COVID-19 has highlighted the need for potent, safe and effective antiviral therapies for infectious diseases and now one well-known Chinese researcher is tackling hepatitis B and D though a homegrown drug discovery approach. He talks to Scrip in this wide-ranging audio interview.  

Two bioventures in China have jettisoned immuno-oncology assets, including PD-1/L1- and CD47-targeting agents, while four other firms have disclosed shifts in R&D priorities and employee lay-offs as they deal with challenging conditions.

From being little known to sought after by millions, Pfizer’s oral antiviral Paxlovid is fast becoming the most pursued medicine in China, amid the largest outbreak of COVID-19 infections the world has yet seen.

China’s Center for Drug and Evaluation has issued new guidance on the development of new vaccines and drugs for COVID-19 in which it backs antivirals as a key weapon, while the Politburo has shown no signs of backing away from the country's tough "COVID Zero" policies.