MSD had a banner year at the ESMO Asia Congress earlier this month, presenting 14 abstracts on eight different types of cancers, including gastric, esophageal, colorectal, biliary tract, kidney, urothelial, breast and gynecological cancers. Ten of these studies were focused on Asian-related data. Roche AG, meanwhile, presented Asia-specific results from the phase III Alina study in patients with ALK-positive early stage non-small-cell lung cancer.
Starpharma Holdings Ltd.’s DEP docetaxel phase II trial met its primary endpoints, demonstrating antitumor activity in multiple advanced, metastatic cancers, including pancreatic, gastro-esophageal, non-small-cell lung cancer and cholangiocarcinoma.
Nearing the end of 2023, South Korea’s National Assembly approved hiked-up budgets for three of its major health care agencies. Its health policy think tank also forecast an uptick in industry exports in 2024.
A recent survey on the performance of publicly listed Korean health care firms in 2023 unveiled a still floundering med-tech sector, although local pharmaceutical companies seemed to rebound after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lianbio Co. Ltd. is out-licensing NBTXR-3 to Janssen Pharmaceutical NV to develop and commercialize the radioenhancer in China, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand. Earlier this month, Tang Capital’s Concentra Biosciences LLC lodged a proposal to acquire Lianbio for $465 million, which the company’s shareholders rejected.
The spate of recent deals involving antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) continues in a field composed of record-breaking agreements in 2023. The newest of the deals were focused on Asia. GSK plc entered a license deal for the exclusive rights for clinical development and commercialization of Hansoh Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s B7-H3-targeted ADC, HS-20093. Also, South Korea’s Dong-A ST Co. Ltd. is expanding into the ADC space by acquiring Abtis Co. Ltd. and its Abclick platform for ADC drug development.
Legochem Biosciences Inc. signed a $1.7 billion licensing deal with Janssen Biotech Inc. for its Trop2-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), closing the biggest technology transfer deal in Korean biotech history after Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceuticals Corp.
Elpiscience Biopharma Ltd. is out-licensing to Astellas Pharma Inc. two preclinical bispecific macrophage engagers – ES-019, an anti-PD-L1/SIRPα bispecific antibody, and another unnamed program – in a deal worth up to $1.7 billion. The deal marks the Shanghai-based company’s first out-licensing deal, Elpiscience CEO Darren Ji told BioWorld, noting that Astellas will have global rights to both molecules with a potential to in-license two more.
Clinical updates from Asia, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Caliway, Carina Biotech, Clairy, CSL, Daiichi, Highfield, Innocare, Lynx, Neuren, Shapiron, Sumitomo, Yoltech.
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