China

Biokin/SystImmune’s anti-EGFRxHER3 ADC iza-bren achieved one primary and the key secondary objectives in a Phase III trial in Chinese patients with R/M NPC and its lower incidence of interstitial lung disease compared with other ADCs is also noteworthy.

Besting BeOne Medicines’ Tevimbra plus chemotherapy, interim results from the head-to-head HARMONi-6 study of Akeso's ivonescimab plus chemotherapy show the combo might have the longest PFS versus its single-target immuno-oncology competitors.

Multiple Chinese biopharma firms reach new deals with major Western and other partners in a spree of licensing deals over a one-day period, with ADCs, in vivo CAR and bifunctional fusion protein therapies among the target assets.

Kelun’s TROP2-targeting antibody-drug conjugate sacituzumab tirumotecan once again marks a world-first in its class, this time receiving approval in China for second-line, EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer.

Henlius reports interim Phase III win for serplulimab in the adjuvant, perioperative treatment of early-stage gastric cancer, offering first potential chemo-free option in this setting.

Suzhou-based Accuredit Therapeutics led the pack of recent China financings with a $75m series A. Other major funding rounds in the country backed by venture capital and private equity firms included Beijing GRIT Biotechnology's $53.5m series C.

Zovaglutide tied Amgen’s MariTide in weight reduction at Week 24 in a Phase II study, but with a potentially better safety profile. However, efficacy versus existing once-weekly drugs is a remaining question.

Ascletis presented updated results at EADV showing denifanstat could significantly improve acne conditions versus placebo in Chinese patients after four weeks of treatment.

Nearly half of the mRNA-based therapeutic vaccines for cancer in the R&D pipeline globally are from Chinese companies, although financing activities in the area have been relatively quiet so far this year in China compared with 2020-23.

With data generated from China-only trials and consistency issues lingering, Chinese drug makers presented impressive results from early-stage studies of their assets at the World Conference on Lung Cancer annual conference.

The rapid growth of Chinese biopharmas has led to increased dealmaking with the US and Europe, but that could be stifled by a potential new Trump Administration policy.

Deal Snapshot: Hengrui makes its third potential billion-dollar licensing deal of 2025, this time sending rights to Phase III hypertrophic cardiomyopathy drug HRS-1893 to Braveheart.

A total of seven Chinese fast-followers of Enhertu are chasing the global blockbuster for a share of China’s market for HER2-targeting antibody-drug conjugates.

Duality is fast-tracking the development of three of its ADC candidates in combination with partner BioNTech's BNT327, an anti-PD-L1/VEGF-A bispecific antibody, in four studies, with certain cohorts evaluating first-line use in various cancers.

Ascentage and Biokin are the latest novel drug players from China to progress potential first-in-class molecules into Phase III trials in the US. Meanwhile, Zai Lab is seeking US accelerated approval for its lung cancer candidate.

The total value of deals for GLP-1-associated assets so far this year is already double that of the previous two years combined, with China-originated molecules accounting for a substantial majority. Scrip takes a look at some of the key factors behind this activity.

Shanghai-based BRL Medicine is building a novel pipeline led by universal CAR-Ts. Its founder talks to Scrip about the benefits of this approach, China's potential advantages in the field and challenges faced by new ventures.

BeBetter becomes first unprofitable innovative drug maker to have application for an IPO on Shanghai's STAR Market cleared by China’s top securities regulator, while Trinomab becomes first among peers to have IPO filing accepted.

Helped by their development of novel potential first-in-class therapies, Tcelltech, BioTroy and Xiaolu are among the Chinese ventures to have attracted new funding from investors over the past weeks.

Deal Snapshot: The addition of Hengrui's HRS-9821, a China-originated fast-follower of Verona’s Ohtuvayre in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, should enable GSK’s COPD therapy portfolio to stack up well against increasing competitors in the indication, including biologics and small molecules.