Latest news with #Astar
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US-China tensions offer new opportunity for APAC biotechs, report suggests
Investors are increasingly focused on biotech companies outside of China operating in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) market, according to a report by management consulting firm Bain & Company. Homing in on Singapore specifically, the report states that rising players within the APAC region are drawing in investors through their political neutrality, protection of intellectual property (IP) and strong healthcare infrastructure. This trend is further driven by continued investment by the Singaporean Government, which has handed out $25bn in early-stage funding between 2021 and 2025 through its Research Innovation and Enterprise 2025 (RIE2025) scheme. Singapore is also aiming to bridge the gap between academia and industry through its A*STAR scheme, which is designed to encourage the translation of research into commercially viable drugs. These initiatives are designed to de-risk the early-stage development process, laying the foundations for future venture capital investment. Changing tides in the biotech sector The 2020s have been a tough period for the biotech industry, with many companies failing to obtain funding amid growing geopolitical instability and a sharpened investor focus on late-stage therapies. However, things may be looking up for the sector, with a GlobalData report finding that biotech companies obtained $8.52bn in 2024 through initial public offerings (IPOs) — a marked increase from the $5.06bn raised in 2023. Though the US and China continue to dominate the market, rising tensions between the nations could shift the balance towards politically neutral and stable nations, stated Alison Labya, senior pharma business fundamentals analyst at GlobalData. Labya said: 'Singapore's alignment with international pharmaceutical standards reduces legal and regulatory risk, increasing investor confidence in the commercial potential of innovative drugs." As the US continues to face geopolitical uncertainty, NIH funding cuts and mass regulatory layoffs, Labya noted that APAC players — particularly Singapore — are emerging as attractive alternatives for biotech investors, offering a more stable environment conducive to bringing drugs to market. Biotech's future moving forward Even amidst the growing geopolitical tensions between the US and China, Labya stated that China will likely remain the dominant force in Asian biotech. 'China remains resilient in the face of Trump's trade war, notably retaliating with 125% tariffs on US goods in April 2025,' Labya commented. Through this response, both countries reduced their import tariff rates, highlighting China's capacity to influence trade and policy outcomes. Large pharma has also continued to engage with the Chinese biotech market, with 28% of innovator drugs now being picked up from the nation, according to a report from GlobalData. For APAC countries such as Singapore to compete with China, Labya noted that biotechs in the region must penetrate the US and EU, requiring expertise into the FDA and EMA's regulatory frameworks, as well as the development of international partnerships. "US-China tensions offer new opportunity for APAC biotechs, report suggests" was originally created and published by Pharmaceutical Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Business Mayor
22-04-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Astar's Yoki Legacy will launch on Sony's Soneium blockchain
Astar, a collective driving Web3 adoption originating from Japan, is relaunching its Yoki Origins as Yoki Legacy on Sony's Soneium blockchain. Yoki Origins was digital collectible adventure that launched last year with partners like Casio, Japan Airlines, JR Kyushu Railway Company, Quickswap, Rarible, and others. Now it is called Yoki Legacy. Soneium is Sony's Block Solutions Labs' Layer 2 blockchain. 'As an ecosystem that puts creativity and accessibility at its core, Soneium is the ideal home for Yoki Legacy. We're excited to see the project relaunch on a platform built to support creators and IP-driven innovation' said Maarten Henskens, head of Astar Foundation, in a statement. 'This move reflects our commitment to preserving and growing the Yoki IP, which was originally created and launched by Astar Foundation on Astar zkEVM. By bringing Yoki to Soneium, we're making sure it stays accessible in an ecosystem designed to empower collators, creatives, and content built around intellectual property.' Initially deployed on Japan's leading blockchain ecosystem Astar Network, Yoki Origins was successful, driving strong engagement and high volumes of on-chain transactions, Astar said. Now, the IP has been relaunched on Soneium. Since then, the game saw 59,000 unique addresses created by players, with 2.5 million Yoki-related non-fungible tokens (NFTs) minted in total and 40 different projects getting involved. Built on the principle that blockchain should be accessible, scalable, efficient, and solve genuine problems for everyone, Soneium aims to deliver innovative decentralized apps — such as Yoki Origins — spanning entertainment, gaming, finance, and numerous other possibilities, Sony said. Read More TinyBuild shuts Versus Evil, lays off 13 At launch, Soneium was supported by some of the world's most prominent and well-established Web3 technology partners, including Astar Network, Circle, Optimism, Alchemy, The Graph, and Chainlink. Gameplay for Yoki Legacy. With its relaunch on Soneium, Yoki Origins will further expand the blockchain's ecosystem, offering new experiences by drawing inspiration from Pokémon and traditional Japanese culture where people can collect 'Yokis' to complete a special notebook. As part of the new season, the relaunch introduces a more streamlined version of the original Yoki and its core game mechanics, making it even easier for people to enjoy its ecosystem. For example, instead of 48 Yokis (12 basic and 36 evolved), the game now features 24 — 12 basic and 12 evolved. By collecting three identical basic Yokis, users can 'fuse' them into an evolved one. Yoki Origins' native token, previously known as Omamori (OMA), is now rebranded as OMASTR, reflecting its deeper integration with Astar. This change enhances the token's utility by allowing users to mint OMASTR on Soneium using Astar Network's native token, ASTR, without any daily minting limits. This aims to open up greater flexibility and access for users looking to engage more actively in the ecosystem. The newly updated OMASTR token is primarily used for acquiring capsules from the capsule machines, a popular feature in Yoki Origins. They allow users to obtain various Yokis by spending OMASTR tokens to 'spin' or 'pull' capsules. In total, there are now three distinct capsule machines, each offering a unique set of Yokis and featuring four different capsule types, which create a layer of variety and anticipation for users as they collect their precious creatures. To make the experience even more rewarding, users will earn special ACS Points by minting, fusing, and completing their notebooks. The Astar Contribution Score initiative, launched by the Astar Foundation with a reward pool of 100 million ASTR, is designed to drive user adoption and incentivize on-chain activity, all while expanding the utility of ASTR tokens and boosting the growth of Soneium. At launch, a pool of two million ACS will be available, with the possibility of additional points being added in the future. As a special incentive, players who complete their Yoki notebook by June 1 will receive an exclusive Yoki OG Badge, a unique reward from the collaboration between Astar and Soneium. Sony said the Soneium OG Badge is more than just a digital token—it's a badge of honor, symbolizing a user's commitment and belief in the Soneium vision. Holders of this badge will be recognized as pioneers who have played a key role in shaping the development and growth of the Soneium ecosystem.
