A four-way interagency initiative in South Korea, started in 2020, is working to bolster funding for the local medical device industry and grow homegrown devices for the global market.

Med-tech financings with disclosed valuations from January through October 2025 totaled $26.58 billion, nearly matching 2022’s $26.83 billion and marking a continued recovery from the sector’s 2023 low of $15.59 billion. The data suggest renewed investor confidence in med-tech, with capital flows shifting back toward public markets after two years of restrained activity.

UNESCO has adopted the first set of global standards on the ethics of neurotechnology amid the rapid advancement in the development of the technologies and increasing investor interest. These standards, which take effect on Nov. 12, 2025, establish safeguards to ensure that neurotechnology improves the lives of those who need it the most without compromising human rights.

Aussie radiopharma company Advancell Co. Ltd. unveiled promising early clinical data that could redefine how advanced prostate cancer is treated by targeted alpha therapies in the radiopharmaceutical space.

On Nov. 5, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce reported it would lift the export ban on Illumina Inc., which had been in place since March 4. While the ban will be lifted starting Nov. 10, Illumina remains on the unreliable entities list, requiring government approval for instrument purchases.

Nexgel Biotech Co. Ltd. and CG Bio Co. Ltd. agreed to co-develop a thermosensitive polyphosphazene hydrogel-based long-acting drug delivery platform through a new collaboration agreement signed Oct. 31.

Australian scientists have developed a simpler, less invasive way to detect Alzheimer’s disease that could make it easier for patients to access emerging disease-modifying therapies. Researchers from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation have identified blood-based biomarker tests capable of confirming amyloid plaque in the brain with accuracy comparable to the current gold standards using positron emission tomography scans and lumbar punctures.

India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) posted a draft guidance for medical device software, providing some clarity about the agency’s expectations for this class of products even if it seems to break no new ground.

The largest study ever conducted on light therapy for Parkinson’s disease has found that long-term use of Symbyx Biome Pty Ltd.’s non-invasive, at-home photobiomodulation (PBM) devices significantly improved mobility, anxiety, and overall symptom severity.

SK Biopharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. and Eurofarma Laboratórios SA launched a new joint venture (JV) called Mentis Care Inc. Oct. 21, dedicated to developing an AI-powered platform for epilepsy management.