Celltrion Inc. announced Oct. 29 the signing of an $87.75 million joint drug R&D agreement with AI and spatial transcriptome-based biotech Portrai Inc.
In 2025, the biopharma industry has undergone a wave of workforce reductions that surpasses previous years’ trends. Multiple major pharma companies have announced sizeable job cuts, driven by a convergence of shifting regulatory terrain, vaccine slowdowns and cost-structure rationalization.
Transthera Sciences Inc. is out-licensing one of its preclinical NLRP3 inhibitors to Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. under a collaboration agreement worth $881.5 million. Under deal terms, Nanjing, China-based Transthera will receive an undisclosed up-front payment and is eligible to receive research and development and sales-based milestone payments up to $881.5 million.
Lepu Biopharma Co. Ltd. said Oct. 30 it won Chinese approval of a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), Meiyouheng (becotatug vedotin injection), making it China’s first epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-directed ADC for advanced nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC).
The Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization on Oct. 30 welcomed the bilateral trade deal between the U.S. and South Korea announced during U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit alongside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Gyeongju, South Korea.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. agreed to codevelop and commercialize up to three of Innovent Biologics Co. Ltd.’s immuno-oncology (I-O) and antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidates with the signing of a $11.4 billion deal, including $1.2 billion paid up front.
Ena Respiratory Pty Ltd. raised an AU$34 million (US$22.4 million) series B round to advance INNA-051, its nasal spray for symptomatic viral respiratory infections, to phase II trials. New investors in the Melbourne-headquartered company include the Gates Foundation and Flu Lab. Existing investors Brandon Capital, Uniseed and Stoic Venture Capital also participated in the round.
Although Argenica Therapeutics Ltd.’s stroke drug, ARG-007, saw mixed results in top-line phase II data, new data in functional outcomes studies showed signs the drug helped patients think more clearly, regain independence, and enjoy a better quality of life after stroke.
Stem cells are a promising therapeutic modality to fight aging and age-related disease, speakers at the Bio-Plus Interphex Korea 2025 said. Progress in cell-based longevity medicine is being made, they added, although safety, ethical and regulatory issues are ongoing challenges.
Based on positive phase III study results, Metis Techbio is planning to file an NDA for its AI-derived orally disintegrating tablet drug candidate for pseudobulbar affect, MTS-004, in China next year.
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