Focus On Asia

The future fate of Jiangsu Hengrui’s new drug discovery and development subsidiary may provide some tips on what’s ahead for the Chinese biopharma sector.

China’s top securities regulator is slowing down the review of initial public offering applications across the board to “stabilize” the stock market. But event prior to the move, Chinese biotechs were operating already under a continuously tightening IPO environment.

Among the newer modalities to tackle cancer, antibody-drug conjugates are fast emerging to rival targeted antibodies and China is fast emerging as a world class source of innovation in the field, as evidenced by a string of recent deals.

Plus deals involving SK pharmteco/CBM, Kezar/Everest, Cerecin/University of Alberta, PeptiDream/Genentech, Aclipse/Chong Kun Dang and Cure Genetics/Frametact.

Aurobindo’s acquisition of 15 brands from Pfizer and Viatris to gain entry to Indonesia marks a role reversal of sorts as Pfizer has been licensing generics from Aurobindo. Scrip takes a look at some of the opportunities and challenges in this growing Southeast Asian market.

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has divested its API arm to the Nirma group for over $681m, a move that will deleverage the drug maker’s balance sheet as it seeks to evolve into an “innovative/brand led organization.”

A new digital health venture set up by Eisai plans to start operations in Japan from April 2024 with services related to cognitive impairment and dementia, in line with the Japanese firm's therapeutic advances in this area.

Sun debuts Pharmazz Inc’s new stroke drug sovateltide in India at under $20/ vial.  The selective endothelin-B receptor agonist, which can be administered up to 24 hours post cerebral ischemic stroke, is also being studied in Alzheimer’s disease.

A Chinese court decision sheds light on how Chinese major Hengrui Medicine is seeking to reduce or avoid potential losses worth up to $27m following regulatory setbacks with the tubulin inhibitor plinabulin, in-licensed from BeyondSpring in 2021.

South Korean firm AriBio is planning to expand global Phase III trials for its oral Alzheimer’s disease candidate following an IND approval at home. Patient enrolment in a US trial began late last year.

Plus deals involving Astellas/Menarini, Maruho/Fortress Biotech, Zenas/Bristol Myers Squibb, Huadong Medicine/MC2 and more.

The founder and MD of investment bank Candle Partners reflects on key pharma M&A trends over the years and the shape of things to come including private equity action and how family-owned firms are weighing monetization and diversification options.

CEO of Enzene Biosciences weighs in on the impact of Medicare negotiations in the US on the biosimilars market even as a US filing is planned for a Prolia biosimilar. In the interview, he says Enzene “is not afraid or concerned” over ongoing litigation with Merck KGaA over an Erbitux biosimilar in India, adding that new modalities like ADCs are being “seriously” considered.

Following consideration by our independent expert judging panel, the final shortlist of entries has now been revealed for the Citeline Pharma Intelligence Awards Japan 2023. Join us at the event in Tokyo on 17 October!

Given that previously announced similar programs failed to attract strong investor interest, South Korea is set to create a new biopharma fund but of a smaller target size and lower qualifying thresholds as it continues to support industry development.

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.