HONG KONG – South Korean AI-based biotech Azoth Bio Inc., of Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, and biopharmaceutical venture Wellmarker Bio Co. Ltd., based in Seoul, have signed a memorandum of understanding for cancer drug R&D and commercialization. Under the agreement, the two entities will use Azoth's AI-powered platform to develop Wellmarker's cancer treatment candidates.

A Chinese study has identified small-molecule compounds that can selectively reduce levels of the mutant Huntingtin (HTT) protein involved in the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease (HD), and possibly other neurodegenerative diseases involving mutant protein accumulation.

HONG KONG – Indonesian regulators have introduced a medical device risk classification system, as part of a harmonization of regulations across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. The 'Sistem Klasifikasi Risiko Alat Kesehatan' system, known by the acronym Siklara, takes its cues from the ASEAN Medical Device Directive (AMDD).

HONG KONG – South Korea's major pharmaceutical company GC Pharma Corp., based in Yong-in, Gyeonggi-do, and the Cambridge, Mass.-based U.S. biotech Vaxess Technologies Inc., have partnered to globally commercialize a flu vaccine patch based on Vaxess' Mimix Smart Release Patch technology. The patch is designed to deliver medicines and vaccines through silk microneedles that dissolve at a precise rate.

Australian scientists have discovered promising new candidate analgesic molecules derived from a Penicillium fungus, which represents a promising resource for the development of safer new analgesics, they reported in the Oct. 14, 2019, edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

HONG KONG – Singapore's Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Lucence Diagnostics Pte. Ltd. have teamed up to develop a next-generation decision support tool for liver cancer patients. The visualization tool, known as Liver3D, was designed to reduce the risks associated with liver cancer surgery. It does so by developing machine learning models based on radiology images of liver cancer patients for clinical decision support.

HONG KONG – South Korea's 3billion Inc., a rare genetic diseases diagnosis startup based in Seoul, has secured ?11.4 billion (US$9.6 million) in a series B investment. The company was founded in 2016 as a spinoff of Macrogen Inc., a Seoul-based genetic sequencing biotech, and raised ?3 billion in a series A funding last year.

Australian digital medication management company Medadvisor Ltd. raised AU$17 million (US$11.4 million) via an oversubscribed placement in which U.S. health care solution provider HMS Holdings Corp. was a cornerstone investor, putting up $11 million and becoming the firm's largest shareholder with a 13% stake in the digital health company.

PERTH, Australia – Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is seeking comments from stakeholders on whether certain self-testing in vitro diagnostics (IVDs) should be prohibited from being sold to consumers.