Nippon Shinyaku Co. Ltd. has taken up its option on U.S. rights to AB2 Bio Ltd.’s interleukin-18 neutralizing drug, tadekinig alfa, triggering a payment of $30 million and opening the way to a further $650 million in development and commercialization milestones for the Swiss biotech. The rights relate to the use of tadekinig in the treatment of primary pediatric IL-18-driven hyperinflammation, an ultra-rare inherited disorder that if left untreated can lead to multi-organ failure and death.

The death of a 6-year-old girl after receiving an experimental brain-directed gene-editing therapy at the Xinhua Hospital in Shanghai has reopened debate over how regulators should oversee first-in-human personalized gene therapies.

Kaigene Inc. has entered into a licensing agreement with Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. for the exclusive development and commercialization of Kaigene’s next-generation human neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) inhibitor, KG-006, in Japan.

Total med-tech financing through the first half (H1) of 2026 reached $12.66 billion, down from 2025’s $17.56 billion but in line with 2024’s $13.94 billion over the same period.

Global drug approvals through the first half (H1) of 2026 reached 261, the third-highest H1 total in BioWorld’s records behind 2021’s 288 and 2025's 271, and ahead of 2022’s 256. June was the standout month of the first six months at 64 approvals, the highest single month in BioWorld’s records and a notable acceleration from May’s 43.

Taiwan’s biotechnology sector was built around domestic health needs, including vaccines and drug manufacturing, but it is increasingly looking outward – to international partnerships, licensing, clinical development and a bigger role in the global biomedical ecosystem.

New drug approvals, financings and deals were seen across the Asia-Pacific biotech sector this week, with China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) granting clearances to Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s oral orexin receptor 2 agonist oveporexton for narcolepsy, as well as Haisco Pharmaceutical Group’s ciprocopan (HSK-39297) for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

Kolon Tissuegene Inc.’s TG-C, an allogeneic cell and gene therapy candidate for knee osteoarthritis (OA), missed both co-primary endpoints and all key secondary endpoints in a highly anticipated top-line phase III clinical trial readout.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. will likely look next to expand the label of Simtriyo (centanafadine) into patients with comorbid anxiety, having won the U.S. FDA’s green light as a once-daily extended-release capsule for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults plus pediatrics age 6 years and older who weigh at least 20 kg (about 44 lbs.).

Taiwan’s biotechnology sector was built around domestic health needs, including vaccines and drug manufacturing, but it is increasingly looking outward – to international partnerships, licensing, clinical development and a bigger role in the global biomedical ecosystem.