PERTH, Australia – San Diego-based Okogen Inc. is taking its clinical trial program to Australia where it will test its lead compound OKG-0301 for acute adenoviral conjunctivitis in the phase II (RUBY) trial.

HONG KONG – China has approved the fourth homegrown CD47 antibody to start clinical trials, intensifying the local CD47 race. Chinese biologics developer I-Mab Biopharma (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. said it received the go-ahead for the clinical study of TJC-4, its differentiated fully human CD47 monoclonal antibody for treating advanced malignant tumors.

PERTH, Australia – Adelaide, Australia-based Bionomics Inc. reported another trial failure with its lead compound, BNC-210, in elderly patients with agitation, but it is still clinging on to hopes that the compound will show a clinical benefit for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

HONG KONG – Shanghai-based biopharma firm Harbour Biomed Therapeutics Ltd. has inked a 10-year pact with Erasmus MC from the University Medical Center Rotterdam to grow its footprint in Europe. Both sides will develop biotherapeutics to treat cancer and immunological diseases.

LONDON – Themis Bioscience GmbH has announced positive phase II results for its vaccine against Chikungunya virus, as it moves to complete an IPO later this week to raise up to €55 million (US$62.6 million) to fund the launch of a pivotal phase III trial.