BEIJING – China this week approved both the country’s first mRNA vaccine candidate and its first recombinant protein subunit vaccine to begin clinical trials to fight COVID-19. China National Biotec Group (CNBG)’s vaccine is also entering phase III trials in Beijing, Wuhan and Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Biotech companies with COVID-19 vaccine candidates are collaborating with Indonesian companies for overseas trials and to ensure wider availability when approved. Sinovac Biotech Co. Ltd., for example, is collaborating with Indonesia’s PT Bio Farma to test and manufacture its vaccine candidate there.
PERTH, Australia – Melbourne-based regenerative medicine company Cynata Therapeutics Ltd. is gearing up to take its Cymerus mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) product candidate, CYP-004, into a phase III trial in osteoarthritis.
CSL Behring has licensed global rights to Uniqure NV's late-stage hemophilia B gene therapy candidate, AMT-061, for $450 million up front, plus up to $1.6 billion in potential milestone payments and royalties. Uniqure positioned the deal as a boon for its broader gene therapies pipeline, anchored by a Huntington's disease (HD) program. But the move appeared to sour investors hoping for a rumored near-term M&A takeout, sending company shares (NASDAQ:QURE) falling 21.8% to $49.22 on June 25.
BEIJING – Beijing-based cellular immunotherapy firm Immunotech Biopharm Ltd. said June 28 that it intends to raise up to HK$1.1 billion (US$141.9 million) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) on July 10, with shares priced between HK$10.5 and HK$11 apiece.
Clinical updates from Asia, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications, including: Algernon, Cytodyn, Fibrogen, Immutep, Montreal Heart Institute, Noxopharm, Revimmune.
BEIJING – Cross-border biotech Denovo Biopharma LLC, based in San Diego, the U.S. and Hangzhou, China, closed a series C funding round on June 29 to pocket ¥590 million (US$83.5 million).
The latest global regulatory news, changes and updates affecting biopharma, including: Alcon, Gilead Sciences, Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, Novartis, SEC.