Some of China's makers of COVID-19 antivirals are fast-tracking neutralizing antibodies and peptide fusion inhibitors in clinical trials, while vaccine developers are embroiled in a tougher situation against the mutating coronavirus.

Sintbilo (tafolecimab) is the first among four late-stage domestically developed PCSK9 Inhibitors to win the nod from China’s drug regulator. Despite lack of public reimbursement coverage, the drug could potentially unseat same-class rivals from Amgen and Sanofi/Regeneron.

BeiGene, Junshi, Henlius are studying their PD-1, TIGIT and BTLA-targeting assets in US trials for the relatively less crowded indication of small cell lung cancer.

Although Novartis/BeiGene’s tislelizumab and Coherus /Junshi’s toripalimab have not received a new Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) decision date for their biologics license applications in the US, the companies remain hopeful that potential approvals will be granted in the third quarter at the earliest.