Beigene Ltd., of Waltham, Mass., part of Beigene Co. Ltd., of Beijing, appointed Amy C. Peterson chief medical officer, immuno-oncology. Peterson will lead the global clinical development of BGB-A317, Beigene’s PD-1 inhibitor; BGB-290, the company’s PARP inhibitor; and the expanding pipeline of other immuno-oncology agents expected to enter clinical development. Read More
SHANGHAI – Newly created oncology biotech, CBT Pharmaceuticals, of Santa Clara, Calif., has received $9.75 million in series A financing from venture investors led by Orbimed Healthcare Fund Management Asia, with an additional $2 million available in warrants. CBT Pharmaceuticals is an off-shoot of the discovery and preclinical service company, Crown Biosciences Inc. (Crownbio), which has research centers in China, U.K. and the U.S. Read More
TOKYO – Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., of Japan, plans to restructure its research and development operations to focus primarily on the areas of oncology, gastroenterology and central nervous system, as well as vaccines. To accommodate the mission, R&D facilities in Japan and the U.S. will be expanded, while those in other areas of the world face risk of closure, including the U.K. Read More
Beijing Shenogen Pharma Group Ltd. has signed a co-development deal with Lee’s Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd., of Hong Kong, to combine Shenogen’s lead compound, icaritin, a traditional Chinese medicine-derived small-molecule drug, with Pexa-Vec (JX-594, pexastimogene devacirepvec), an oncolytic virus being developed in China by Lee’s. The companies have high hopes that the combination will have a significant impact on Chinese patients with late-stage cancers, particularly advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Read More
HONG KONG — A novel small-molecule Wnt inhibitor possessing the potential to eradicate colorectal cancer stem cells (CSCs) may provide a new therapeutic option for patients with drug-refractory colorectal cancer, a team of Japanese researchers reported in the Aug. 26, 2016, edition of Nature Communications. Read More
NEW DELHI – Indian drug manufacturing plants were under the scanner again in August, with the U.S. FDA issuing warning letters to Pfizer Inc. and Frontida Biopharm Inc. for regulatory lapses observed during inspections in plants operating in India. Read More
