HONG KONG – The global orphan drugs market has been growing steadily, becoming big enough to garner the attention of big pharmaceutical companies, and rare disease patients in Asia Pacific will benefit from that trend. Read More

HONG KONG – The identification of a promising novel candidate therapeutic target in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue by Chinese researchers could lead to the development of urgently needed new lung cancer immunotherapies. Read More

SHANGHAI – China-based Ascentage Pharma Group said APG-1387 is set to enter phase I trials as a new chemical entity under the Chinese 1.1 drug classification, a special category for innovative therapies not approved in other countries. An oncology-focused biotech, Ascentage said it is the first in China to push forward an apoptosis candidate using a made-in-China molecule. Read More

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd.'s licensing partner Astellas Pharma Inc. won the favor of the FDA's Anti-Infective Drugs Advisory Committee for the antifungal isavuconazole, achieving a slam-dunk vote of 8-0 to recommend approval in the invasive aspergillosis indication, though the panel's balloting proved less certain about the rarer invasive mucormycosis: 8-2 in favor, with one abstention. Read More

3SBio Inc., of Shenyang, China, has acquired the entire share capital of contract manufacturing company Sirton Pharmaceuticals SpA, of Villa Guardia, Italy, from First Shanghai Ltd. Financial terms were not disclosed. Read More