Just three years after its founding, Chinese cell therapy developer IASO Bio already has two assets in clinical development and the Nanjing firm has recently attracted $60m in financing. In an exclusive interview, its R&D head told Scrip that speed and partnerships are propelling Chinese developers on a trajectory to quickly catch up with the west in the emerging cell-therapy arena.

China was a focus of discussions at the 2020 J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, as a Phase One trade agreement was signed to end a 17-month dispute with the US. Patent linkage and IP protection enforcement are also being closely watched, while Chinese firms including BeiGene continue to make strides in oncology deal-making.

Days after bagging a US approval for its first global new drug, BeiGene was dealt a blow as its BTK inhibitor Brukinsa showed no significant superiority over class leader Imbruvica in Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, although the Chinese company remains hopeful for a possible approval.