Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. struck two licensing deals recently, including one with Hyfe Inc. Feb. 25 to develop the world’s potential first prescription digital therapeutic for chronic cough in Japan.
Regulatory snapshots, including drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations in Asia-Pacific: Arcturus, Celltrion, Clarity, Clearside, CSL Behring, Genmab, Iaso, Innovent, Samsung, Vivozon.
In a recent publication in Cell, researchers from the National University of Singapore and collaborators have proposed using commensal bacteria in the nasal cavity as a delivery vector for precision therapy targeting the OE and brain.
Biopharma happenings in Asia-Pacific including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Astellas. Astrazeneca, Bioarctic, BMI Korea, Brexogen, Cyrano, Eisai, Fibrogen, Hangzhou Polymed, Kyorin, Otsuka, Photys.
After withdrawing plans for an IPO last year, Orum Therapeutics Inc. made its debut on the Korea Exchange in 2025 with a ₩50 billion (US$34.7 million) raise as South Korea’s first biopharma IPO of the year.
Biopharma deal activity in the first month of the year saw the largest January raise thus far, with $28.63 billion in collective funds. While down slightly month over month, the value was comparable to December 2024’s $29.02 billion and November 2024’s $29.34 billion.
Biomissile Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. is developing multispecific antibodies that overcome resistance associated with antibody-drug conjugates via its next-generation natural killer (NK) cell engagers. “ADCs are very efficacious, but they do have a drawback with side effects and resistance, because ultimately ADCs are similar to chemotherapy because you bring toxins to the tumor site,” Biomissile co-founder and CEO Chao Tu told BioWorld.
Dealmaking in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region took off this week, with the latest showcasing Genome & Co.’s licensing deal with Ellipses Pharma Ltd. for GENA-104, a phase I-ready immuno-oncology asset, under undisclosed terms Feb. 11.