Public Company Edition: Lixte’s small uplisting was the only biopharma initial public offering in the US during Thanksgiving week, but IPOs are ramping up again. Also, LifeSci launched its second SPAC and in follow-on offerings Reata brought in $281m and Intellia grossed $175m.

A series of major COVID-19-related manufacturing deals reached by South Korean firms indicate the country could emerge as a major base for the production of drugs and vaccines.

Glenmark rolls out three-in-one inhaler therapy for COPD in India and hopes to address challenges faced by patients suffering from the severe form of the disease. Some early physician outlook appears mixed for the new combination in a segment where leading respiratory player Cipla has an established product.

In a preliminary assessment of repurposed COVID-19 treatments by a government-appointed panel to assess the readiness and potential of a drug to be used in India, favipiravir and tocilizumab have emerged as front-runners. With Strides Pharma exporting the antiviral and Glenmark set to begin clinical trials, even the industry is supporting favipiravir, which is already in studies in Japan and China.