BEIJING – Androgen receptor (AR)-related disease specialist Kintor Pharmaceutical Ltd., of Suzhou, China, raised $240 million on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) on May 22 by issuing 92.3 million shares at HK$20.15 apiece. The IPO was oversubscribed by 551 times, showing the city’s biotech fever. Read More

HONG KONG – South Korean conglomerate SK Group is preparing to list its subsidiary, SK Biopharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., on the Stock Market Division of the Korea Exchange. Read More

BEIJING – Besides advancing its recombinant adenovirus type-5 vector (Ad5) vaccine for COVID-19, Cansino Biologics Inc. is making a new attempt to develop an mRNA lipid nanoparticle (mRNA-LNP) vaccine together with Canadian company Precision Nanosystems Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia. Read More

BEIJING – CAR T-cell therapeutics developer Carsgen Therapeutics Co. Ltd., of Shanghai, won IND clearance from the FDA for its first-in-class CT-041 for advanced gastric and pancreatic cancers. The company said it is the first claudin18.2 (CLDN18.2)-targeted CAR T-cell therapy cleared for clinical trials in the world. Read More

HONG KONG – New York and San Diego-based Zentalis Pharmaceuticals Inc. has gained $20 million in a series A financing round to support a Chinese joint venture called Zentera Therapeutics. Read More

BEIJING – After being a health care investor for 21 years, Jonathan Wang decided to co-found biotech startup Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. in July 2019 to seek success in the China market using the experience and insights he had accumulated over the years. Read More

Variants in the APOE gene are the strongest genetic risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Now, researchers at Rockefeller University have demonstrated that APOE variants also affected the risk of progression and metastasis as well as the response to immunotherapy, in melanoma. Read More

Biopharma happenings in Asia-Pacific, such as deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief, including: Abnova, Adjuvance, Adma, Aetion, Airway, Amarin, Ampio, Bayer, Be The Match, Beigene, Beximco, Cansino, Celonic, Celularity, Centivax, Cytodyn, Generex, Genexine, Genocea, Glaxosmithkline, Hoth, I-Mab, IMV, Innocan, Innovation, Innovent Biologics, Inovio, Iqvia, Kindred, Kleo, Medison, Nanoviricides, Nantkwest, Oragenics, Orion, Pharmajet, Precision Nanosystems, Prellis Biologics, Primary Peptides, Progenabiome, Promis Neurosciences, Qingdao Primedicine, Rising, Samsung Biologics, Shionogi, Takara, Vanda, Vaxart. Read More

Biopharmas in Asia-Pacific raising money in public or private financings, including: Biosig Technologies, Calcimedica, Dynavax Technologies, Octant, Sinovac Biotech, Windtree Therapeutics. Read More

The latest global regulatory news, changes and updates affecting biopharma, including: Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, EMA, FDA, House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities, National Institutes of Health, Trump administration, World Health Organization. Read More

Clinical updates from Asia, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications, including: Antisense, Arch Biopartners, Covis, Daiichi Sankyo, Diffusion, Incyte, Mezzion. Read More

Regulatory snapshots, including drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations in Asia-Pacific, including: Anavex Life Sciences, Appili, Astellas, Astrazeneca, Atea, Beigene, Calcimedica, Daiichi Sankyo, Fibrogen, Genexine, I-Mab Biopharma, Octapharma USA, Organicell Regenerative Medicine. Read More