Japanese drugmaker Eisai has announced that the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment Rozebalamin for Injection (mecobalamin) has been launched in Japan as a treatment for slowing progression of functional impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. 21 November 2024
San Diego-based Kura Oncology and Japan’s Kyowa Kirin have entered into a global strategic collaboration to develop and commercialize ziftomenib. 21 November 2024
Shanghai-based Leading Tac Pharmaceutical has announced the successful completion of a series A financing round, raising over 100 million yuan ($14 million). 21 November 2024
California, USA-based biotech Cytokinetics saw its shares fall as much as 4% to $9.67 yesterday, after it announced a deal with Germany’ Bayer. 20 November 2024
Big pharmas are not deterred by China’s increasingly complex business environment. Instead, they are changing strategies to minimize risks while continuing to benefit from China, said speakers at ChinaTrials held last week in Shanghai. 18 November 2024
Following US approval in May this year, South Korea’s Samsung Bioepis and US biotech Biogen have now won approval from the European Commission (EC) for their Opuviz 40mg/mL solution for injection in a vial, a biosimilar referencing Regeneron and Bayer’s Eylea (aflibercept). 18 November 2024
Shanghai-based Junshi Biosciences has received UK regulatory approval for Loqtorzi (toripalimab) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). 18 November 2024
Chinese biotech Keymed Biosciences has entered an exclusive licensing agreement with Platina Medicines for its bispecific antibody candidate, CM336. 18 November 2024
In yet another sign of the mounting interest in radiopharmaceuticals, Tongrui Biopharma, a Chinese innovator in this area, has announced the completion of a $100 million series A+ financing round. 18 November 2024
Shanghai-based biopharma Zai Lab has announced the pricing of its underwritten public offering at $25.50 per share, aiming to raise around $200 million. 15 November 2024
South Korean biosimilars company Celltrion today announced its acquisition of iQone Healthcare Switzerland a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on distribution, sales, and marketing in Switzerland. 15 November 2024
Merck & Co has entered into an exclusive global license to develop, manufacture and commercialize LM-299 from China-based clinical-stage biotech LaNova Medicines, bringing the US pharma giant into the newly attractive PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody space. 15 November 2024
Japanese drugmaker Nippon Shinyaku and USA-based Atsena Therapeutics have entered into an exclusive license agreement for the commercialization of ATSN-101 in the USA and Japan for advancing Atsena’s first- in-class, investigational gene therapy ATSN-101 for Leber congenital amaurosis caused by biallelic mutations in GUCY2D (LCA1). 13 November 2024
Anglo-American biotech Apollo Therapeutics and China-based Sunshine Lake Pharma have signed an exclusive license agreement to develop APL-18881, a bi-specific fusion protein aimed at treating metabolic diseases. 13 November 2024
Dutch firm Argenx and China’s Zai Lab have received an approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for Vyvgart Hytrulo (efgartigimod alfa). 13 November 2024
Although it is seeing a downturn in sales and profits, German biotech BioNTech is continuing to acquire assets with the cash pile it made through the covid pandemic, notably iis Comirnaty vaccine that was developed with Pfizer (NYSE: PFE). 13 November 2024
Sino-American oncology company BeiGene has announced third-quarter 2024 financials, showing the total revenues was $1,002 million, up 28% compared to $781 million in the same period of 2023. 13 November 2024
Li Li, Commissioner of China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), and Mette Aaboe Hansen, interim director general of Danish Medicines Agency, have signed a letter of intent to promote bilateral cooperation in regulation of drugs and medical devices. 11 November 2024
California, USA-based biotech BridgeBio Pharma today announced a partnership wherein its affiliate, QED Therapeutics, grants Japan’s Kyowa Kirin an exclusive license for infigratinib. 7 February 2024
Japan’s largest drugmaker Takeda Pharma has appointed Dr Phuong Khanh (PK) Morrow as head of the Oncology Therapeutic Area Unit, effective as of January 29. 3 February 2024
Positive high-level results from the Japan Phase III trial of acoramidis in transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) showed consistency to those in the global BridgeBio Pharma ATTRibute-CM Phase III trial, including survival, cardiac-related hospitalizations and other measures of improved functions and quality of life, at 30 months. 2 February 2024
Chinese biopharma Hutchmed today announced that Hong Kong-based Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals has exercised options to license two drug candidates discovered by Hutchmed. 2 February 2024
Clinical-stage US pharma company Protagonist Therapeutics' shares rose 6% to $26.5O in early trading, on news of a licensing deal for its blood disorder candidate rusfertide. 1 February 2024
Japan has recently approved Dutch immunology specialist argenx’ (Euronext: ARGX) Vyvdura (efgartigimod alfa and hyaluronidase-qvfc) subcutaneous (SC) injection for the treatment of adult patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), who do not have sufficient response to steroids or non-steroidal immunosuppressive therapies (ISTs). 31 January 2024
A division of Indian generics drugmaker Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has agreed terms for a licensing deal with Chinese firms Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals and 3D Medicines. 30 January 2024
Following on from its recent approval of Hyqvia (immune globulin) in Europe, Japanese pharma major Takeda has picked up a US approval for another CIDP product. 30 January 2024
Takeda has secured European approval for Hyqvia (immune globulin) as maintenance therapy for people with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). 29 January 2024
The US supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) has been accepted and granted Priority Review for patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive (immunohistochemistry [IHC] 3+) solid tumors who have received prior treatment or who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options. 29 January 2024
The US subsidiary of South Korea’s Celltrion is the latest to file for US approval of a biosimilar version of Swiss pharma giant Roche’s Actemra (tocilizumab). 29 January 2024
US pharma major AbbVie is strengthening its manufacturing capabilities by breaking ground last week on a new $223 million (S$301 million) expansion of its Singapore manufacturing facility. 29 January 2024
Korean immuno-oncology company CanariaBio has taken a stock market battering following the failure of its Phase III trial of oregovomab, an antibody targeting CA125, for ovarian cancer patients. 25 January 2024
Japanese drugmaker Otsuka Pharmaceutical revealed it has obtained approval in Japan for an additional indication for Rexulti (brexpiprazole) for the treatment of depression/depressive state. 24 January 2024
German pharma major Bayer’s independently operated company BlueRock Therapeutics today revealed it has exercised its option to exclusively license OpCT-001 under a 2021 deal with FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics and Opsis Therapeutics. 23 January 2024
Hong Kong-based Uni-Bio Science has secured approval from the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for Bogutai (teriparatide), a treatment for osteoporosis. 22 January 2024