South Korea's Helixmith reaches a milestone with a US FDA nod to use a new in-house developed formulation for its plasmid DNA therapeutic Engensis, said to be more suited to mass production, in its upcoming Phase III trials for diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

The Beijing Winter Olympics highlight a changing China that is becoming more confident and confrontational in its policies, although a willingness to challenge international rules could potentially stall the further introductions of novel vaccines and treatments at a critical juncture of the pandemic.

Resmetirom, Madrigal’s THRβ agonist, demonstrates safety and tolerability, and succeeds on secondary efficacy endpoints in a study serving as a precursor to the firm’s pivotal Phase III trial.

A relatively large outbreak in another major Chinese city after original epicenter Wuhan heightens the urgency for a more effective mRNA vaccine.