Latest news with #drugdevelopment
Reuters
17 hours ago
- Health
- Reuters
Merck's cholesterol drug meets main goal in late-stage studies
June 9 (Reuters) - Merck (MRK.N), opens new tab said on Monday its drug met the main goal of reducing a type of cholesterol in two late-stage studies.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
BIOSeedin Innovation Partnering Conference 2025: Spotlight on China's Biopharma Trailblazers and Global Collaboration
China's influential innovative drug asset cooperation platform NEWARK, Del., June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BIOSeedin Innovation Partnering Conference (BIOS), established in 2021, has quickly become one of the most prestigious biopharmaceutical partnering events in APAC. Hosted annually by bioSeedin, BIOS has attracted cutting-edge biotech startups and top investment firms globally. It serves as a crucial platform for fostering collaboration between China's biopharma sector and global markets, facilitating partnerships, therapeutic asset licensing, and investment networking. The 5th annual BIOSeedin Innovation Partnering Conference solidified its role as a nexus for global biopharma innovation, attracting more than 2,000 registrants from 10 countries. Senior executives and investors dominated the audience, with 61.66% holding C-suite, BD, or investment roles. The event facilitated 7,275 meeting requests. Confirmed deals across oncology, rare diseases, and next-gen modalities. MNCs including Merck & Co., Pfizer and Bayer emerged as top targets, with key accounts receiving over 50 meeting requests each. Key Insights from BIOS Discussions Dr. Yi Zhu, Founder and CSO of Biokin Pharma, framed China as a "translational research powerhouse", uniquely positioned to de-risk high-impact modalities. "Our cost-efficient clinical execution enables rapid validation of novel ADCs and gene-editing platforms," he noted, citing Biokin's Phase II PD-1xLAG-3 bispecific antibody as evidence of China's ability to advance complex biologics. His call for investors to prioritize high-risk, high-reward assets resonated across sessions, particularly as Chinese startups now contribute 38% of global ADC patents. John Zhu, CEO of DualityBio, challenged conventional innovation metrics during a standing-room-only session. "True differentiation isn't about target novelty but biomarker-driven clinical value," he asserted, showcasing DualityBio's tumor-activated ADC linker technology. His critique of "therapeutic crowding" aligned with investor interest in China's precision medicine pipelines, particularly in NSCLC and triple-negative breast cancer. Dr. Zhang Lianshan, EVP of Hengrui Pharma, grounded discussions in localization imperatives. "Globalization starts with domestic validation," he emphasized, detailing Hengrui's strategy to leverage China's 140 million cancer patient registry for accelerated oncology trials. His case study on a Claudin 18.2-targeted therapy — now in global Phase III — highlighted China's evolving role from fast follower to protocol co-designer. Jacky Jiang, BD Head at CSPC Pharma, outlined a pragmatic blueprint for strategic asset curation. "Align R&D with unmet needs, technical strengths, and M&A agility," he advised, referencing CSPC's recent acquisition of a CRISPR-Cas12Max delivery platform. His prediction that non-viral gene therapies will dominate rare disease investments by 2026 drew vigorous investor follow-ups. 40 companies gave roadshows and brought abundant assets The BIOSeedin 2025 roadshow spotlighted China's accelerating leadership in next-generation therapies, with 40% of showcased assets featuring breakthrough modalities like Phase II PD-1xLAG-3 bispecifics for NSCLC, preclinical Claudin 18.2xCD3 T-cell engagers, and tumor microenvironment-activated ADC linkers — technologies where Chinese firms now hold 32% of global patents. Rare disease innovations included non-viral CRISPR-Cas12Max therapies for retinal disorders (90% primate model efficacy) and Duchenne MD gene therapies, while metabolic/CNS advances featured dual GLP-1/GIP agonists outperforming competitors in weight loss trials and tau-targeting Alzheimer's mAbs. With 50% of programs in Phase I/II (including 10 breakthrough-designated assets) and two Phase III candidates nearing 2026 NDAs — a bispecific NSCLC antibody leveraging China's genomic databases and a non-opioid TRPV1-ATP analgesic — the portfolio underscores China's evolution from fast follower to global innovator, combining cost-efficient development with patient-centric therapeutic engineering. Building on this year's success, BIOSeedin 2026 will expand its global footprint with dedicated tracks for European and North American attendees. As Dr. Zhu Yi concluded, "China's biotech sector is not just catching up — it's redefining innovation. We invite global partners to join this journey, where collaboration transcends borders and accelerates patient-centric breakthroughs." Join us next year to explore investment opportunities, forge transformative partnerships, and shape the future of biopharma innovation. View original content: SOURCE bioSeedin Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
28bio Announces Nexon™ Neurotechnology Platform Powered by Engineered Human Brains
Exhibits complex neurological processes—including memory, learning, and cognition—and predicts human outcomes in preclinical drug development NEW ORLEANS, June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 28bio today announced the Nexon™ neurotechnology platform—a major advancement in understanding human brain function. The platform integrates tissue engineering, neural interfacing and AI to engineer human brains at-scale and replicate complex neurological processes. The Nexon™ platform is now being used to improve the prediction of therapeutic efficacy and toxicity in humans, with several of the world's largest pharma companies already integrating Nexon™ into their drug development workflows. The Nexon™ platform also incorporates Organoid Intelligence (OI). The growing field of OI combines human brain organoids with brain-machine interfaces to model memory, learning, and cognition in vitro, offering novel functional cognitive biomarkers with the potential to reshape drug development in neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease. Neurological drug development faces some of the highest failure rates in the pharmaceutical industry, due to poor translatability of animal models. Despite promising preclinical study results, many therapies ultimately fail in humans—contributing to a growing neurological health crisis and need for more predictive, human-relevant models. "We engineer human brains capable of elucidating the complexity of neurological processes and produce predictive data needed to change the trajectory of neurological drug development," said Alif Saleh, CEO of 28bio. "Industry and regulators are urgently asking for solutions to develop better neurological drugs faster and cheaper." About 28bio28bio is a neurotechnology company engineering human brains at-scale exhibiting memory, learning, and cognitive functions. Its Nexon™ platform integrates tissue engineering, neural interfacing, and AI to reverse today's neurological health crisis by improving the ability to predict which therapies will work in humans. 28bio is committed to advancing ethical standards in the development of brain organoid technology and engineered human cognition. For more information, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE 28bio Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Itochu to Support Pharma Firms Entering Japan to Fill Drug Needs
Two Itochu Corp. units are expanding into the business of luring more foreign drug companies to Japan, in a bid to help them develop innovative therapies for the local market that are already available overseas. The Japanese trading house's subsidiaries A2 Healthcare Corp. and ITC Venture Partners are launching an end-to-end hub service for international biotechs — arranging everything from early-stage consulting, regulatory advice and clinical testing support to post-launch distribution in Japan — according to people familiar with the matter who declined to be identified because the information isn't public.
Japan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Itochu working to support overseas pharma firms to fill Japan's drug gaps
Two Itochu units are expanding into the business of attracting more foreign drug companies to Japan, in a bid to help them develop innovative therapies for the local market that are already available overseas. The Japanese trading house's subsidiaries A2 Healthcare and ITC Venture Partners are launching an end-to-end hub service for international biotechs — arranging everything from early-stage consulting, regulatory advice and clinical testing support to post-launch distribution in Japan — according to people familiar with the matter who declined to be identified because the information isn't public. A spokesperson for Itochu declined to comment. Intermediary support is crucial for drug availability in the nation, where more than 50 therapies have been identified as needed but unavailable to patients, a government-funded study reported in March. The situation is known locally as "drug loss,' a term that refers to a list of treatments for which there is no current plan for introduction to the Japanese market. They include medicines for rare diseases, drug-resistant tuberculosis, cancer and Parkinson's disease. While Japan is home to some of the world's biggest drug giants, including Takeda Pharmaceutical and Eisai, the number of medications locally available trails the U.S. and Europe. Officials have expressed concerns over the gap. Foreign drugmakers, especially smaller ones, find it challenging to navigate hurdles to market entry. Tokyo-based trading house Itochu formally entered the contract research business in 2005. Health care is seen as a key growth sector by some of Japan's biggest companies, as the country's graying population drives an increased need for care.
