BRIEF—NASH-related deals in China

Two non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) related deals were announced right after China's Lunar New Year.

Hangzhou-based Sciwind Biosciences received about 200 million renminbi ($29.5 million) during a series A fund raising.

The company focuses on biological treatments for NASH caused by diabetes or obesity and plans to file Investigational New Drug (IND) applications for two novel drugs in China in 2019.

Meanwhile, Ascletis Pharma, also based in Hangzhou, has in-licensed TVB2640 from the US biotech 3-V Biosciences.

TVB2640 is a fatty acid synthase inhibitor that is in clinical studies to treat NASH.