BEIJING – China’s partial shutdown caused by the 2019-nCoV coronavirus outbreak has sparked global fears of a disrupted supply chain of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), as the country is a major exporter. Drugs that many depend on, such as ibuprofen and acarbose, could be affected.
HONG KONG – A team of researchers at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) claim to have invented the world’s fastest portable 2019-nCoV diagnostic device. From sampling to testing, the device is apparently able to detect the novel coronavirus in just 40 minutes. In comparison, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology that is currently in use can take between 1.5 to 3 hours. The device draws on the latest microfluidic chip technology from Shenzhen Shineway Hi-Tech Co. Ltd.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Aduro, Alterity, Applied DNA Sciences, Inceptua, Merck, Oncosec, Portola, Proqr, Takis, Therapix, Tracon.
BEIJING – Share prices of Chinese biotechs that partner with Gilead Science Inc. have surged in China this week, after the U.S. firm’s remdesivir was identified as the most promising drug candidate to treat 2019-nCoV.
Med-tech happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Bgi, Bioventrix, Curetis, Fibroline, Gatt Technologies, MGI Tech, Nano-X Imaging, Quaphaco, Smith & Nephew, USArad Holdings.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Atreca, Aurigene, Chiesi, Curis, Evgen, Foamix, Generex, Genprex, Janone, Jounce, Marinomed, Menlo Therapeutics, Merck, Nanostring, Oncternal, Scholar Rock, Summit.
The drug screens prompted by the SARS and MERS outbreaks have been useful for quickly identifying drug candidates. But in terms of their epidemiology, “SARS and MERS were different from this coronavirus,” Allison McGeer explained at a Feb. 3 webinar by Evercore ISI.
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