SHANGHAI – Asia's contender in the CRISPR patent battle is now a step closer to seeing global IP claims validated. Toolgen Inc., of Seoul, South Korea, had two patent applications granted by the Korea Intellectual Property Office covering genome editing using the CRISPR platform. The two Korea patents cover fundamental claims for CRISPR/Cas-9-based genome editing in eukaryotic cells. Also included are claims covering modifications for improved specificity of CRISPR/Cas9 nucleases. The stakes are high for whoever succeeds in nailing down the patent for CRISPR – a new technology that many consider the most promising scientific and ethically troubling discovery of the past century. Read More
SHANGHAI – Innovent Biologics Inc., of Suzhou, has kicked off two pivotal phase III trials in China for biosimilar antibodies of global blockbusters. Innovent's IBI301 will be tested in a head-to-head trial with Rituxan/Mabthera (rituximab, Roche AG) in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and IBI303 will go up against Humira (adalimumab, Amgen Inc.) for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. Read More
HONG KONG – With an eye firmly set on the double-digit growth of the pharmaceutical market in Vietnam and the rest of Asia-Pacific, French drugmaker Sanofi SA recently signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Vietnam's state-run giant Vinapharm Corp. Read More
PERTH, Australia – The pharma and medical device industry praised the Australian government on new reforms announced late last week that increase the pathways for marketing approval for drugs and devices and reduce regulatory red tape and redundancies. Read More
TOKYO – The Japanese government said a letter it wrote to the EU and Britain expressing trepidation about the future of the region after the U.K. voted to leave the union – a decision known as the Brexit – was penned after discussions with companies of all sizes. (See BioWorld Today, Sept. 14, 2016.) Read More
Tennor Therapeutics Ltd., of Suzhou, China, has completed a $25 million series B financing led by Northern Light Venture Capital with current investors Frontline Bioventures, Wuxi Pharmatech Healthcare Fund I, Oriza Venture Capital and Relativity Healthcare Fund also joining the round. The company is focused on the development of dual-acting antibiotics with most advanced product, TNP-2092 oral capsule, a locally acting gastrointestinal tract antibiotic. The funding will be used to advance TNP-2092 oral capsule into phase III trials, as well as move a second product into the clinical proof-of-concept stage and a third product into phase I development. Read More
