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Downward, Eastward or Inward? Blockbuster Film Puts Cancer Drug Prices In China Spotlight

 
• By Brian Yang and Anju Ghangurde

Bagging a $200m box office in its opening week in China, "Dying to Survive" is a sentimental movie about a Chinese businessman selling cancer drugs smuggled from India but unapproved in China that sees his life taking a drastic turn, from convicted felon to a Robin Hood-like hero as he helps those in need. The Chinese film authority’s clearance for the screening of the movie and the smash success signal three key messages about the future potential direction of oncology drugs in the country.

"Dying to Survive" poster at a Chinese movie theater • Source: Scrip

Already facing official pressure to cut drug prices, makers of high-priced cancer products in China have another potential crisis to deal with: rising public resent over the lack of access to cancer drugs, stirred up by a widely popular movie.

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Arbele Leverages Rights As It Drugs Proprietary CDH17 Target

 
• By Dexter Jie Yan

Arbele has emerged as a global leader in the Cadherin 17 area, not only in clinical progress but also for its “secret recipe” for application in T-cell engagers, its CEO tells Scrip.

Henlius In David Versus Goliath Race With Pfizer For First PD-L1 ADC

 
• By Dexter Jie Yan

While Henlius Biotech’s PD-L1-targeting antibody-drug conjugate HLX43 is struggling to catch up with Pfizer’s PF-08046054, the global frontrunner in the space, a key differentiation of the China-originated asset could lie in PD-L1-negative patients.

Will China’s Retaliatory Tariffs Galvanize Manufacturing Onshoring?

 
• By Dexter Jie Yan

China’s imposed large retaliatory tariffs on US pharmaceuticals on 10 April, but some domestic firms with in-licensed, US-origin assets were already moving to localized manufacturing.

New Data Strengthen Case For RemeGen’s Telitacicept In gMG

 
• By Dexter Jie Yan

Results from a China Phase III trial show the potential of RemeGen's fusion protein telitacicept in generalized myasthenia gravis. But study design differences make direct comparisons with argenx's FcRn inhibitor Vyvgart challenging.

More from Focus On Asia

Asia Deal Watch: Daiichi Taps Into Wayfinder’s RNA-Encoding Platform

 
• By Jung Won Shin, Lisa Takagi, Joseph Haas, Anju Ghangurde, and Vibha Ravi

Plus deals involving Elix/PRISM, Rege/Syros, Kaken/KalVista, Dr. Reddy’s/Aurigene/Edity, Nissan Chemical/Sanwa, Lupin/Renascience, Shionogi/Link Medicine, Abbisko/Merck & Co., Ono/Reborna and Apollomics/LaunXp.

Japan’s Ciconia Seeks Academic Candidates To Hatch In Global Market

 
• By Lisa Takagi

Japanese incubator Ciconia has just started verifying its first drug candidate with a vision of building domestic startups with globally competitive assets.

Henlius In David Versus Goliath Race With Pfizer For First PD-L1 ADC

 
• By Dexter Jie Yan

While Henlius Biotech’s PD-L1-targeting antibody-drug conjugate HLX43 is struggling to catch up with Pfizer’s PF-08046054, the global frontrunner in the space, a key differentiation of the China-originated asset could lie in PD-L1-negative patients.