Astrazeneca makes $5.3B drug R&D pact with CSPC
CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. announced June 13 that it struck a potential $5.33 billion deal with Astrazeneca plc to develop novel preclinical small-molecule candidates using CSPC’s AI-driven drug development platform.

Astrazeneca makes $5.3B drug R&D pact with CSPC
CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. announced June 13 that it struck a potential $5.33 billion deal with Astrazeneca plc to develop novel preclinical small-molecule candidates using CSPC’s AI-driven drug development platform.
New orphan drug, CSL’s garadacimab, cleared for hereditary angioedema
Following a complete response letter issued last October over CMC issues, CSL Behring LLC gained U.S. FDA approval June 16 of its humanized anti-factor XIIa monoclonal antibody, garadacimab (CSL-312), to prevent hereditary angioedema attacks.
Cullinan deals $712M to test Genrix bispecific TCE in autoimmune
Cullinan Therapeutics Inc. swept up ex-China rights to a multiple myeloma (MM)-targeting BCMAxCD3 bispecific T-cell engager (TCE) velinotamig from Chongqing Genrix Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd. via a potential $712 million deal June 4. The plan is to repurpose the cancer drug to autoimmune disease.
Nextcure stock drops near 30% on $745M ADC deal with Simcere
Shares of Nextcure Inc. (NASDAQ:NXTC) dropped 26.27% on news of a potential $745 million partnership with Simcere Zaiming for Simcere’s cadherin-6 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidate. Shares ended at 50 cents apiece June 16.
News in brief
BioWorld Asia briefs for June 17, 2025
3Sbio revs on with phase II data in tight PD-1/VEGF bispecific race
3Sbio Inc. reported interim phase II study results of its PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody, SSGJ-707 – a “fabulous” asset, according to Pfizer Inc. CEO Albert Bourla, that landed in Pfizer’s cancer arsenal via a potential $6 billion deal in May, of which $1.2 billion was paid up front.
Korea biotech roundup: four financings, six R&D deals mid-June
Four biotech companies from South Korea announced new or planned financings mid-June, including GC Genome Corp. Rznomics Inc., G2Gbio Inc. and Mezzion Pharma Co. Ltd. Six major mid-June deals included R&D pacts between Y-Biologics Inc. and Crosspoint Therapeutics, Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Salipro Biotech AB, Next & Bio Inc. and GC Cell Corp., Galux Inc. and Hanall Biopharma Co. Ltd., Celltrion Inc. and Onconic Therapeutics Inc., and SK Plasma Co. Ltd. and Aimedbio Inc.
Pfizer’s $6.15B 3Sbio deal tops May’s biopharma activity
Biopharma deal activity continued its record-breaking pace in 2025, reaching $103.76 billion in total value through the first five months, the highest year-to-date total in BioWorld’s records. That figure marks a nearly 20% increase over the $86.68 billion recorded during the same period in 2024.

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Analysis and data insight

Korea pharma exports rise to quarterly high of $2.5B in Q1
Medical devices and technologies
South Korea’s pharmaceutical exports rose nearly 18% year-on-year to reach $2.56 billion in the first quarter (Q1) this year, according to the Korea Health Industry Development Institute. Medical device exports, however, dropped about 5% in Q1 2025 to $1.39 billion, attributed to a drop in trade of...
Biopharma financings rise to $5.55B in May, with VC deals at $1.83B
Financings
Biopharma financings totaled $21.38 billion through May 2025, down sharply from $62.57 billion during the same period in 2024, but roughly in line with levels seen in 2023 and 2022. Biopharma companies raised $5.55 billion in May, more than doubling the $2.4 billion raised in April.
Epimab sells bispecific T-cell engager to Juri in $210M deal
Deals and M&A
Epimab Biotherapeutics Inc. licensed out a development-ready KLK2/CD3 bispecific T-cell engager (TCE) for advanced prostate cancer to Juri Biosciences Inc. through a potential $210 million deal.
BARDA’s $375M to Shionogi for COVID-19 tops early list of 2025 grants
Financings
Biopharma’s nonprofit deal and grant activity continues to settle into a post-pandemic rhythm, with both showing a sustained decline from the elevated levels seen during and even after the COVID-19 era.

Financings

Allay’s $57.5M extends postsurgical pain relief with ATX-101
Neurology/psychiatric
As it advances its nonopioid analgesic ATX-101 breakthrough therapy through a phase IIb registration trial, Allay Therapeutics secured $57.5 million in a series D round, which included an investment from the company’s Japanese partner.

Australia

Cynata’s MSC cells show positive results across variety of delivery systems
Clinical
The promise of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to heal heart disease could be around the corner thanks to a new delivery method tested by regenerative medicine company Cynata Therapeutics Ltd.

Dimerix strikes $601M Amicus deal for kidney disease drug DMX-200
Deals and M&A
Dimerix Ltd. sealed an exclusive license agreement with Amicus Therapeutics Inc. for commercialization of its phase III kidney disease candidate, DMX-200, in a deal valued at AU$940 million (US$601.22 million).
Immutep’s efti shows strong survival data in head and neck cancer
Clinical
Immutep Ltd. announced strong median overall survival of 17.6 months in cohort B of the TACTI-003 (Keynote-PNC-34) phase IIb trial that evaluated eftilagimod alfa in combination with Merck & Co.’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as first-line therapy in recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell...

China

Dizal's new chemical entities for lung, blood cancers
Clinical
Dizal (Jiangsu) Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s LYN/BTK dual inhibitor, DZD-8586, saw tumor shrinkage in 94.1% of patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma following Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors, the company reported during an oral presentation at...
China clears Mabwell’s Mailisheng injection to treat neutropenia
Regulatory
Mabwell (Shanghai) Bioscience Co. Ltd. on May 30 gained Chinese approval of Mailisheng (albipagrastim alfa; 8MW-0511) as a subcutaneous injection to treat febrile neutropenia induced by myelosuppressive anticancer treatment, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Hengrui to raise up to $1.27B in Hong Kong listing
Financings
Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. announced a global offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to raise up to $1.27 billion to advance its growing pipeline focused on oncology, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, immunological and respiratory diseases, and neuroscience.
China’s Pegbio launches HK$300M Hong Kong IPO
Financings
China’s Pegbio Co. Ltd. launched its IPO on the Hong Kong stock exchange May 19, to raise up to HK$300.82 million (US$38.4 million) to advance visepegenatide (PB-119), its glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist.
Sirius bags $50M series B2 for cardiovascular siRNA pipeline
Clinical
Sirius Therapeutics Inc. raised nearly $50 million in a series B2 financing round May 9 to support its pipeline of small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules for cardiovascular disease indications. SRSD-107, a long-acting Factor XI anticoagulant for thromboembolic disorders, is its lead candidate...

Regulatory

Samsung Biologics to spin off biosimilar subsidiary Samsung Bioepis
Analysis and data insight
Samsung Biologics Co. Ltd. plans to establish a new holding company and to spin off its biosimilar division, Samsung Bioepis Co. Ltd., by October. The corporate restructuring will draw clear lines between Samsung Biologics’ CDMO operations and Samsung Bioepis’ biosimilar business.

Newco news

AP Bio heads to phase I with bispecific for HER2-resistant tumors
Cancer
Although HER2-targeted therapies have become a mainstay in cancer treatment, some tumors evade them by stripping away the portion of the HER2 receptor that most therapies are built to recognize and bind to, but Taiwan’s AP Biosciences Inc. is developing bispecific antibody AP-402 to address...

Japan’s Regcell launches in US with $45.8M to advance Treg platform
Financings
Japanese-founded Regcell Inc. has raised $45.8 million and is redomiciling to the U.S. to accelerate clinical development of its pioneering regulatory T-cell (Treg) platform for autoimmune diseases and transplantation.
Astellas-Yaskawa JV to build robot-based cell production platform
Deals and M&A
Astellas Pharma Inc. is setting up a joint venture with Yaskawa Electric Corp. to develop a new cell production platform using Yaskawa’s dual-arm humanoid robot called Maholo.

Science

Commander proteins linked to lysosomal dysfunction in Parkinson’s
Neurology/psychiatric
Genes associated with lysosomal dysfunction increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to a study led by scientists at Northwestern University. The discovery also explains why some people who carry a pathogenic variant of the GBA1...
Australian researchers discover new compound to treat long COVID
Infection
Researchers have developed a new compound that can prevent long COVID symptoms in mice that could lead to a future drug for the debilitating condition in humans. Developed by researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research...
Pandemic potential is plentiful, but the next bug’s specifics are known unknown
Conferences
Compared to other forms of prevention, a unique issue for pandemic preparedness is that it is forever unclear what pathogen, exactly, the world needs to be prepared for. There are an estimated 300,000 viruses that infect mammals; add in birds, and...
Ten days of normal survival of a pig liver in a human being
Drug design, drug delivery and technologies
Transplanting an animal organ into a human is now a closer reality following the successful xenotransplantation of a genetically modified pig liver into a patient diagnosed with brain death in China. The operation was intended to evaluate organ...
Long COVID science is progressing, though therapies have not yet followed
Conferences
In 2020, the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) was the first scientific conference to move from in-person to virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On the fifth anniversary of the virtual conference, and the pandemic,...
At CROI, HIV cure trials raise hopes for broader applicability
Conferences
At the 2025 meeting of the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. On the first full day of the conference, reports from the first HIV cure trial conducted in Africa, the...

podcast microphone, sound waves on purple background Breakthrough medicines, billion-dollar deals, spectacular clinical successes and crushing failures all play a part in biopharma’s dynamic story. Developers make scientific advancements with the potential to change everything, only to face regulatory conundrums and ever-fluctuating markets. BioWorld tracks key events in the fast-moving sector every business day. Now, the BioWorld Insider podcast lets you hear directly from the movers and shakers whose collective work is changing how we all live. Join us each week for a new conversation.

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