals in South Korea and China.
Boan Biotechnology Co. Ltd. raised HK$152.8 million (US$19.6 million) from a Hong Kong IPO, capital the company will use to speed up product development, expand marketing and ramp up manufacturing.
Investment in the fourth quarter of 2022 was dismal in Asia Pacific, as the global venture community focused on preserving capital. And the region faced other challenges throughout the year, as leaders in Australia and across Asia became acutely aware of the vulnerabilities in their supply chains. But the year also saw some big deals and collaborations involving companies across Asia Pacific, along with advances in regenerative and digital medicine.
South Korea’s Legochem Bioscience Inc. inked a licensing deal with Amgen Inc. on Dec. 23 for five undisclosed antibody drug conjugate (ADC) targets worth up to ₩1.6 trillion (US$1.24 billion). Under the terms of the deal, Legochem will out-license global rights to Amgen for five undisclosed ADC targets and will receive an undisclosed up-front payment as well as development milestones and sales royalties. The companies did not disclose additional details.
South Korean biotech Pinotbio Co. Ltd. inked a $250 million (₩320 billion) licensing deal with Princeton, N.J.-based Conjugatebio Inc. to develop 10 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targets with Pinotbio’s ADC platform technology. The deal announced on Dec. 21 adds to a previous agreement between the two companies last year. Pinotbio and Conjugate first teamed up to discover and develop five ADC targets in June 2022.
Chinese authorities this year for the first time allowed access for complete U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) audit inspections and investigations of PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in China and Hong Kong, in accordance with U.S. securities law.
Innovent Biologics Inc. has in-licensed LG Chem Ltd.’s tigulixostat (LC-350189), a late-stage non-purine xanthine oxidase inhibitor (XOI) for managing chronic hyperuricemia in patients with gout, in a deal worth up to $95 million.
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