Chinese regulators granted a first approval for general use to a COVID-19 vaccine to China National Biotec Group’s (CNBG) BBIBP-CorV. “The NMPA granted conditional approval to the vaccine on Dec. 30,” said Chen Shifei, deputy head of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) during a Dec. 31 press conference. The company is required to continue with phase III trials as planned, submit subsequent data and report any adverse reactions.

HONG KONG – China National Biotec Group (CNBG) said that BBIBP-CorV, one of the two COVID-19 vaccines it currently has under development, provides 79.34% protection against the coronavirus. Volunteers who received the vaccine in the phase III experiment produced high-tier antibodies, with a neutralizing antibody positive conversion rate of 99.52% after two doses, the company said.

HONG KONG – With the sale of a group of noncore assets to a little-known Chinese company, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. took another step in a multibillion-dollar string of divestitures that is part of a plan to cut debt and focus on five key business areas. Takeda announced on Dec. 21 the sale of a portfolio of noncore prescription drugs marketed in China to Hasten Biopharmaceutic Co. Ltd. (China).

HONG KONG and BEIJING – China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. delayed releasing trial data from its Coronavac COVID-19 vaccine while the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) accepted an NDA from China National Biotec Group (CNBG) for its own vaccine, BBIBP-CorV.

China has added 119 new drugs to its national reimbursement drug list (NRDL) with an average price cut of 50.64%, a move that biopharmaceutical insiders said will further encourage drug innovation at home, despite lower drug prices. More innovative drugs, notably all homegrown PD-1 inhibitors, are included in the latest NRDL that will take effect from March 1, 2021 to the end of 2023.

HONG KONG and BEIJING – China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. delayed releasing trial data from its Coronavac COVID-19 vaccine while the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) accepted an NDA from China National Biotec Group (CNBG) for its own vaccine, BBIBP-CorV.

HONG KONG – With the sale of a group of noncore assets to a little-known Chinese company, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. took another step in a multibillion-dollar string of divestitures that is part of a plan to cut debt and focus on five key business areas. Takeda announced on Dec. 21 the sale of a portfolio of noncore prescription drugs marketed in China to Hasten Biopharmaceutic Co. Ltd. (China).

HONG KONG – Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co. Ltd.’s toripalimab has reached its prespecified primary endpoint of progression-free survival at the interim analysis of a phase III study in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as efforts to expand approval of the anti-PD-1 antibody into other cancer types are underway.

Shares in Chinese drug developer Jacobio Pharmaceuticals Group Co. Ltd. (HK:1167) rose 3% on their first day of trading in Hong Kong. The company, which develops small-molecule drug candidates to modulate enzymes by binding to their allosteric sites, raised HK$1.35 billion (US$174.1 million) in its IPO, pricing 96 million shares at HK$14. Shares closed at HK$14.42 on Dec. 21 after rising as high as HK$16.50.