Dealmaking in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region took off this week, with the latest showcasing Genome & Co.’s licensing deal with Ellipses Pharma Ltd. for GENA-104, a phase I-ready immuno-oncology asset, under undisclosed terms Feb. 11.
Biomissile Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. is developing multispecific antibodies that overcome resistance associated with antibody-drug conjugates via its next-generation natural killer (NK) cell engagers. “ADCs are very efficacious, but they do have a drawback with side effects and resistance, because ultimately ADCs are similar to chemotherapy because you bring toxins to the tumor site,” Biomissile co-founder and CEO Chao Tu told BioWorld.
The Biosecure Act may have died with the 118th U.S. Congress, but efforts to stop U.S. government funding of R&D in China are alive and well. Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., introduced the Stop Funding our Adversaries Act in the House Feb. 7 to prohibit direct and indirect federal funding of research in China or entities owned by China.
The European Commission on Feb. 5 cleared Shanghai Henlius Biotech Inc.’s serplulimab (HLX-02) under the brand name of Hetronifly as a first-line combination therapy with carboplatin and etoposide to treat extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer.
Chinese biotechs are increasingly seeking deals with multinational companies, and those deal structures are getting more creative. The “newco” deal structure is getting a lot of attention, but the barrier for entry is quite high for this type of deal, Morrison Foerster Shanghai Managing Partner Chuan Sun told BioWorld.
For the pharmaceutical industry caught in the crosshairs of a potential trade war, the consequences of U.S. tariffs on China or Europe remain largely speculative, although both would be detrimental, according to a Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization (KoreaBIO) issue briefing Feb. 7.
“This current administration is like nothing that we've seen before,” said a managing partner of a global venture capital firm who spoke to BioWorld on the condition of anonymity. “President Trump’s first term was bad,” he said, “but nobody knows what’s coming.” “This is truly nationalism at its worst, because he won on the campaign [largely] to protect American jobs, claiming that Americans have been unfairly treated.” And it's not just China, he said, but India and other countries will also likely be affected.
The Biosecure Act may have died with the 118th U.S. Congress, but efforts to stop U.S. government funding of R&D in China are alive and well. Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., introduced the Stop Funding our Adversaries Act in the House Feb. 7 to prohibit direct and indirect federal funding of research in China or entities owned by China.
Bioray Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has announced clinical trial clearance in China by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for BR-111 for injection for the treatment of ROR1-positive hematological malignancies and solid tumors.
For the pharmaceutical industry caught in the crosshairs of a potential trade war, the consequences of U.S. tariffs on China or Europe remain largely speculative, although both would be detrimental, according to a Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization (KoreaBIO) issue briefing Feb. 7.
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