HONG KONG – Astellas Pharma Inc. reported positive results from phase III of its DOLOMITES study comparing the efficacy and safety of roxadustat to that of darbepoetin alfa in treating anemia in nondialysis-dependent, stage 3 to 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.
HONG KONG – India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) has drafted rules for the manufacturing, import and the compassionate use of unapproved drugs in the treatment of patients.
BEIJING – Rare disease specialist Canbridge Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Beijing, said it is collaborating with the Horae Gene Therapy Center at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Medical School to conduct gene therapy research with a focus on neuromuscular conditions.
PERTH, Australia – Melbourne, Australia-based Opthea Ltd. announced positive top-line results of its phase IIa trial evaluating safety and efficacy of OPT-302 administered with Eylea (aflibercept, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.) in treatment-refractory patients with persistent diabetic macula edema (DME).
HONG KONG – Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. is preparing to take Takhzyro (lanadelumab) to the world stage after announcing its interim results for a phase III hereditary angioedema long-term prophylaxis (HELP) study.
HONG KONG – Singapore-based Tychan Pte. Ltd. is starting a phase I trial for a novel monoclonal antibody (MAb) that specifically targets SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The trial is expected to take only around six weeks to complete.
HONG KONG – Korea’s Celltrion Inc. aims to wrap up its first major M&A deal with Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical Inc. by the end of 2020, pending approvals.
BEIJING – CAR T therapy developer JW Therapeutics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. raised another $100 million this week after securing $90 million in series A round in 2018. The funds will continue to go toward its lead program, JWCAR-029, a CAR T-cell product targeting CD19 that is now in a phase II study.