HONG KONG – Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. has won regulatory approval for Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) in Japan based on a pivotal phase II trial alone. The HER2-directed antibody-drug conjugate has been approved for the treatment of patients with HER2-positive unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric cancer that has progressed after chemotherapy.

HONG KONG – Tokyo-based Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Roche Holding AG, has received approval from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) to add new indication to the list of those treatable with its combination of Tecentriq (atezolizumab) and Avastin (bevacizumab): unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Both medicines originated at Genentech Inc.

KARACHI, Pakistan – Faced with lockdowns and massive disruptions to supply chains, distributors and manufacturers of surgical equipment in countries across South Asia like Pakistan, Indian, Bangladesh and Nepal are struggling to find a way forward but also looking for opportunities to expand their share of the global market while reducing their existing reliance on imports of basic supplies.

HONG KONG – Seoul, South Korea-based Vuno Inc. reported that it plans to list on South Korea’s Kosdaq bourse either by the end of 2020 or early next year, CTO and cofounder Kyu-hwan Jung told the 2020 Bioplus Interphex Korea Conference. After receiving A ratings in the recent technology evaluations by assessment institutions NICE D&B and Korea Enterprise Data, Vuno submitted a preliminary examination application to the bourse on July 28 that is currently underway, the company said.

PERTH, Australia – Australian public health laboratories are collaborating to sequence the virus genomes of all positive COVID-19 tests in Australia to track the virus using genomics across the country. The Communicable Disease Genomics Network (CDGN) and Illumina Inc. will track COVID-19 by using next-generation genomic sequencing technology.