Harbour Biomed Therapeutics Ltd. has out-licensed a preclinical bispecific antibody, HBM-7022, to Astrazeneca plc in a global licensing deal worth up to $350 million.
Ark Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s phase III testing its ziresovir in infants hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection produced positive top-line results, meeting both the primary endpoint of reduction in signs and symptoms (S&S) score (p=0.002) and a key secondary endpoint of reduction in viral load (p=0.006) compared with placebo. The company said it is the first oral RSV antiviral to be successful in phase III.
Shanghai Allist Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.’s third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, furmonertinib, met its primary endpoint in a phase III trial, demonstrating longer progression-free survival vs. first-generation EGFR TKI Iressa (gefitinib, Astrazeneca plc) as first-line therapy for locally advanced or metastatic EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.
Shares of Suzhou, China-based Kintor Pharmaceutical Ltd. (HKEX:9939) rose to HKD28.85 (US$3.68), up HKD14.87, or 106%, after the firm reported top-line data from the phase III multiregional trial with proxalutamide in people with mild to moderate COVID-19 infection, regardless of vaccination status or risk factors.
Cellpoint B.V. has picked up U.S and European rights to a chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy from Shenzhen Pregene Biopharma Co. Ltd. Cellpoint will develop and commercialize the candidate, PRG-1801, for the treatment of hematological indications.
Less than a year after winning approval in China for the first domestically developed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), Remegen Co. Ltd. raised ¥2.6 billion (US$410 million) and picked up a listing on the Shanghai STAR market to support further work on its monoclonal antibodies and ADCs.
Jiangsu Recbio Technology Co. Ltd. raised HK$765 million ($97.7 million) in a Hong Kong stock exchange IPO on March 31. Shares of the vaccine maker (HKEX: 2179) opened at HK$25 per share and rose 1.8% to close at HK25.25 apiece. The Jiangsu, China-based company plans to use about half the proceeds, or HK$317.9 million, to support development and commercialization of its HPV vaccines, including its lead asset, a phase III recombinant HPV 9-valent vaccine REC-603, a spokesperson told BioWorld. The company also plans to set up an HPV manufacturing facility in Taizhou, China.
Innovent Biologics Inc. has acquired exclusive rights to commercialize Eli Lilly and Co.’s oncology drugs Cyramza (ramucirumab) and Retsevmo (selpercatinib) in mainland China, where it will be responsible for the pricing, importation, marketing, distribution and sales of the two products.
Zai Lab Ltd. has shared positive top-line data from its phase III study for PARP inhibitor Zejula (niraparib) in the treatment of newly diagnosed ovarian cancer following a response to platinum-based chemotherapy. The study, called Prime, involved 384 advanced ovarian cancer patients in China and met its primary endpoint.
Nuance Pharma Co. Ltd. signed a licensing deal with Denmark’s Bavarian Nordic A/S for rights to its MVA-BN RSV vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, South Korea and certain Southeast Asian countries.