BEIJING – Besides advancing its neutralizing antibodies for COVID-19, Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co. Ltd. is aiming to expand its pipeline. On July 13, it entered a collaboration with Revitope Oncology Inc. Read More
HONG KONG – Chinese biotech giant Beigene Ltd. launched a $2.08 billion registered direct offering this week, the largest offering of its kind ever recorded globally. Beigene executives said net proceeds will primarily be used for general corporate purposes such as R&D for existing or new drugs in the pipeline. Read More
BEIJING – Androgen receptor (AR) antagonist developer Kintor Pharmaceutical Ltd., of Suzhou, China, is going to provide its proxalutamide (GT-0918) to an ongoing clinical trial in male patients, led by U.S. firm Applied Biology Inc., in Brazil for COVID-19, after preliminary clinical research suggested a potential link between androgenetic alopecia and COVID-19 pathogenesis. Read More
Although details are yet to come, Equillium Inc.’s chief medical officer, Krishna Polu, told BioWorld that the company will move “urgently and expeditiously” to set up another experiment testing itolizumab in COVID-19 now that Bangalore, India-based partner Biocon Ltd. has unveiled positive phase II results with the CD6-targeting agent. Shares of Equillium (NASDAQ:EQ) closed at $26.50, up $23.31, or 731%, after trading as high as $27.05. “We recognize we have to do a robust study,” said Bruce Steel, CEO of the La Jolla, Calif.-based firm. Talks with the FDA about design come next, but the clinical bid will “very likely include sites outside the U.S.,” where the need is high and where there is “somewhat less competition for patients,” he said. Read More
BEIJING – Beijing-based Immunotech Biopharm Ltd. made a strong debut as the first pre-revenue cellular immunotherapy firm to trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX), raising $142 million via its IPO. Trading under the ticker 6978, the company’s share price closed at HK$15.48 (US$2) on July 10, up 40.7% from its offer price at HK$11. Read More
HONG KONG- Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH and Roche Holding AG have announced new initiatives to seek R&D collaborations in China, increasing both their footprint in China and China’s global biopharma presence. Boehringer Ingelheim announced earlier this month the launch of an External Innovation Hub in Shanghai. Meanwhile, Roche China also launched a collaboration initiative this week to develop therapies for gastrointestinal cancer. Read More
BEIJING – Known for its transgenic mouse platforms to develop antibodies, U.S., China and the Netherlands-based Harbour Biomed Therapeutics Ltd. closed a series C funding round July 9 to raise $102.8 million to advance its late-stage clinical programs and COVID-19 pipeline. Read More
CAJICA, Colombia, and BEIJING – Last week Sinovac Biotech Ltd., of Beijing, announced the approval by Anvisa, the Brazilian health care surveillance agency, to start phase III trials to test the efficacy and safety of its inactivated COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Sinovac Life Sciences, a subsidiary of the Chinese company, in the Latin American country. Read More
HONG KONG – Tokyo-headquartered Fujifilm Holdings Corp. will increase production of Avigan on the back of a partnership with India’s Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Inc. and Dubai-based Global Response Aid. Read More
LONDON – Twenty-three pharma companies are joining forces in the AMR Action Fund and have raised $1 billion in new money for the clinical development of antibiotic drugs. Read More
HONG KONG – The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved Mylan NV’s remdesivir 100-mg vial for restricted emergency use in COVID-19 cases. Read More
HONG KONG – Zai Lab Ltd. inked a deal to develop and commercialize Turning Point Therapeutics Inc.’s lead drug candidate, repotrectinib, in the greater China markets. Read More
Fosun Kite Biotechnology Co. Ltd. secured another $20 million investment from Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co. Ltd. and Kite Pharma Inc., which each contributed $10 million. Read More
Biopharmas in Asia-Pacific raising money in public or private financings, including: Allovir, Amgen, Beigene, Daewoong, Evolus, Harbour, Ocumension. Read More
The latest global regulatory news, changes and updates affecting biopharma, including: FDA, International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities. Read More
Clinical updates from Asia, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications, including: Angion, Bellerophon, Biosig, Center Laboratories, Chugai, Constant, Corvus, Evive, Gilead Sciences, Innovent Biologics, JS Innopharm, Junshi, Moderna, Novartis, Ridgeback, Sosei, Viralclear. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations in Asia-Pacific, including: Asieris, Biogen, Biontech, Diffusion, Eisai, Enzychem Lifesciences, Fujifilm Kyowa Kirin, Immodulon, Merck, Mylan, Novartis, Otsuka, Pfizer, Propeller Health, Senhwa, Sosei. Read More
