SanBio’s lead cell therapy asset has been on a bumpy journey to its global-first approval and while a nod has now come in Japan in a high-need indication, a commercial launch is conditional on additional data to establish product equivalence and manufacturing consistency. 

Vasopharm’s ronopterin (VAS203) missed its primary endpoint in the Phase III NOSTRA III study in patients with traumatic brain injury, but further analyses point to a significant clinical benefit when the inducible NOS inhibitor is given within 12 hours of trauma, suggesting a role for the compound in the condition.

Looking back on the top stories about Japan in Scrip and the Pink Sheet over 2019, it is hard to avoid the continued dominance of corporate transactions - in particular those involving Takeda.

Roche will obtain options to license candidates discovered and optimized by Rheos under the collaboration. Jazz acquires US rights to PharmaMar SCLC candidate, while Biogen teams with both Ionis and Catalyst.