Lepu Biopharma Co. Ltd. has been given conditional approval by China’s NMPA for its anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, Puyouheng (pucotenlimab injection), based on data from a phase II study. The drug was conditionally greenlighted for patients with unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) advanced solid tumors.
Elevation Oncology Inc. has picked up the global rights to SYSA-1801, an anti-Claudin 18.2 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidate, from CSPC Megalith Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd. in a deal worth up to $1.195 billion. Under the terms, Elevation gets rights to develop and commercialize SYSA-1801 outside of mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
Genuine Biotech Co. Ltd.’s azvudine has been granted conditional approval by China’s NMPA for the treatment of COVID-19. The drug, first granted conditional approval from the NMPA to treat HIV-1-infected adults with high viral loads in July 2021, is the first domestically developed oral medicine approved to treat COVID-19 in China and was approved just 10 days after its application was submitted on July 15.
Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. out-licensed an investigational antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) for the treatment of solid tumors to Merck & Co. Inc. in a deal worth up to $936 million. Sichuan, China-based Kelun-Biotech will receive $35 million up front in the deal and is eligible to receive up to $901 million in future development, approval and commercial milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on net sales.
Inventisbio Co. Ltd. has raised ¥2.084 billion (US$296 million) in an IPO on Shanghai’s STAR Market priced at ¥18.12 per share, though its stock saw a disappointing debut, opening at ¥14 per share on the first trading day July 25 and closing at $15.29, for a drop of 15.6%. The stock closed Aug. 1 at ¥14.42.
Neurofront Therapeutics Ltd. has picked up an option to acquire exclusive Asia rights to a phase II non-opioid drug from Novaremed AG. Under terms of the deal, Novaremed is eligible to receive more than $130 million in option and exercise fees as well as development, regulatory and sales milestone payments plus royalties on net sales.
Convalife Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. acquired global rights to develop and commercialize a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) β/δ inhibitor from Karus Therapeutics Ltd.
Frontera Therapeutics Inc. raised $160 million in a series B funding round to develop its lead gene therapy product candidate for retinal disease, FT-001, for which INDs have been approved by the U.S. FDA and China NMPA.
Precision Autoimmune Therapeutics Co. Ltd. has raised ¥140 million (US$21 million) in its first financing round to speed up its pipeline development and improve its drug development platform. Emerging Technology Partners LLC, Redhill Capital and CASI Pharmaceuticals Inc. participated in the round.
Helixon Ltd. raised ¥500 million (US$75 million) in a series A round for its artificial intelligence (AI) drug development platform. The Beijing-based company is building a next-generation AI computing platform by combining it with self-developed high-throughput experimental technologies, aiming to provide drug developers with an intelligent system for molecular computation, simulation and design.
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