1. Scrip
  2. >>Therapy Areas
  3. >>Anti-infective

Ark Bio Of China Bets On Untapped Pediatric Antiviral Market Where Few Have Succeeded

 
• By Brian Yang

Founded five years ago, Shanghai-based Ark Bio sees big potential in the less crowded pediatric antiviral treatment market. Now the start-up is in Phase II development for its lead asset ziresovir for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, which was licensed from Roche.

Emerging Company Profile Regular column feature image Version 2

After Roche acquired Genentech Inc. and focused its attention largely on oncology drugs, Jim Wu, a US-trained biochemist who returned to China to work for Roche, saw opportunities in the Swiss drug maker's antiviral pipeline.

Wu who was a director at the Roche R&D center in Shanghai, founded a start-up in 2014, Ark Biosciences Inc. The company later raised Series A venture capital in 2015 and licensed an antiviral asset from Roche for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection

China Unbound: Third In A Series

China has seen explosive growth in developing new drugs ranging from antibodies to cell therapies, hence the first report from a new series covering emerging biotechs in China. They range from anti-cancer developers to respiratory specialty firms, from Shanghai to Zhongshan – several made-in-China biopharma innovators that largely have been flying under the radar.

See the first two articles in this series here:

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Scrip for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required
Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber?

More from Anti-infective

Chinese Vaccine Makers Turn To Emerging Markets

 
• By Dexter Jie Yan

Chinese producers of novel vaccines are increasingly pivoting to developing markets overseas in the face of a collapse in their domestic sales.

Shionogi In $1bn Deal For Japan Tobacco’s Pharma Ops

 
• By Ian Haydock

Mid-sized Japanese pharma firm to acquire tobacco giant’s pharma operations and take private the listed Torii Pharmaceutical business, in bid to build sales reach and strengthen manufacturing.

In Brief: DIOSynVax And ACM Biolabs To Develop Bird Flu Vaccine

 
• By Sushmita Panda

The collaboration, supported by UK and Singapore government agencies, aims to develop an mRNA-based, needle-free universal bird flu vaccine suitable for use in a pandemic.

GSK’s Blujepa Brings Innovation To The Antibiotic Space

 
• By Jessica Merrill

The US FDA approved Blujepa for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections, marking the first new mechanism of action for the infection in more than 30 years.

More from Therapy Areas

Japan Pharma Sees US Revenues Grow But Policy Impact Still Unclear

 
• By Lisa Takagi

Japanese majors put in generally solid performances in the fiscal year ended 31 March, but overseas revenues and forex effects, rather than the domestic market, provided most of the growth.

Boehringer’s Next Generation IPF Drug Underwhelms

 
• By Andrew McConaghie

The company hoped its follow-up to blockbuster Ofev could clearly improve efficacy and safety benefits, but the full Phase III results from nerandomilast’s FIBRONEER-IPF fall short of a slam dunk.

Affimed’s ASCO ‘Hail Mary’ As Survival Chances Slim

 
• By Kevin Grogan

The German biotech has been forced into insolvency and NASDAQ suspension.