Asieris Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. announced that it has received approval to commence phase I clinical trials in Australia of its novel antibacterial drug, APL-2301 (ASN-1733, MET-102), under development for the treatment of Acinetobacter baumannii infections.
Starpharma Holdings Ltd.’s DEP docetaxel phase II trial met its primary endpoints, demonstrating antitumor activity in multiple advanced, metastatic cancers, including pancreatic, gastro-esophageal, non-small-cell lung cancer and cholangiocarcinoma.
Metastatic colorectal cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally, but treatment options are generally limited to RAS mutation status for anti-EGFR therapies. Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Melbourne developed a method to grow organoids from patient-derived tumor samples that achieved 83% accuracy in predicting patient responses to different therapies.
In 2023, Japan has faced mounting criticism from the pharma industry for its annual price reductions. Ahead of the G7 summit hosted in Japan in May 2023, a delegation of 24 CEOs from the Biopharmaceutical CEO Roundtable met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to discuss global priorities and to flag concerns over drug pricing policies in Japan. Meanwhile, in 2023, China agreed to add 126 drugs to its National Reimbursement Drug List, in a negotiation process that has become more transparent and predictable than ever before. South Korea faces drug pricing reform, while Australia’s government has started an overhaul of its health technology assessment process.
If the COVID-19 pandemic shocked countries to build self-reliance in biomedical ecosystems, the re-opening of borders in 2023 kickstarted international collaborations to grow major biohubs in Asia. Countries in the Asia Pacific region – including Singapore, China, Japan, Korea and Australia – increasingly drew overseas investors and collaborators, helping each country grow national biotech capabilities and expertise.
Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd. plans to progress NNZ-2591 to phase III trials following positive top-line phase II results in children with Phelan-McDermid syndrome, a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder for which there are no approved treatments.
Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd. plans to progress NNZ-2591 to phase III trials following positive top-line phase II results in children with Phelan-McDermid syndrome, a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder for which there are no approved treatments.
If the COVID-19 pandemic shocked countries to build self-reliance in biomedical ecosystems, the re-opening of borders in 2023 kickstarted international collaborations to grow major biohubs in Asia. Countries in the Asia Pacific region – including Singapore, China, Japan, Korea and Australia – increasingly drew overseas investors and collaborators, helping each country grow national biotech capabilities and expertise.
Respiratory imaging technology company 4Dmedical Ltd. is acquiring Imbio LLC for $45 million to create a comprehensive portfolio of cardiothoracic imaging technologies. The news comes on the heels of U.S. FDA clearance of 4Dmedical’s computed tomography lung ventilation analysis software in November 2023.
Iecure Inc. has received clearance from the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of the company’s clinical trial notification (CTN) for ECUR-506 (formerly GTP-506), an investigational therapy in development for the treatment of ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency in pediatric (or neonatal) patients.