Despite China’s near-frozen startup scene and increasingly cautious foreign investors following the COVID-19 pandemic, multinational pharmaceutical firms continued to scout for innovative up-and-coming Chinese biotechs in Shanghai at Chinabio Partnering Forum 2023 over its two-day run.
Wuhan YZY Biopharma Co. Ltd. made its debut on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, raising HK$121 million (US$15.48 million) in its IPO on Sept. 22, with shares (HKEX:02496) opening at the lower end of its range at HK$16 per share and ending the day at HK$16.60, a rise of 3.75%.
An artificial intelligence (AI) tool developed by Annalise.ai Pty Ltd. was able to improve radiologists’ accuracy in detecting abnormalities on non-contrast computed tomography brain (CTB) scans. According to a study published in European Radiology, the Annalise Enterprise CTB module improved radiologists' accuracy by 32% and reduced their overall reading time by 11%.
Inventiva SA is getting $10 million up front and the possibility of $231 in clinical, regulatory and commercial milestones by exclusively licensing its nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) candidate, lanifibranor, to Hepalys Pharma Inc. to sell in Japan and South Korea, two massive markets for the indication.
Everest Medicines Ltd. is in-licensing Kezar Life Sciences Inc.’s phase II autoimmune disease candidate, zetomipzomib in a deal worth $132 million for greater China, South Korea and southeast Asia rights. Kezar’s lead molecule zetomipzomib (KZR-616) is a first-in-class, selective immunoproteasome inhibitor with broad therapeutic potential across multiple autoimmune diseases.
Researchers at Singapore’s Agency for Science Technology & Research Bioprocessing Technology Institute (also known as A*STAR BTI) saw publication of their patent application for a wearable electronic system for solid-state epidermal biomarkers (SEB) that enables in situ, continuous, multiplexed, wireless, and skin-integrated sensing of analytes such as cholesterol, lactate, and glucose.
Starpharma Holdings Ltd.'s nanoscale drug delivery technology shows enhanced safety and durable responses in phase II trials compared to standard of care therapies in patients with advanced colorectal and ovarian cancer.
A fluorescent imaging agent developed by Vergent Bioscience Inc. enables visualization of elusive and previously undetected tumors, a phase II study presented last week at the 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCL23) demonstrated. The ability of the tumor-targeting agent, Vgt-309, to illuminate tumors could help surgeons more precisely locate tumors, better ensure clean margins and guide care decisions. In 10% of cases, the agent revealed unknown tumors in lymph nodes, which could affect which nodes are biopsied as well as when or whether a systemic therapy is recommended.
Hanmi Science Co. Ltd. is rolling out a new obesity pipeline with five candidates under its relatively new leadership with Lim Ju-hyun, the eldest daughter of Hanmi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. founder Lim Sung-ki, who serves as president of Hanmi’s global strategy division. Songpa-gu, Seoul-based Hanmi Science is the holding group of its main drug development and production arm, Hanmi Pharmaceutical, and its wholesaler arm, Online Pharm.
Insilico Medicine Inc. struck an out-licensing deal with Exelixis Inc. for its small-molecule USP1-inhibitor candidate called ISM-3091, the company said on Sept. 12, standing to gain $80 million in up-front payments.
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