Korea Korean biosimilar firm Celltrion’s USD 266 million acquisition of Japanese outfit Takeda assets in the Asia-Pacific region marks a significant moment in Celltrion’s international expansion as well as yet another big-money deal for Takeda.   Since Takeda’s earthshattering announcement of its intended USD 62 billion acquisition of Shire – the…

Singapore The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is a double-edged sword for Singapore. While its economy has been hit by the global crisis, the island city-state is seeing an uptick in pharmaceutical manufacturing exports to countries looking to stock up on active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).   Singapore’s pharmaceutical output has jumped 86 percent…

USA Two leading executives in the US generics market outline why robust company culture is key to attracting top talent that might otherwise gravitate towards the traditional research-driven industry.   Talent attraction in the US generics market could potentially become a serious problem in the next few years. Ed Price, president…

South Africa Below is a roundup of latest news from South Africa’s life sciences and healthcare industries, including a call to overhaul patent laws to allow better access to COVID-19 drugs, innovation for HIV and TB medication adherence, COVID-19 vaccine trials, gut microbiome testing and supply chain lessons from the pandemic.  …

China I recently had the pleasure to moderate an event on the COVID-19 impact on the relationship between Doctor and Patient, attended by 50 executives of the French Healthcare community in China (Club Santé Chine). I would like to share here some learnings and personal thoughts.   One of the consequences…

Singapore A roundup of some of the most significant healthcare and life science stories from across Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region, including the ongoing hunt for a COVID-19 vaccine and a significant acquisition for Korean Celltrion.   Coronavirus vaccine: Singapore scientists discover 5 antibodies that can combat COVID-19 https://www.businesstoday.in/sectors/pharma/coronavirus-vaccine-singapore-scientists-discover-5-antibodies-that-can-combat-covid/story/407214.html A team…

Korea Under the stewardship of regenerative medicine industry veteran BG Rhee, Korean firm SCM Lifescience has engaged in several global M&A deals in the past year with the end goal of finding a combination of assets that will bring value to both investors and patients. With a US manufacturing facility now…

China Chinese biotech CanSinoBIO is racing against the clock to have a COVID-19 vaccine ready to begin production in early 2021. The firm’s senior VP of International Business Pierre Morgon reflects on CanSinoBIO’s progress thus far and a timeline of what we can realistically expect if and when Chinese authorities give…

USA In a recent virtual town hall meeting hosted by BIO, two key leaders from the US FDA laid out how their organisation has adjusted in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, at what stage of development diagnostics and therapeutics for the virus are, and the pandemic’s long-term effects – both…

Korea After failing to attain reimbursement for its Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) treatment NEURONATA-R® in Korea, Corestem has its sights set on the US market and an Investigational New Drug (IND) approval from the FDA.   Dr Kyung Suk Kim, Corestem’s CEO, recently spoke to PharmaBoardroom to give an update on…

China Founded by a veteran industry team, Arctic Vision recently celebrated its first anniversary and touts itself as the first innovative ophthalmology-focused biotech in China, with the mission of bringing innovative therapies from abroad to patients in China.   According to CEO and cofounder Dr Eddy WU, a company like Arctic…

Coronavirus The BIO International Convention was held digitally in June 2020, bringing together over 7,000 participants from around the world. In an R&D-focused session titled “Whiplash! How Covid-19 Will Radically Change Biomedical R&D Across the Globe,” moderator Andy Marshall of Nature Biotechnology brought together experts in biotech, pharma innovation and research.…