PERTH, Australia – Stem cell therapy company Mesoblast Ltd. saw its stock drop 15% on the news that its allogeneic mesenchymal cell therapy, rexlemestrocel-L (Revascor), failed to meet the primary endpoint of a reduction in hospitalizations in its phase III advanced chronic heart failure trial. Read More
PERTH, Australia – The University of Queensland (UQ) and CSL Ltd. are abandoning their trials of an Australian COVID-19 vaccine after recipients generated HIV antibodies during phase I trials. The response means the antibodies produced by the vaccine can interfere with HIV diagnostic tests. However, there was no possibility the vaccine caused infection, and routine follow-up tests confirmed no HIV virus was present, the partners said. Read More
Australian biopharma Immutep Ltd. saw its stock price jump 165% Dec. 10, as the company reported that adding its eftilagimod alpha (IMP-321, “efti”) to paclitaxel resulted in what the company called a “promising and improving” trend toward increased overall survival in women with metastatic hormone receptor-driven breast cancer. Read More
HONG KONG – Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has received Chinese approval for Takhzyro (lanadelumab), its fully human monoclonal antibody, delivered via subcutaneous injection, for prophylaxis to prevent attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in patients 12 and older. Read More
Nothing much has changed since last month. This year is still, by far, the best year for financings in biopharma history, although the gap between 2020 and the next highest year has widened even more. Read More
Clinical-stage biopharma HBM Holdings Ltd. (also known as Harbour Biomed) debuted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Dec. 10, raising HK$1.71 billion (US$220.7 million) to advance its autoimmune candidates to commercial launches in 2023. Read More
PERTH, Australia – Chimeric Therapeutics Ltd. closed an IPO on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX:CHM), raising AU$35 million (US$26.5 million) to fund its CAR T trial in glioblastoma. Read More
HONG KONG – Overland Pharmaceuticals Inc., a company created to bring innovative medicines to China, this week revealed the formation of two joint ventures intended to deliver on that mission, one with ADC Therapeutics SA and another with Allogene Therapeutics Inc. Read More
Scineuro Pharmaceuticals, based in Shanghai and Philadelphia, launched with a $100 million series A financing to focus on tackling central nervous system diseases. CEO Min Li told BioWorld the startup is “building a CNS portfolio through a combination of internal R&D and strategic collaborations.” Lilly Asia Ventures Fund and Arch Venture Partners co-led the round. Read More
BEIJING – Denovo Biopharma LLC closed a series D financing round to raise nearly ¥300 million (US$46 million), just six months after its $83.5 million series C round. Read More
Kintor Pharmaceutical Ltd. said it's "actively initiating" multiregional phase II/III trials to test a combination of GT-90001 (ascrinvacumab) and Opdivo (nivolumab) for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Read More
Three months after completing what it said was the largest development and commercialization deal by a Chinese biotech, I-Mab Biopharma Co. Ltd. is moving the monoclonal antibody at the heart of the deal deeper into the clinic. Read More
New approaches to trials, digitalization and the effective use of technologies like artificial intelligence are reshaping how clinical trials are conducted, drugs are discovered, and devices are developed. Read More
Biopharmas in Asia-Pacific raising money in public or private financings, including: Aurigene Discovery Technologies, CG Oncology, Curis, Cynata, Immunext, Kissei, Nuance, Scineuro. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations in Asia-Pacific, including: Antengene, Astrazeneca, Beigene, Biogen, Biontech, Chugai, Codagenix, Cyxone, Daiichi Sankyo, Eisai, Gannex, Henlius, Ix, Open Orphan, Pfizer, Sinovac, Sorrento, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum, Takeda. Read More
