Even as it strives for self-reliance, India is struggling to wean itself off a reported 75% increase in med-tech imports from China. China led the contribution to India’s med-tech imports with ₹91.12 billion (US$1.2 billion) worth of goods in the 2021 fiscal year (April 2020 to March 2021), according to an analysis of data from India’s Department of Commerce by the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AIMED).
With aging populations and more sophisticated markets growing in the Asia Pacific region, multinational corporations including Medtronic plc and Olympus Corp. are tapping digitalization, robotics and innovation platforms to seek med-tech solutions.
Venus Medtech (Hangzhou) Inc. reported it has acquired 100% equity interest and corresponding equity in Cardiovalve Ltd. for $300 million. Or Yehuda, Israel-based Cardiovalve produces the Cardiovalve system, a transcatheter interventional replacement product for mitral or tricuspid regurgitation.
Canbridge Pharmaceuticals Inc. has raised HK$604 million ($77.4 million) with a listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange, selling about 56.3 million shares (1228.HK) at HK$12.18 per share. The shares fell to HK$8.90 at the close of trading Dec. 10. Almost half the funds will support advancement of Canbridge’s lead candidate, CAN-008, a glycosylated CD95-Fc fusion protein in phase II testing for glioblastoma, while another quarter will support other major pipeline programs.
Avistone Biotechnology Co. Ltd. raised more than $200 million to support its oncology drug development and the acquisition Pearl Biotechnology Co. Ltd. with the aim of creating a “fully-integrated” targeted oncology platform. Vivo Capital LLC led the financing, with participation from Bain Capital LP. and Primavera Capital Group.
Easyendo Surgical Inc. has won the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s (MFDS) latest breakthrough device designation for its robotized ureteroscope. The device, currently known as Easyuretero, is the first of its type to be developed in South Korea. The next goal for Easyendo will be regulatory approval, said the MFDS. Daejeon, South Korea-based Easyendo is already working towards winning that approval. “We are now preparing to start clinical trials in South Korea, and discussing the start date and scope of the trials with MFDS,” an Easyendo spokesperson told BioWorld.
With large amounts of cash in hand from exponentially higher sales related to COVID-19, some Chinese med-tech companies are now implementing plans to continue growing in a post-pandemic world.
PERTH, Australia – Health care artificial intelligence (AI) company Harrison.ai has raised AU$129 million (US$97 million) in a series B round that will expand the company’s global footprint by commercializing its comprehensive clinical AI applications.
PERTH, Australia – Medtech newcomer Artrya Ltd. listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in an AU$40 million (US$28.6 million) initial public offering to commercialize its software that analyzes heart computed tomography (CT) scans via artificial intelligence (AI) to better diagnose coronary artery disease.
Alphamab Oncology Co. Ltd. has won conditional marketing approval from China’s NMPA for KN-035 (envafolimab), the world’s first PD-1/PD-L1 antibody to be administered by subcutaneous injection. The drug was cleared for use in treating adult patients with advanced solid tumors who have unresectable or metastatic advanced microsatellite instability-high phenotype/mismatch-repair deficiency. That includes patients with advanced colorectal cancer who have experienced disease progression after previous therapy with fluorouracil, oxaliplatin and irinotecan.