LONDON – It's the technology that keeps on giving, and the Heptares unit of Sosei Group Corp. has attracted a further partner to its G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) platform, signing up Takeda Pharmaceutical Ltd., in a deal worth up to $1.2 billion.

Calling the tie "magic," Pfizer Inc. CEO Albert Bourla defended his firm's decision to spin off its Upjohn unit and merge in an all-stock deal with Mylan N.V., creating a new entity to be named later with pro forma revenues as high as $20 billion. "We have a commercial footprint that is very much focused on China, on emerging markets," he said, which will help Mylan.

TAIPEI, Taiwan – The three-day 2019 BIO Asia-Taiwan Conference and Exhibition opened on July 24 to discuss how biotechnology could be the next growth engine for Asia. While figures are suggesting Asia is rising as a biotech powerhouse, the region needs to think beyond just capital, talent and patient pools, speakers said.

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Western pharma players might not be addressing diseases that are specific to or predominant in Asia, speakers said on the second day of the recent BIO Asia-Taiwan conference, making regional collaboration important for developing therapeutics targeting unmet needs at home.

Taipei, TAIWAN – Asian capital continues to play a key role in funding biotech development regionally and globally through private investments, M&A deals or IPOs. And 2018 was a particularly exciting one for cross-border investments and health care IPOs, said speakers at the BIO Asia conference. The total deal value of global biopharma IPOs and M&A deals hit a record $49 billion in 2018.

PERTH, Australia – Following positive results across three different oncology clinical trial programs with its lead candidate, Veyonda, Sydney-based Noxopharm Pty Ltd. has secured a AU$26 million (US$18 million) funding facility from U.S. investors leading up to a proposed Nasdaq listing.

HONG KONG – The trade feud between South Korea and Japan has worsened since the beginning of July, when the Japanese government said it would impose new regulations on exports to Korea. The new policies are mostly applied to elements of semiconductor technology but also includes some pharmaceutical components and devices, leading to concerns that the regulations will affect Korea's pharmaceutical sector.

Exopharm Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, said it finalized an AU$4.44 million (US$3.03 million) share placement to new institutional and sophisticated investors. A further share purchase plan to existing shareholders has a target raise of AU$2.7 million. 

Aslan Pharmaceuticals Pte. Ltd., of Singapore, elected Andrew Howden non-executive chair of its board. Howden has served as a member of Aslan's board since April 2016.