U.S. FDA approvals began 2026 at a slower pace than usual, with eight approvals recorded in January.

China’s State Council updated its Drug Administration Law, and the changes mark a substantive evolution in the country’s drug regulatory framework.

Elevar Therapeutics Inc. appointed Kim Dong-gun (DG) as CEO Jan. 29, as the company focuses on post-NDA strategies for lirafugratinib in bile duct cancer, and the twice-rejected rivoceranib-camrelizumab combination for liver cancer.

For years, Japan’s “drug lag” was shorthand for slow regulatory reviews and delayed approvals compared with the U.S. and Europe. But even as regulatory timelines have shortened, review capacity has expanded and international alignment has improved, Japanese patients still face gaps in access to innovative drugs.

South Korea will implement a new regulation on synthetic biology in April 2026, aiming to foster innovations across both biotechnology and biomanufacturing.

South Korea’s National Assembly approved the largest budgets for its health ministries in 2026, including the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.