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New medical drugs

New medical drugs
Latest news and updates on medical drug research and breakthroughs.
Researchers have engineered brewer’s yeast to produce catharanthine – the direct precursor to the cancer treatment vinblastine. Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Science

Chinese ‘yeast factory’ boosts cancer drug production by 1,000 times

Turning point comes from cross-disciplinary collaboration, including across plant biochemistry, synthetic biology and protein engineering.

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China’s private sector

China’s drug firms set to compete on the world stage, analysts say

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China’s private sector

Sugar for the pill: US$8b fund boosts Hong Kong’s biotech hub ambitions

China economy

Outside In | China’s export success is a by-product of self-reliance

But while the export surge is an accidental consequence of self-sufficiency and competitive manufacturers, the solution is not protectionism.

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Containers sitting stacked at the Port of Shanghai on July 14 in China. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
US-China trade war

Record Chinese biotech out-licensing meets rising US scrutiny

Surging cross-border deals out of China are running headlong into intensifying US national security fears.

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Banking & finance

Healthcare IPO wave: US biotech firm picks Hong Kong over Nasdaq for listing

Axiom Biosciences founder says Hong Kong investors show greater maturity than Nasdaq in handling biotech companies.

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China’s private sector

‘Systemic leap’: China’s drug innovation push yields bumper crop

Home-grown therapies account for 80 per cent of approvals in first six months of the year.

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In addition to surging novel drug development, China’s cross-border deals with global giants show no sign of abating. Photo: Shutterstock
United States

Lab monkey prices soar as China’s biotech boom fuels windfall for breeders

In the first six months to June 30, there were 81 cross-border deals for innovative medicines worth a combined record of US$110 billion.

China’s private sector

China’s biotech boom: RAS-targeted drugs challenge US dominance

The rapid development of China’s RAS-targeted cancer drugs could reshape global oncology and unlock the country’s undervalued biotech firms.

China’s private sector

Which company could become the Chinese Pfizer? Here are analysts’ top picks

A boom in outlicensing agreements leads to a debate over which Chinese firms may be first to break into overseas markets with own brands.

Chinese pharmaceutical companies may expand into international markets in the coming years. Photo: Shutterstock
China manufacturing

China extols potential of AI in guideline on marine biopharmaceuticals

Ministry of Natural Resources urges research institutions and drug makers to use the technology to speed up the development of new drugs.

A scientist in a research laboratory. Photo: Shutterstock
Biomedicine: Companies

China’s Innovent Biologics signs US$10.5b Pfizer deal for 12 cancer drug trials

The agreement covers eight early-stage trials from Innovent and four discovery programmes from global giant Pfizer.

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Science

Chinese team uses supercomputer to cut drug screening time from years to seconds

AI platform that can screen vast library of chemical compounds opens up new frontiers in fight against cancer and infectious diseases.

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Science

Does China’s Jiuzhang 4.0 computer herald the age of quantum supremacy?

New programmable photonic quantum computing prototype completed a complex calculation in microseconds, developers say.

A partial view of China’s new photonic quantum computing prototype, Jiuzhang 4.0. Photo: Xinhua
United States

Trump says US Food and Drug Commissioner Marty Makary is out

The FDA chief’s departure follows weeks of intensifying pressure from powerful Republicans, anti-abortion groups and others.

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary attends an event at the White House in April. Photo: AP
China’s private sector

How China’s ‘landmark’ drug pricing guidelines could be a boon for biotech

State Council calls for ‘value-based pricing’ for innovative drugs, a move researchers said would benefit private healthcare players.

India

Opinion | Asia’s flood of cheap Ozempic generics opens gates to weight-loss abuse

Cheaper semaglutides as patent ends is good news for diabetics. But lax regulation also means a risk of abuse by those desperate to lose weight.

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Biomedicine: Companies

China biotech deals hit record as innovative drugs draw global interest

Deals reach US$60 billion in first quarter after analysts say Chinese biotech firms have shown substantial technological advancements.

The US$60 billion deal value represents a 73 per cent jump from the same period a year earlier. Photo: Shutterstock
China’s private sector

Rights to antibody drug from China’s Keymed change hands in US acquisition

Sichuan-based Keymed expects to receive up to US$320 million as a result of deal involving its autoimmune disease treatment licensed in 2024.

China’s private sector

Wave of Chinese biotech deals builds with US$1.2 billion Harbour BioMed pact

Deal involving an antibody asset ‘goes beyond a traditional licensing transaction’, founder and CEO says.

China’s crackdowns

China charges former AstraZeneca executive – a sign of the times?

Foreign drug makers face pressure in the Chinese market, from tighter regulatory oversight to growing local competition.

In January, AstraZeneca announced plans to invest US$15 billion in China, its second-largest market. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Repurposed kidney drug may offer hope to infertile women, Hong Kong study finds

Researchers say finerenone may provide affordable treatment with few side effects for women affected by premature ovarian insufficiency.

Premature ovarian insufficiency, or POI, affects about 1 to 3 per cent of women of childbearing age. Photo: Sun Yeung
Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Exclusive | No prescription, no problem: Hong Kong’s grey zone for weight-loss injections

Slimming injections cannot be sold or purchased in Hong Kong without doctor’s prescription, but some retailers are operating grey market.

Wellness

Weight rebound after stopping Ozempic, Wegovy? Not necessarily, new data says

New research suggests that many people who stop using GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic maintain their weight loss, countering previous studies.

China’s private sector

China’s drug and medical device sector fuels growth with record licensing deals

China’s pharmaceutical industry surges on ageing demand and global expansion, with revenue forecast to top US$2.1 trillion by 2030.

Innovative drugs are expected to outpace other segments with an annualised growth of 20 per cent between 2026 and 2030, according to UBS. Photo: Shutterstock
Made in China 2025

Novartis, SciNeuro deal offers hope for 55 million suffering from Alzheimer’s

SciNeuro’s anti-amyloid programme is one of the firm’s key strategic research and development priorities to target the brain disease.

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Swiss drugmaker Novartis has gained global rights over SciNeuro’s novel amyloid beta targeted antibody programme. Photo: Reuters
Made in China 2025

Meow or never: China’s pudgy pets spark race for weight-loss drugs

Fosun and Huadong biotech labs eye feline obesity drugs as owners weigh cuteness against health risks.

Artificial intelligence

MindRank in Phase 3 trial with first AI-assisted new drug

The company was aiming for approval in the second half of 2028, paving the way for a market launch in 2029.

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