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Biotechnology
Chinese biotech Kelun-Biotech has won a new approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration for sac-TMT (sacituzumab tirumotecan), a TROP2-directed antibody-drug conjugate. 6 February 2026
Biosimilars
Russian drugmaker Binnopharm Group together with China’s Mabwell announced plans to localize the production of a monoclonal antibody (MAb)-based drug for the treatment of asthma and atopic dermatitis in Russia. 4 February 2026
Pharmaceutical
Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma has announced top-line results from the STARLIGHT 2 Phase III pivotal study for fezolinetant in Japan, an investigational oral, nonhormonal compound being studied for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause, has met the primary endpoint. 4 February 2026
Biotechnology
China-based biologics CDMO WuXi Biologics has signed a license and research services agreement with US biotech Vertex Pharmaceuticals covering a pre-clinical trispecific T-cell engager for B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases. 3 February 2026
Biotechnology
US clinical-stage biotech Sagimet Biosciences’ shares rose 10% to $6.23 after it announced that China-based partner Ascletis Pharma reported positive top-line results in the open-label Phase III trial evaluating the long-term safety of ASC-40 (denifanstat) tablets in patients with moderate to severe acne. 3 February 2026
Pharmaceutical
Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) has spent the past decade trying to make the country a more attractive place to develop and launch innovative drugs and biologics. The most visible signal is the Sakigake designation program, which offers priority consultation and a faster review target for eligible products, plus policy incentives that can support earlier market entry. 2 February 2026
Biotechnology
Japanese drugmaker Kyowa Kirin late Friday announced the termination of the current rocatinlimab development and commercialization collaboration with US biotech major Amgen. 31 January 2026
Pharmaceutical
UK pharma major AstraZeneca is strengthening its weight management portfolio through a new strategic collaboration agreement with CSPC Pharmaceuticals to advance the development of multiple next-generation therapies for obesity and type 2 diabetes across eight programs. 30 January 2026
Pharmaceutical
US AI-focused start-up Formation Bio has entered a deal with Jiangsu Chia Tai Feng Hai Pharmaceutical (CTFH) for the acquisition of worldwide rights, excluding Greater China, to FHND5032, an oral, small-molecule miR-124 activator being developed for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. 29 January 2026
Pharmaceutical
Spanish dermatology specialist Almirall has announced that China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved Seysara (sarecycline hydrochloride). 29 January 2026
Pharmaceutical
British pharma major AstraZeneca said it will invest $15 billion in China through 2030 to expand medicines manufacturing and R&D, underlining the market’s importance as its second-largest globally and a growing engine of revenue. 29 January 2026
Biotechnology
China-based biologics services group WuXi Biologics (HKG: 2269) has entered a strategic collaboration with Sinorda Biomedicine to develop and manufacture snd006, a bispecific antibody aimed at inflammatory bowel disease and other autoimmune conditions. 29 January 2026
Biotechnology
Japanese drugmaker Chugai today revealed it has filed a regulatory application with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) for the anti-cancer agent/humanized anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody Tecentriq (atezolizumab) 840mg Intravenous Infusion for an additional indication of adjuvant therapy for MRD-positive bladder cancer (MIBC). 28 January 2026
Pharmaceutical
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for priority review Japanese drugmaker Otsuka’s (TYO: 4578) New Drug Application (NDA) for centanafadine, an investigational, once-daily extended release capsule and the first-in-class norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin reuptake inhibitor (NDSRI. 27 January 2026
Biotechnology
Privately-held German drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim has announced a license and collaboration agreement to develop SIM0709, a pre-clinical TL1A/IL23p19 bispecific antibody from China’s Simcere Pharmaceutical Group, for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). 27 January 2026
Biotechnology
Hangzhou, China-based privately-held HealZen Therapeutics has announced a new strategic partnership with an unnamed US biotech company to advance degrader–antibody conjugate (DAC) therapeutics, marking the first cross-border collaboration for this modality. 27 January 2026
Biotechnology
Chinese biotech Huahui Health has won conditional approval for Libevitug (libevitug) to treat adults with chronic hepatitis D virus infection, with or without compensated cirrhosis. The decision makes Libevitug the first approved therapy for hepatitis D in China and addresses a long-standing clinical void. 27 January 2026
Biotechnology
Chinese cell therapy company NewCure Biotech has raised more than 200 million yuan ($28 million) in a series B round to advance its TCR-T pipeline for solid tumors. The financing was co-led by Xingze Capital and an undisclosed industry fund. 27 January 2026
Biotechnology
Taiwanese biotech HanchorBio has signed a strategic collaboration with WuXi Biologics to develop and manufacture multiple bi- and multi-functional fusion programs from HanchorBio’s pipeline. 26 January 2026
Biotechnology
Japanese pharma Daiichi Sankyo and British partner AstraZeneca said Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) has been approved in China as a second-line treatment for adults with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma after one trastuzumab-based regimen. 23 January 2026
Biotechnology
Chinese biotech Kelun-Biotech has won a new approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration for sac-TMT (sacituzumab tirumotecan), a TROP2-directed antibody-drug conjugate. 6 February 2026
Biosimilars
Russian drugmaker Binnopharm Group together with China’s Mabwell announced plans to localize the production of a monoclonal antibody (MAb)-based drug for the treatment of asthma and atopic dermatitis in Russia. 4 February 2026
Pharmaceutical
Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma has announced top-line results from the STARLIGHT 2 Phase III pivotal study for fezolinetant in Japan, an investigational oral, nonhormonal compound being studied for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause, has met the primary endpoint. 4 February 2026
Biotechnology
China-based biologics CDMO WuXi Biologics has signed a license and research services agreement with US biotech Vertex Pharmaceuticals covering a pre-clinical trispecific T-cell engager for B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases. 3 February 2026
Biotechnology
US clinical-stage biotech Sagimet Biosciences’ shares rose 10% to $6.23 after it announced that China-based partner Ascletis Pharma reported positive top-line results in the open-label Phase III trial evaluating the long-term safety of ASC-40 (denifanstat) tablets in patients with moderate to severe acne. 3 February 2026
Pharmaceutical
Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) has spent the past decade trying to make the country a more attractive place to develop and launch innovative drugs and biologics. The most visible signal is the Sakigake designation program, which offers priority consultation and a faster review target for eligible products, plus policy incentives that can support earlier market entry. 2 February 2026
Biotechnology
Japanese drugmaker Kyowa Kirin late Friday announced the termination of the current rocatinlimab development and commercialization collaboration with US biotech major Amgen. 31 January 2026
Pharmaceutical
UK pharma major AstraZeneca is strengthening its weight management portfolio through a new strategic collaboration agreement with CSPC Pharmaceuticals to advance the development of multiple next-generation therapies for obesity and type 2 diabetes across eight programs. 30 January 2026
Pharmaceutical
US AI-focused start-up Formation Bio has entered a deal with Jiangsu Chia Tai Feng Hai Pharmaceutical (CTFH) for the acquisition of worldwide rights, excluding Greater China, to FHND5032, an oral, small-molecule miR-124 activator being developed for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. 29 January 2026
Pharmaceutical
Spanish dermatology specialist Almirall has announced that China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved Seysara (sarecycline hydrochloride). 29 January 2026
Pharmaceutical
British pharma major AstraZeneca said it will invest $15 billion in China through 2030 to expand medicines manufacturing and R&D, underlining the market’s importance as its second-largest globally and a growing engine of revenue. 29 January 2026
Biotechnology
China-based biologics services group WuXi Biologics (HKG: 2269) has entered a strategic collaboration with Sinorda Biomedicine to develop and manufacture snd006, a bispecific antibody aimed at inflammatory bowel disease and other autoimmune conditions. 29 January 2026
Biotechnology
Japanese drugmaker Chugai today revealed it has filed a regulatory application with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) for the anti-cancer agent/humanized anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody Tecentriq (atezolizumab) 840mg Intravenous Infusion for an additional indication of adjuvant therapy for MRD-positive bladder cancer (MIBC). 28 January 2026
Pharmaceutical
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for priority review Japanese drugmaker Otsuka’s (TYO: 4578) New Drug Application (NDA) for centanafadine, an investigational, once-daily extended release capsule and the first-in-class norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin reuptake inhibitor (NDSRI. 27 January 2026
Biotechnology
Privately-held German drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim has announced a license and collaboration agreement to develop SIM0709, a pre-clinical TL1A/IL23p19 bispecific antibody from China’s Simcere Pharmaceutical Group, for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). 27 January 2026
Biotechnology
Hangzhou, China-based privately-held HealZen Therapeutics has announced a new strategic partnership with an unnamed US biotech company to advance degrader–antibody conjugate (DAC) therapeutics, marking the first cross-border collaboration for this modality. 27 January 2026
Biotechnology
Chinese biotech Huahui Health has won conditional approval for Libevitug (libevitug) to treat adults with chronic hepatitis D virus infection, with or without compensated cirrhosis. The decision makes Libevitug the first approved therapy for hepatitis D in China and addresses a long-standing clinical void. 27 January 2026
Biotechnology
Chinese cell therapy company NewCure Biotech has raised more than 200 million yuan ($28 million) in a series B round to advance its TCR-T pipeline for solid tumors. The financing was co-led by Xingze Capital and an undisclosed industry fund. 27 January 2026
Biotechnology
Taiwanese biotech HanchorBio has signed a strategic collaboration with WuXi Biologics to develop and manufacture multiple bi- and multi-functional fusion programs from HanchorBio’s pipeline. 26 January 2026
Biotechnology
Japanese pharma Daiichi Sankyo and British partner AstraZeneca said Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) has been approved in China as a second-line treatment for adults with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma after one trastuzumab-based regimen. 23 January 2026
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