The approval of China's second CAR-T therapy has come amid reimbursement challenges, despite the pricing of its direct competitor being much lower than in the US. Chinese developers are pinning their hopes on rapid domestic market expansion via commercial insurance tie-ups as other CAR-Ts move through local development.

Private Company Edition: Also, Medicxi’s new €200m fund will be reinvested in a portfolio of six life science companies and Silverback more than doubled its 2020 money with an $85m series C round.

Headquartered in both China and US, the new firm will help partners bring drugs to China and other Asian markets. Novavax licenses COVID-19 vaccine in Japan to Takeda, following previous week’s deal for the vaccine in India.

Deals among domestic Chinese biotechs are growing fast, reflecting a need to huddle up amid tightening scrutiny over biotech deal-making and an unusually competitive immuno-oncology market.