Hansoh Healthtech Co. Ltd., part of Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd., has acquired exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize an oral SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease inhibitor from Beijing Huayi Health Drug Discovery Institute, also known as the Global Health Drug Discovery Institute (GHDDI). The deal includes ¥12 million (US$1.8 million) up front and up to ¥1.68 billion in potential milestone payments, plus tiered royalties on net sales.
Following the readout of a phase II trial evaluating its COVID-19 oral antiviral Pentarlandir (SNB-01), Taiwan’s Syneurx International Corp. said it expects to launch a phase III test of the candidate in the next few months.
An expert panel of Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) pushed back on recommending conditional approval for a second time for Shionogi & Co. Ltd.’s orally administered COVID-19 antiviral 3CL protease inhibitor, S-217622, also known as ensitrelvir.
South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has granted marketing authorization to SK Bioscience Ltd.’s COVID-19 vaccine, Skycovione (GB-510), marking the country’s first homegrown COVID-19 vaccine to be approved. The company has already signed an advanced purchase agreement with the Korea Centers for Disease Control for 10 million doses of the vaccine.
Japan is establishing a centralized infectious disease crisis management agency that will be under direct control of the prime minister. One of the goals is to better clarify the chain of command and to bring together resources and COVID-19 task forces from the Cabinet Secretariat and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
While the World Trade Organization (WTO) is taking a victory lap for getting a five-year intellectual property (IP) waiver across the finish line for COVID-19 vaccines, the accomplishment is being panned by spectators on both sides of the track.
Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. reported that ARCT-154, its self-amplifying mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, showed efficacy of 55% against infection and 95% efficacy against severe disease, meeting the primary and key secondary endpoints of the ongoing phase I/II/III trial. While the company’s stock (NASDAQ:ARCT) regained much of its initial 25% drop to close the day, investors continue to await further data to determine where Arcturus’ vaccine will fit in with available COVID-19 vaccines.
NEC Corp. subsidiary NEC Oncoimmunity AS recently received $4.8 million from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to fund the development of vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 variants and other betacoronaviruses.
Everest Medicines Ltd. has formed a partnership with China Resources Pharmaceutical Group (CR Pharma) to co-launch an independent company to focus on the development of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines.
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.