NEW DELHI – Bangalore-based Biocon Ltd. has received the Indian drug regulator's approval for restricted emergency use of its psoriasis biologic, itolizumab, to treat patients with severe cases of COVID-19 in need of ventilator support.

HONG KONG – China and U.S.-based pharmaceutical company Antengene Corp. has closed a $97 million series C financing round, with proceeds mainly directed toward funding the continuing clinical development of its pipeline of hematology and oncology therapies.

HONG KONG – Incheon, South Korea-based Celltrion Inc. will start manufacturing its COVID-19 treatment for clinical trials and commercial distribution, even though it’s only reached phase I.

HONG KONG – Seoul, South Korea-based 3D inspection device maker Koh Young Technology Inc. is looking to expand into the global market with its neurosurgical robotics system Kymero after securing its first client in its home country in June.

HONG KONG – Shanghai-based I-Mab Biopharma Co. Ltd. expects to begin clinical trials for the world’s first and only claudin18.2 and 4-1BB bispecific program in a year. "We expect the trial to start in U.S. in the [middle of] next year. We will then expand the trial to China afterwards as planned," Joan Shen, CEO of I-Mab, told BioWorld.

HONG KONG – Osaka, Japan-based Shionogi & Co Ltd. continues to make global inroads with its influenza treatment, Xofluza (baloxavir marboxil), submitting supplemental new drug applications in Japan and Taiwan for a post-exposure prophylaxis indication on the back of positive results from its phase III trials.

HONG KONG – Hong Kong’s emerging med-tech sector is getting a boost from a government-funded program aimed at sharing technology with other jurisdictions, a program driven in part by the need to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and continue opening regional economies.