HONG KONG - California-based Iacta Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Hong Kong-based Zhaoke Ophthalmology Pharmaceutical Ltd. have inked a definitive license agreement for two of Iacta’s products.
Terns Pharmaceuticals Inc., a NASH specialist based in San Francisco and Shanghai, has out-licensed the Greater China rights of its BCR-ABL inhibitor, TRN-000632, for treating chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) to Chinese pharma giant Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. to move the preclinical oncology asset to the clinic faster.
Senhwa Biosciences Inc., of Taipei, Taiwan, said casein kinase 2 (CK2) is the right target to aim at when developing a COVID-19 therapeutic treatment. The company’s silmitasertib is the only clinical-stage inhibitor of CK2, a kinase recently identified by researchers as being hijacked by SARS-CoV-2.
HONG KONG – Mumbai, India-headquartered Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd. have released statistically significant top-line results from a phase III trial showing that Fabiflu (favipiravir), an antiviral pyrazine RNA polymerase inhibitor, can treat cases of mild to moderate COVID-19 in four days.
Chinese biotech startup Lynk Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., of Hangzhou, has in-licensed global rights from Kobe University and Riken Research Institute in Japan to develop renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors, which have a novel mechanism of action that can increase chances of developing anti-RAS cancer drugs.
HONG KONG – Tokyo-based Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. has hit its goals in a phase III study testing the use of prasugrel hydrochloride in thrombotic stroke patients.
With no new cases reported for more than 100 days, Taiwan appears to have successfully contained the spread of COVID-19 and has drawn attention to its medical achievements. Experts said at BIO Asia-Taiwan conference this week that with continuous government and investor support, the East Asian nation could move further up to join other leading biotech players.
HONG KONG – Daejeon, South Korea-based biotechnology company G2GBIO Inc. has raised ₩11.4 billion (US$9.53 million) from a series B financing round, with the funds to be used on clinical trials for a sustained-release Alzheimer’s treatment as well as nonclinical trials for diabetes and sustained-release postoperative pain treatments.
In the shadow of COVID-19, experts at the BIO Asia-Taiwan conference on Wednesday warned of present and future challenges for the biotech industry. Changes in manufacturing logistics and financial distress will continue to cause concern for the industry.
Emerging companies continue to have a bigger role in pushing biotech innovation, and their presence is more important than ever, given the race for a COVID-19 solution. Those companies’ role in global R&D and new drug approvals was stressed by experts at the current BIO Asia-Taiwan conference.
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