Deal Snapshot: VectivBio is expanding its existing focus on rare diseases into inherited metabolic disorders, which affect about one in 800 live births and cause significant mortality in infants and young people.

US-based, China-focused CANbridge moves into cholestatic liver disease and enzyme replacement therapy via two deals. Plus deals involving LegoChem, TransThera, Morepen, Daiichi Sankyo, Geneseeq, Innocare, Biosplice, Sirnaomics and Walvax.

The Beijing/Boston-based bioventure shocked the industry with its recent announcement of the return of exclusive rights to an oncology assets in the greater China area to its US licensee, in an effort to focus squarely on rare diseases. CEO James Xue shares his views on this market in China in an exclusive interview with Scrip.

Throughout 2020, China’s drive to introduce more and newer drugs to the market did not slow but was rather accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. But can people afford them?