HONG KONG – South Korea’s Celltrion Inc. (KOSDAQ:068270) successfully added another biosimilar to its portfolio, giving breast cancer patients there a cheaper alternative and securing the company’s leading position in the biosimilar monoclonal antibody (MAb) market.

HONG KONG – Biosimilars are in the spotlight in Indonesia after the government introduced new regulations and one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Southeast Asia based there said it would consider making this category of drugs its focus going forward.

HONG KONG – Looking to Japan for new funds, an embattled Seattle-based drug developer plans to issue shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in the hopes of raising as much as $125 million to develop ophthalmic treatments.

HONG KONG – In order to keep up with the biopharmaceutical industry’s rapid growth, South Korea is stepping up efforts to attract and nurture more research and development talent.

HONG KONG – Swiss biopharmaceutical Actelion Ltd. is seeking regulatory approval in China for its Zavesca (miglustat) to treat Niemann-Pick Type C (NPC), a rare disease for which there is little information and no treatment available in the country.

HONG KONG – In one of the first issues since Mainland China regulator lifted a ban on initial public offerings (IPOs), Zhejiang Wolwo Bio-Pharmaceutical Co. (SZ: 300357) plans to offer as many as 30 million shares for as much as ¥20.05 (US$3.30) per share.

HONG KONG – One of China’s largest chemicals producers is stepping into the biotech space via its acquisition of a hepatitis B vaccine maker. The deal comes at a sensitive time for the sector following the deaths of at least seven children blamed on those vaccines and ongoing probes into the quality of vaccine manufacturing.

HONG KONG – Looking to expand its range of biotech products, a state-owned Chinese trading conglomerate will work with Cuba’s largest biotechnology firm to expand its product offerings while helping its smaller partner expand its global presence.

HONG KONG – A Chinese pharmaceutical company best known for its work on traditional Chinese medicine saw its stock drop significantly after it issued disappointing results from a Phase IIb trial on a new hepatitis vaccine.