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
South Korea’s Alteogen has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Japanese pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo for its human hyaluronidase, ALT-B4. 9 November 2024
Pfizer has announced plans to invest $1 billion in China by 2030, targeting accelerated innovation, diagnostics improvements, and support for the local biotechnology sector. 8 November 2024
Japanese ophthalmology company Santen Pharmaceutical has crossed the East China Sea in its latest collaboration, announced on Thursday. 8 November 2024
UK pharma major AstraZeneca, which has invested heavily in China, hosted a sell-side analyst call on Wednesday (November 6) to discuss the recent media reports about ongoing investigations in China. 7 November 2024
Photocure, a Norway-based bladder cancer-focused company, has announced that Jiangsu Yahong Meditech, the parent company of its partner Asieris Pharmaceuticals, has received marketing authorization for Hexvix (hexaminolevulinate) in China. 5 November 2024
Japan’s Nxera Pharma – formerly known as Sosei – and Antiverse, a UK techbio company designing antibodies for challenging targets, have today announced a multi-target partnership and licensing agreement to design antibodies for G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). 5 November 2024
Denmark’s privately-held dermatology specialist LEO Pharma and Japan’s Kyowa Kirin have revealed that they will terminate the distribution and co-promotion agreement for the psoriasis vulgaris treatment Dovobet Ointment, Gel, and Foam (calcipotriol hydrate / betamethasone dipropionate) in Japan on December 31, 2024. 1 November 2024
The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the medicine sugemalimab (trade name Eqjubi) to treat adult patients with a type of cancer called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC ). 31 October 2024
Japanese pharma major Takeda today announced earnings results for the first half of fiscal year 2024 (six months ended September 30, 2024), with continued momentum in its Growth & Launch Products driving growth. 31 October 2024
The US unit of South Korea-based biosimilar drug developer Celltrion
has announced a late-breaking post hoc analysis of the pivotal LIBERTY studies (LIBERTY-CD and LIBERTY-UC) of Zymfentra (infliximab-dyyb), during the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting. 30 October 2024
Takeda has release positive interim results from a Phase III-enabling proof-of-concept study for mezagitamab (TAK-079), a potential best-in-class anti-CD83 monoclonal antibody, in patients with primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). 29 October 2024
South Korea’s GemVax & KAEL has reported positive top-line results from a Phase IIa trial of GV1001, for progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). 29 October 2024
Corxel Pharmaceuticals and LENZ Therapeutics have reported encouraging topline results from a Phase III trial in China testing LENZ’s aceclidine-based eye drop, LNZ100. 29 October 2024
Yongyin-based biopharma company GC Biopharma has announced a partnership with Novelty Nobility for the joint development of a new treatment for geographic atrophy (GA). 28 October 2024
Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma revealed it has decided to withdraw its marketing authorization application from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for avacincaptad pegol intravitreal solution (ACP). 28 October 2024
Biostar Pharmaceuticals has announced its upcoming initial public offering (IPO) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, aiming to raise funds to advance its growing oncology pipeline and support its global expansion efforts. 25 October 2024
US privately-held drug developer NImmune Biopharma has acquired development and commercialization rights for omilancor in Asia from Sino-American biotech LianBio. 25 October 2024
Legend Biotech has removed Genscript Biotech as its majority shareholder, in a move coinciding with rising US concerns over Chinese ties within the biotech sector. 24 October 2024
Cytokinetics is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing first-in-class muscle activators as potential treatments for debilitating diseases in which muscle performance is compromised and/or declining.