HONG KONG – SK Bioscience Ltd.’s shares soared as much as 30% in their KOSPI board debut on Thursday. The 22.95 million shares on offer opened at ₩130,000 (US$115.08) and were trading at ₩169,000 by the close of the trading day, raising ₩1.5 trillion, or $1.33 billion. SK Bioscience had priced the shares at the top of the ₩49,000 to ₩65,000 range.

HONG KONG – The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) is making headway with its 3D holotomography technology, which enables a more accurate and systematic way to view cell-to-cell interactions. This could be a game changer for assessing cell therapy.

KARACHI, Pakistan – Trypanophobia is a debilitating extreme fear of needles and syringes that prevents both children and adults from receiving sometimes life-saving medical care. The condition can lead patients to resist or deny simple procedures like an intravenous drip or even essential vaccinations. The condition has taken on an added significance in the fight against COVID-19 because of its impact on vaccination campaigns.

HONG KONG – Rokit Healthcare Inc. is working toward its goal of listing on the Korean stock exchange by July or August 2021. The Seoul, South Korea-based company will issue 12 million shares and targets setting the price range as early as July 2021. KB Securities Co. Ltd. and Mirae Asset will serve as organizers for the IPO.

HONG KONG – Looking to improve treatment outcomes for Alzheimer’s patients, Shanghai-based Luye Pharma Group has inked a deal to hand the Japanese rights for its leading treatment to Japan’s Towa Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. Made through Luye’s subsidiary Luye Pharma Switzerland AG, the agreement gives Towa the exclusive rights for the development and commercialization of the Rivastigmine multi-day transdermal patch (Rivastigmine MD) in Japan.

HONG KONG – Vuno Inc. saw its shares soar on their first day of trading on the Kosdaq board with a $33.4 million IPO. The shares closed at ₩32,150 (US$28.89) on Feb. 26. Vuno had priced the 1.8 million new shares on offer at ₩21,000, exceeding its desired range of ₩15,000 to ₩19,500 and raising ₩37.8 billion, or $33.4 million, to boot.

HONG KONG – Wuxi Diagnostic Investment (Cayman) Ltd. has raised $150 million in a series B financing round, while netting a number of new investors along the way. The new investors to come on board include Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Shiyu Capital, ABC International Holdings Ltd., Sunland Capital and CCBI Tech Venture.

PERTH, Australia – The fight against diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma may finally see some progress, after experiments using 3D models of the tumor in animal studies showed that a combination therapy of the polyamine inhibitor AMXT-1501 (Aminex Therapeutics Inc.) and the ornithine decarboxylase 1 inhibitor difluoromethylornithine could eradicate cancer cells.

PERTH, Australia – About seven years ago, Australia’s George Institute for Global Health conducted a study to find out how many people require dialysis for end-stage kidney failure compared to how many people receive treatment.