SHANGHAI – Cellular Biomedicine Group Inc., a stem cell and immunotherapy company headquartered in Shanghai, has acquired Beijing Agreen Biotech Co. Ltd. The deal will bring patents, people and the promise of revenue to its new owner.

HONG KONG – It's been more than a year since Chinese authorities leveled allegations against Glaxosmithkline plc (GSK) for corrupt activities amounting to almost $500 million in bribes, setting off an industrywide crackdown that has garnered the attention of not only the Chinese, but also the U.S. and UK anti-corruption authorities.

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Medigen Biotechnology Corp. said following a meeting Sunday with an independent committee to discuss results midway through the multinational phase III trial for PI-88, the company's adjuvant treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma after surgical resection, preliminary results showed no improvement of survival rates over placebo. The company's stock price has been hit hard in response, as have many other companies in Taiwan's drug development sector.

HONG KONG – A small Chinese biopharmaceutical company expects that the support and resources of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and active pharmaceutical ingredients manufacturer will help it develop a stronger biologics pipeline.

HONG KONG – The Shanghai No.1 Intermediate People's Court announced Monday the date for the trial of the two investigators allegedly linked to Glaxosmithkline plc's (GSK) bribery scandal in China.

It's not set in stone yet, but the World Health Organization (WHO) is proposing a voluntary, global naming scheme for biologics, both novel and biosimilar.

SHANGHAI – For Xueming Qian, CEO and founder of Mabspace Co. Ltd., an antibody discovery engine based in Suzhou, the writing was on the wall. While pharma was de-emphasizing early stage research and putting it into the hands of biotechs in the U.S., the economy in China had hit an inflection point, the momentum was building. China was the place to be.

Reprocell Inc., of Yokohama, Japan, a venture company established by the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University that offers commercial induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, acquired Reinnervate Ltd., of County Durham, UK, and Bioserve Biotechnologies Ltd., of Beltsville, Md., to accelerate its iPS cell business by establishing a global distribution network and developing patient-derived iPS cells in areas such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cardiovascular diseases.

Astellas Pharma US Inc., of Northbrook, Ill., part of Astellas Pharma Inc., of Tokyo, appointed Moyra Knight as the head of corporate and employee communications in the Americas region.