AnGes has terminated R&D work on a DNA vaccine for COVID-19 and will now look at intranasal candidates with a US partner. Although the original project received funding from the Japanese government, a spike in related costs caused the Japanese firm's net loss to triple last year, and the decision represents the latest in a string of pipeline setbacks.

CEO Adrian Rawcliffe talked with Scrip about filing and early commercial plans for afami-cel in synovial carcinoma if it is approved by the FDA.

Despite having multiple world-class pharma companies and innovative research, Japan is notably absent as a source of candidate vaccines for the coronavirus. The pandemic is again throwing into sharp relief past and present challenges around the country's vaccines sector.

The recent reimbursement and launch of Zolgensma showed Japan willing and able to approve and pay for gene therapies, and others including from Otsuka/Takara Bio are moving forward under a supportive regulatory framework.