Bridge Biotherapeutics Inc.’s small-molecule Pellino-1 inhibitor, BBT-401, failed to meet the primary efficacy endpoint in a phase II trial in ulcerative colitis (UC). The phase II mid-to-high dose cohort study included 38 patients with active UC enrolled at 37 clinical sites across the U.S., New Zealand, South Korea, Poland and Ukraine.
South Korea’s GI Innovation Inc. announced its IPO on the Kosdaq market with plans to raise up to $34 million in March 2023. Funds raised from the IPO will go toward phase I/II clinical trials of immunotherapy agent GI-101 in the U.S. and Korea, and a phase I trial of allergy treatment GI-301 (also known as YH-35324) in Korea.
Sirnaomics Ltd. is gearing up to start either an expanded phase IIb or a phase III clinical trial for its lead siRNA candidate, STP-705, for the treatment of two non-melanoma skin cancers: squamous cell carcinoma in situ and basal cell carcinoma.
ABVC Biopharma Inc is headquartered in San Francisco but it has its roots in Taiwan where it is digging into traditional medicine and validating it for the modern world. “There are a number of drugs that can’t be synthesized in the lab,” ABVC CEO Howard Doong told BioWorld, so he is going back to the original source of traditional Chinese medicines to validate them using traditional drug development models.
India’s drug regulatory system is under the lens again after the World Health Organization’s (WHO) latest medical product alert on two substandard cough syrups manufactured in the country.
CAR T specialist Carsgen Therapeutics Holdings Ltd. out-licensed commercial rights for its B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) CAR T therapy, CT-053, in mainland China to Huadong Medicine Co Ltd. in a deal worth up to $152 million.
Hadasit Medical Research Services and Development Ltd. and BIRAD – Research & Development Company Ltd. have inked a development deal with Immix Biopharma Inc. for tissue specific therapeutics based on their jointly developed anti-B-cell maturation antigen CAR T cells targeting plasma cell technology.
After receiving approval in Japan for its orally administered COVID-19 antiviral, 3CL protease inhibitor Xocova (ensitrelvir/S-217622) in late November, Shionogi & Co. Ltd. is gearing up for approvals in South Korea and China.
Investment in the fourth quarter of 2022 was dismal in Asia Pacific, as the global venture community focused on preserving capital. And the region faced other challenges throughout the year, as leaders in Australia and across Asia became acutely aware of the vulnerabilities in their supply chains. But the year also saw some big deals and collaborations involving companies across Asia Pacific, along with advances in regenerative and digital medicine.
Boan Biotechnology Co. Ltd. raised HK$152.8 million (US$19.6 million) from a Hong Kong IPO, capital the company will use to speed up product development, expand marketing and ramp up manufacturing.