Mundipharma International Corp. Ltd., of Singapore, said it signed a deal with Orexo AB, of Uppsala, Sweden, granting Mundipharma’s network of companies exclusive global (ex-U.S.) rights to Zubsolv (buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablet) for use in opioid dependence. Under the terms, Orexo receives an up-front payment of €7 million (US$7.8 million) and, pending achievement of marketing authorizations and certain commercial milestones, also is entitled to receive further milestone payments as well as tiered royalties on future net sales. Read More

MMJ Phytotech Ltd., of Perth, Australia, named Stanislav Sologubov CEO of Satipharm Switzerland, its subsidiary, and appointed John Hollister strategic pharmaceutical consultant. As CEO of Satipharm, Sologubov will focus on accelerating sales of Satipharm’s medical cannabis consumer health products in Europe. Read More

BOGOTA, Colombia – Much of the discussion on the growth of Asian biotech companies is either on their efforts to expand in China or their efforts to gain more market share in Europe or North America, but companies are well aware that other markets may also provide interesting opportunities for growth. Read More

HONG KONG – Not only are South Korean biotech companies working their way into the global biosimilars market, they are also tapping the market for gene-based medicines and taking a global leadership role. Read More

HONG KONG — A novel vaccine-based cancer treatment strategy, which can stimulate both an innate and an adaptive immune response, has been developed by scientists at the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS) in Yokohama, Japan. That finding may ultimately result in more successful cancer treatments. Read More

LONDON – The first disclosure on June 30 of payments to health care professionals – intended to bolster pharma’s claim to effective self-regulation – came just a week after one of the most egregious case of noncompliance with industry codes concluded and Astellas UK was booted out of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) for an unprecedented 12 months. Read More

SHANGHAI – Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co. Ltd. is one of China’s most profitable non-state-run pharmaceutical firms focused on generics. With a market cap of $14.2 billion, last year Jiangsu Hengrui raked in revenues of $1.4 billion with a net profit of $327 million. But Chairman Piaoyang Sun saw the writing on the wall a few years back and has been preparing his company for an innovative future, one in which the U.S. plays a key role. Read More

SHANGHAI – Singapore-headquartered Aslan Pharmaceuticals Pte Ltd. is deepening its ties to Taiwan. The oncology-focused biopharma has been growing its operational presence in Taiwan over the last three years, and is now making moves to go public there in 2017. In preparation, Aslan took on $23 million in series D financing from a group of local and global investors. Read More