There was an upbeat message for cell and gene therapy companies in the 2026 industry update presented as the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference opened on Monday, with Tim Hunt, CEO of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, telling delegates that after lean years of learning, adapting and setbacks, the sector is now self-sustaining.
Oricell Therapeutics Holdings Ltd. announced a $70 million series C1 round to expand its global footprint and speed clinical development of its CAR T therapies. The round was co-led by Beijing Medical and Health Care Industry Investment Fund, Qiming Venture Partners and a leading global health care fund.
After raising AU$29 million (US$19.44 million) in a series A round, Rage Biotech Pty Ltd. is beginning phase I trials of its lead candidate, RB-042, an inhaled splice-switching oligonucleotide for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other inflammatory lung diseases.
With rumors regarding a couple of potential mega-mergers making the rounds, the week of the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference kicked off with the official disclosure of some billion-dollar collaborations, leading with Abbvie Inc.’s exclusive licensing deal with Remegen Co. Ltd. for PD-1/VEGF-targeted bispecific antibody RC-148.
Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co. Inc. President and CEO Kazuhide Nakatomi is leading a management buyout to take the company private, citing mounting drug pricing pressures and tougher listing requirements on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Hutchmed Ltd. plans to file a second NDA in China for sovleplenib, a novel spleen tyrosine kinase inhibitor, based on positive phase II/III findings in warm antibody autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
Takeda Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.’s oral tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor, zasocitinib (TAK-279), met the co-primary endpoints and all ranked secondary endpoints in two pivotal phase III studies in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
South Korea will implement a new regulation on synthetic biology in April 2026, aiming to foster innovations across both biotechnology and biomanufacturing.
The newly released 2026 edition of Clarivate’s Drugs to Watch report highlights 11 potential blockbusters that could change treatment paradigms for patients.
South Korea’s National Assembly approved the largest budgets for its health ministries in 2026, including the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.