Chinese state-backed vaccine developer China National Biotec Group (CNBG), of Beijing, published an interim analysis of randomized phase I/II trials of its inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate in the Journal of the American Medical Association last week. With the added detail, the data encouraged the company in its plans to produce 220 million doses per year.
HONG KONG – Huya Bioscience International LLC, which has a special interest in China-developed assets, has obtained an exclusive global license, bar China, for the SHP2 inhibitor HBI-2376 from Suzhou-based Genhouse Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. Financial terms were not disclosed.
HONG KONG – The recent approval of all-oral hepatitis C virus (HCV) drug RDV/DNV, a combination of Asclevir (ravidasvir) and Ganovo (danoprevir), helped boost shares of Ascletis Pharma Inc. (HK:1672), which ended July with a 10% jump to HK$3.36 (US43 cents), as the Hangzhou, China-based company continues to push its pipeline of treatments forward and improve its outlook.
Astrazeneca plc has reached an agreement with Shenzhen-based Kangtai Biological Products Co. Ltd. to produce its COVID-19 vaccine AZD-1222 in China. The Chinese firm is required to produce at least 100 million doses by the end of the year, and at least 200 million doses by the end of 2021.
HONG KONG – Venture capital investment into most sectors in China has generally plunged throughout the COVID-19 pandemic but biotechnology has been a noticeable exception. China’s biotech industry has continued to attract investors, not only because of its importance in dealing with the pandemic but also as a result of increased maturity and a growing list of government incentives.
HONG KONG – California-based Iacta Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Hong Kong-based Zhaoke Ophthalmology Pharmaceutical Ltd. have inked a definitive license agreement for two of Iacta’s products.
Universities in China’s Greater Bay Area have developed a recombinant receptor-binding domain (RBD) protein vaccine candidate that has shown promise against COVID-19, researchers said Monday.
Chinese biosimilar maker Shanghai Henlius Biotech Inc. won EMA approval for its Zercepac, a biosimilar to Roche Holding AG’s Herceptin (trastuzumab) on July 28. Henlius CEO Scott Liu told BioWorld that Zercepac will be the first Chinese monoclonal antibody biosimilar to enter the EU market, setting a precedent for Chinese drugmakers seeking to join the global race in biosimilars.
Nanjing, China-based Simcere Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. became the second Chinese player to seek assets from G1 Therapeutics Inc., of Research Park Triangle, N.C., this year. On Tuesday, it licensed trilaciclib, an intravenous CDK4/6 inhibitor, from G1 Therapeutics in a $170 million deal for Greater China rights.
HONG KONG – Looking to boost its R&D capacity, China’s Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. launched an IPO on July 22 that raised ¥1.7 billion (US$240 million) on Shanghai’s STAR market. Shares (SSE:688336) almost doubled in value on the first day of trading, closing at ¥54.10, for a gain of 92%.
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