In a couple of deals worth more than $500 million, Everest Medicines Ltd. is picking up Asian rights to Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc.’s mRNA candidates, including rights to a mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate currently in phase II testing. Read More
Minhai Biotechnology Co. Ltd. has won approval from the NMPA for its 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, which makes it the third company with such a vaccine to be greenlighted in China. Read More
China’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) will take effect on Nov. 1, 2021, making it harder for tech firms, including health care companies, to access and use consumers’ personal information. The PIPL was officially passed by the National People’s Congress on Aug. 20. Read More
South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW) is currently discussing the implementation of a preferential drug pricing system and plans to initiate an expert survey in 2022. The preferential drug pricing system is part of a three-prong strategy that South Korea plans to adopt to promote the growth of eight leading companies in the pharmaceutical, medical device and cosmetic industries by 2030. Read More
DUBLIN – With more than six months to go before an initial interim readout from its phase III pivotal trial of ilofotase alfa (recombinant human alkaline phosphatase) in sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI), AM-Pharma BV has already found a buyer for Japanese rights to the product. Kyowa Kirin Co. Ltd. is paying €20 million up front and could pay up to €225 million more in milestones attached to the progress of the program. Read More
Abion Inc., which focuses on precision oncology, raised ₩38.76 billion (US$33.36 million) in its debut on the Korean Stock Exchange’s Kosdaq board on Sept. 8. Read More
Chinese companies are finding that their COVID-19 vaccines are effective as booster shots and against variants of the virus, as data from more studies emerge. Those who have received the third dose of Sinovac Biotech Ltd.’s COVID-19 vaccine, Coronavac, showed 2.5-fold higher neutralizing potency against the Delta variant, compared to COVID-19 convalescents and two-dose vaccinees. Read More
PERTH, Australia – Engeneic Ltd. has begun a phase I trial of its nanocellular COVID-19 vaccine, which in preclinical animal studies stimulated a broad antiviral response against mutant strains of the virus, including the virulent Delta strain sweeping across Australia. Read More
A comprehensive nontargeted metabolomics analysis has revealed previously unknown classes of disease-linked metabolites in whole blood samples from dementia patients, which may have significant therapeutic implications for managing the untreatable common cognitive disorder. Read More
Biopharmas in Asia-Pacific raising money in public or private financings: Asahi Kasei, Brii, Cytovia, Haemalogix, ILC, KB Investment, Prism Biolab, RM Global Partners, Xenikos. Read More
Clinical updates from Asia, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Adlai Nortye, Ascentage, Ascletis, Astrazeneca, Azurrx, Azurx, Cstone, Cytodyn, Edigene, Excalibur Medicines, Gannex, Hutchmed, Innovent Biologics, Kintor, Novavax, Senhwa, Sorrento, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum, Telix. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations in Asia-Pacific: Aim Immunotech, Arctic Vision, Ascletis, Clover, GNT, Humanigen, JW, Merck, Mirror Biologics, Moderna, Nabriva, Neuren, Pharmabcine, RDIF, Sinovac, Sinovant Sciences. Read More
