Joincare Pharmaceutical and partner TaiGen Biotechnology tout preliminary Phase III results in uncomplicated acute influenza for TG-1000, a homegrown follower of Shionogi/Roche’s oral antiviral Xofluza. Novel antivirals for flu were hotly pursued by Chinese developers throughout 2023.

China’s public payer perceives innovative drugs in a different way from that of the country’s top drug regulator, a former senior healthcare security official with knowledge of the matter reveals. The posture has unnerved pharma companies, which have been hit by sharp price discounts.

China’s public payer perceives innovative drugs in a different way from that of the country’s top drug regulator, a former senior healthcare security official with knowledge of the matter revealed during a recent industry event. The disclosure has unnerved pharma companies, which have been hit by sharp drug price discounts that were required by the public payer in exchange for reimbursement coverage.

In this mixed Chinese- and English-language episode, guest speaker Treehill Partners co-founder Ali Pashadezah joins Brian Yang and Dexter Yan to discuss updates on the proposed BIOSECURE Act in the US Congress and US-China biotech movements. Also discussed is how Chinese biotechs are becoming acquisition targets for overseas biotech companies, including the recent purchases of Profound by Genmab and AnHeart Theraputics by Nuvantion.

Plus deals involving Incyte/CMS, Biocytogen/ABL, Bharat/Biofabri/Bilthoven, Dr. Reddy’s/Pharmazz, Veeda/Heads, Sosei Heptares/GSK, BioGeometry/Sanyou, Ono/Sibylla and Teijin/BioProjet

With a clinical win in the Phase III COMPASSION-15 trial in gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, Akeso's PD-1/CTLA-4-targeting agent is well positioned to expand its label beyond second- or third-line use for cervical cancer, and appears to stack up well against big global competitors. The Chinese firm is also aiming the bispecific antibody at hepatocellular and lung cancers.