CanSino’s global-first inhaled COVID-19 vaccine is dosed into its first noses in Shanghai, while Zhejiang Haichang, Everest Medicines and Abogen make major progress with their respective mRNA vaccine programs.

Plus deals involving Shionogi/NEC, Ji Xing/LENZ, Kyowa Kirin/Ardelyx, CR Pharma/Everest Medicine and Dr Reddy’s/Novartis.

Billionaire philanthropist and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation signals efforts underway to support building mRNA capacity in India amid the new platform’s potential beyond COVID-19 vaccines. He also highlights the need to bring down sharply the cost of gene therapies.

Japan has added to its growing arsenal of COVID-19 treatments with the approval of the oral antiviral Paxlovid, while the US FDA has lifted a clinical hold on Bharat's vaccine, which has shown potential against Omicron. Also, Biological E's vaccine is approved for use in adolescents in India