Focus On Asia

The CEO of Korean bioventure Kanaph Therapeutics, Byoung Chul Lee, talks to Scrip about the difficulties such companies are going through amid generally weak investor sentiment, as well as the company's own financing and R&D plans.

Chinese biotechs Biokin, Dizal, Junshi and Kelun Biotech are presenting four of the most closely-followed oral reports at ASCO on new clinical results for their candidates for non-small cell lung cancer.

Sales of a global first-in-class dermatology drug that gained its first approval in China are falling well behind those of its overseas counterpart. In this case study, Scrip takes a deep dive into the multiple underlying factors determining success in the world's second-largest pharma market beyond pricing and reimbursement coverage, including complex hospital entry, dual channels and competition considerations. 

Biocon is confident of its “four channel strategy” for the upcoming debut of biosimilar Humira in the US and also asserts it’s well positioned to compete when price cuts come into play for Sanofi’s Lantus next year.

In this week's podcast edition of Five Must-Know Things: novel BMS drug shows promise in IPF; Novo’s oral semaglutide compares well with injectable in weight loss; Teva looks to innovative brands to return to growth; US setback for Intercept’s NASH drug; and India’s improving environment for clinical trials.

Zydus, the only Indian company with an NCE for a range of chronic liver diseases, will add Turkey to the list of trial locations for NASH. It is also working “aggressively” to launch a generic to Amarin’s Vascepa after Revlimid and Trokendi generics drove record US sales in the fourth quarter

Dr Reddy’s is collaborating with innovator firms in China, Israel and the US largely in areas of unmet need, propelling its “Horizon-2” strategy that encompasses segments like biologics and cell and gene therapy, digital services and immuno-oncology NCEs, among others.

China’s Basic Medical Insurance Fund spent 7.1 times more on novel drugs in 2022 compared to 2019, according to figures disclosed by the National Healthcare Security Administration. Meanwhile, such drugs need to wait less to be eligible for reimbursement in China.

Leaders from Novartis, IQVIA and PwC discuss the ground situation for trials in India as regulatory reforms, improved infrastructure and clinical expertise provide opportunities. Potential in areas like orphan diseases and tips for peer Amgen on getting trials going in India were among other highlights.

Multinational pharma firms are exploring their next growth trajectories in China, where some including AstraZeneca and Roche are deepening their commitment by becoming further integrated into local innovation ecosystems and pursuing deals, while others such as Pfizer are focusing on tackling reimbursement challenges.

In a little over two years, the Korean bio-digital healthcare platform company Emocog has moved its digital therapeutic for mild cognitive impairment into pivotal clinical trials and is discussing possible collaborations with big pharma firms, CEO Yoo Hun Noh tells Scrip.

The French firm’s antidiabetic drug has enjoyed some traction in the Japanese market following the end of launch year restrictions, raising hopes that other Asian partnerships could help improve its financial position.