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China-based Ascletis Pharma Inc. (HKG: 1672) announced the dosing of the first patient in its Phase II clinical trial for ASC22 (envafolimab) in combination with anti-retroviral therapy (ART) for the immune restoration and functional cure of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infection. This trial marks a significant step forward in…
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China-based Ji Xing Pharmaceuticals announced receiving approval from the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) to initiate a Phase III clinical study for its aficamten (CK-3773274) in symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM). This study is part of the global multi-center SEQUOIA-HCM trial. Drug Profile and MechanismAficamten is a next-generation cardiac myosin…
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Shanghai BDgene Technology Co., Ltd has completed efficacy and preliminary safety studies for BD111, its CRISPR-Cas9 in vivo-based therapy for herpes simplex virus (HSV)-related keratitis (HSK). The company plans to file for Investigational New Drug (IND) approval and was awarded orphan drug designation (ODD) status in the US last week.…
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The National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved Bayer’s (ETR: BAYN) Category 1 drug Kerendia (finerenone) for adult patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) associated with type 2 diabetes. This approval marks a significant advancement in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease, offering a new option to slow disease progression…
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China’s Hengrui Medicine Co., Ltd. (SHA: 600276) announced that its Category 1 drug SHR3680 has received conditional approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) via priority review procedures. The drug is now approved for the treatment of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) with high tumor burden. Mechanism and AdvantagesSHR3680…
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China-based biotech company Akeso Biopharma (HKG: 9926) announced that its self-discovered bispecific antibody (BsAb) cadonilimab (AK104) has received conditional market approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). The drug is indicated for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer that has failed previous platinum-based chemotherapy. Drug Profile and…
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China-based Humanwell Healthcare (Group) Co., Ltd (SHA: 600079) announced receiving approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) to initiate a clinical study for its Category 1 drug RFUS-144, designed to relieve pain and itching. This marks a significant step forward in the company’s efforts to develop innovative therapies for…
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The Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) website indicates that US major Eli Lilly’s (NYSE: LLY) donanemab has obtained tacit clinical trial approval for assessment in treating early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease (AD), including mild cognitive impairment due to AD, and mild AD. This approval marks a significant step forward in the…
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China-based Jiangsu Recbio Technology Co., Ltd has announced receiving clinical trial approval from the Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines for its mRNA COVID-19 vaccine R520A. This approval marks a significant milestone in the global rollout of Recbio’s innovative vaccine targeting the Omicron variant. Vaccine InnovationR520A, developed by Wuhan…
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US major Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) has announced the first prescriptions for its leukemia therapy Besponsa (inotuzumab ozogamicin) in multiple cities in China. This marks the official application of the world’s first antibody drug conjugate (ADC) in relapsed or refractory precursor B-cell ALL (R/R B-ALL). Mechanism of ActionBesponsa targets CD22, which…
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China-based Clover Biopharmaceuticals Ltd (HKG: 2197) has published clinical data for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate SCB-2019 (CpG 1018/Alum) as a third shot. The double-blind, randomized, controlled study demonstrated significant increases in neutralizing antibodies against Omicron variants BA.2 and BA.1. Clinical Study ResultsThe study enrolled 3,755 subjects in Brazil, the Philippines,…
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China-based Harbour BioMed (HKG: 2142) has announced receiving clinical trial approval from the US FDA for its bispecific antibody HBM7008. The drug, which targets the tumor antigen B7H4 and T cell co-stimulatory molecule 4-1BB, was first dosed in Phase I clinical trials in Australia in May and obtained clinical approval…
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China-based Sinovac Biotech Ltd (NASDAQ: SVA) has announced that the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has awarded conditional registration to the company’s COVID-19 vaccine CoronaVac. The approval permits the vaccine’s use in adults aged 18 and over, administered in two doses with a 14-28-day interval. Approval BackgroundThis conditional…
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China-based Sino Biopharmaceutical Ltd (HKG: 1177) has announced that the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has accepted the market filing for its Category 1 product TQ-B3101 for the treatment of ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Drug Mechanism and EfficacyTQ-B3101 is a small molecule inhibitor targeting tyrosine kinase ROS1/ALK/c-Met. It…
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UK pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK, LON: GSK, NYSE: GSK) has announced the official market launch in China of its monoclonal antibody Nucala (mepolizumab) for the treatment of adult eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). This move expands the drug’s availability to patients in China, offering a new therapeutic option for this…
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China-based Kexing Pharmaceutical (SHA: 688136) announced that a clinical trial application for SHEN26, an oral small-molecule COVID-19 drug co-developed with Shenzhen Antaiwei Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd, has been accepted for review by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). SHEN26 is a novel coronavirus polymerase (RdRp) inhibitor designed to exert antiviral effects…
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The Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) website in China indicates that Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd’s best-in-class injectable therapy teduglutide has been filed for marketing approval. This marks a significant step for the drug in the Chinese market. Drug BackgroundTeduglutide, the first and only natural glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) drug approved…
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China-based Frontier Biotechnologies Inc. (SHA: 688221) has released Phase III trial data for albuvirtide, China’s first homegrown innovative HIV therapy. The non-inferiority “TALENT” study assessed the performance of the long-acting HIV fusion inhibitor albuvirtide in combination with Kaletra (ritonavir-boosted lopinavir) in 418 Chinese patients with HIV-1 over 48 weeks. The…