Biopharma happenings in Asia-Pacific, such as deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Akso, Arbor, Astrazeneca, Atea, Aveta Biomics, Biontech, Brickell, Bridge, Carna, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Edigene, Glenmark, GSK, Huadong Medicine, Hummingbird, IGM, Immunome, JN Nova, Laboratorio Libra, Liscure, Luye, Merck, Orange Grove, Pfizer, Qilu Regor, Regor, Ridgeback, Scripps Research Institute, Takeda, Tevogen, Vir.
PERTH, Australia – New Zealand’s single payer, Pharmac, funded 13 new medicines and widened access to 19 medicines in 2021 that are expected to benefit about 45,426 New Zealanders, according to the agency’s year in review report.
Although diversity was front and center, it wasn’t the only reason the U.S. FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 14-1 on Feb. 10 that additional clinical trials demonstrating applicability to the U.S. non-small-cell lung cancer population are needed before sintilimab, a PD-1 inhibitor partnered in the U.S. by Innovent Biologics Co. Ltd. and Eli Lilly and Co., is ready for approval.
China’s NMPA has given conditional approval to Pfizer Inc.’s COVID-19 oral pill Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir). The drug was approved for the treatment of adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 and a high risk of progression to severe disease. This includes the elderly, and people with chronic kidney issues, diabetes, cardiovascular, and chronic lung disease.
Cstone Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.’s orally administered Tibsovo (ivosidenib tablets) received the green light from China’s NMPA for use in adult patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (r/r AML) with a susceptible isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutation. It is the first IDH1 inhibitor to reach market in China.
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