LONDON – Forces are starting to be marshaled against the Zika virus, with researchers calling for the experience of the Ebola crisis to be applied in expediting clinical trials of potential treatments and diagnostic tests for the newly rampant virus.
HONG KONG – Japanese researchers have discovered that increased heterodimerization between angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptors and purinergic P2Y6 receptors with age promotes hypertension induced by angiotensin II (ATII), and compounds that disrupt heterodimerization may be attractive new drug candidates to treat hypertension.
SHANGHAI – Beijing-based oncology drug developer Beigene Co. Ltd. updated plans for its Nasdaq IPO, seeking to issue 5.5 million American depository shares, representing 71.5 million ordinary shares, priced between $22 to $24 per share, which would bring in $126.5 million at the midpoint, up from the $100 million stated in its initial SEC filing in October.
SHANGHAI – Glaxosmithkline plc’s China problem has taken a new turn. Two employees, both scientists of Chinese heritage, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pennsylvania on criminal charges for stealing early stage biologic secrets from GSK.
Nitto Danko Corp., of Osaka, Japan, said it has launched a new start-up, Nitto Biopharma Inc., of San Diego, as of Jan. 11. Nitto Bio is to focus on drug discovery and development for diseases such as fibrosis. Nitto Danko’s anti-liver fibrosis drug, ND-L02-s0201, is in clinical trials in the U.S., Europe and Japan.
TOKYO – Japan will lower the prices of 45 drugs in the second quarter as part of a push to reduce spending in health care and encourage the use of generics. Among the drugs most likely to be affected by the move are Gilead Sciences Inc.’s popular hepatitis C virus (HCV) drugs Sovaldi and Harvoni.
HONG KONG – The Chinese stock market has spent the first three weeks of the year in a virtual free fall, hitting a year-long bottom last Friday. Two weeks of constant drops have spooked overseas investors who have pulled their money out of the market. The good news for biopharma investors, however, is that the space has held up relatively well, and the overall pharma market in China is still expected to experience double-digit growth.
Engeneic Ltd., of Sydney, added Edward D. Miller and Yvonne Perlberg to its board. Previously, Miller served as CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine and was the 13th dean of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine for 16 years until 2012. Perlberg served as vice president and general auditor of Amgen Inc. from 2004 through 2014.
SAN FRANCISCO – The J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference might be reluctant to change, dedicated to the same (crowded) hotel venue for the past 34 years, but it is open to a rapidly growing group of attendees, with last week's meeting inviting a substantial number of people from China.
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