Chinese biotechs dive into innovation mix

Once dubbed as me-too copycats and fast followers, Chinese biotechs are flocking to innovation mix, or combinatorial innovation, hoping to discover a novel therapy based on a mixture of existing resources, according to the consulting firm Clarivate Analytics.

“Through different combinations of existing targets and technologies, Chinese biotechs are speeding up the process to find a new therapy,” said Clarivate’s Beijing-based consultant Bao Shuxin at an online meeting held last week.

For example, Chinese biotechs are racing to develop Claudine 18-targeting therapies using different technologies. Among them are Shandong- based Boan Biotechnology that is working on two ADC candidates-BA1105 and BA1301- to treat solid tumors; China/USA-based Phanes Therapeutics that is developing a bispecific monoclonal antibody (MAb) (BSMAB) PT886 targeting Claudine18.2 and CD47 to treat late-stage solid tumors, and CARsgen, a Shanghai-based biotech, that is trying to get lucky with a CAR-T therapy CT041.