BioSpectrum Asia Magazine - March 2025

In this issue

Mitigating PATENT CLIFF Fallout
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) represent a $279.8 billion market, projected to reach $804 billion by 2033, according to a report from Dimension Market Research. With patents for many of these valuable drugs set to expire in the coming years, the industry faces significant challenges. In this story, we examine 11 blockbuster mAbs whose patents will expire between 2025 and 2030. These expirations, affecting some of pharma's biggest players, will have a major impact on the market and their revenue streams.

India and Indonesia ink MoU in the field of traditional medicine

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi and the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto witnessed the Exchange of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Indonesia.

1 min

Korea announces Top 10 Promising Biotechnologies of 2025

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology have announced the \"Top 10 Promising Biotechnologies of 2025\", presenting a vision for the future of life sciences.

1 min

New Zealand announces Public Health Surveillance Strategy

New Zealand’s first Public Health Surveillance Strategy has been announced by the Ministry of Health (MoH) on how to gather and coordinate public health information to better protect New Zealanders against threats to their health and wellbeing.

1 min

Singapore to establish Communicable Diseases Agency

The Ministry of Health (MOH) in Singapore will establish a new Statutory Board, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA), on April 1, 2025.

1 min

GHIT announces $12.7 M worth investment for developing diagnostics and drugs for malaria, NTDs

The Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund, headquartered in Japan, has announced a total investment of approximately JPY 2 billion ($12.7 million) in eight projects for the development of new diagnostics and drugs for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and malaria.

1 min

Bain Capital to acquire Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma for $3.3 B

Bain Capital, a leading global private investment firm, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (MTPC) in a carve-out transaction from Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation.

1 min

Dr. Reddy's Lab inks oncology deal of $131 M with Shanghai Henlius Biotech

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories SA, wholly-owned subsidiary of India-based Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd has entered into a license agreement with Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Inc. related to the development and commercialisation of HLX15, Henlius’s investigational daratumumab biosimilar candidate to Darzalex & Darzalex Faspro.

1 min

Vaxxas advances $4.8 M programme for needle-free thermostable mRNA vaccines

Vaxxas, an Australia-based clinical-stage biotechnology company commercialising a novel high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP) vaccination platform, has announced that Norwaybased Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has approved the progression of a $4.8 million (AU$7.2 million) programme to develop heat-stable, dried-formulation mRNA vaccines delivered using Vaxxas’ needle-free high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP).

1 min

Chugai and GSK sign collaboration agreement for anti-dengue virus antibody AID351

Japan's Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. has signed a collaboration agreement with GSK's Global Health Unit (GSK GH) for the development of an anti-dengue virus antibody.

1 min

Jubilant Biosys expands footprint in Europe for Biologics and Antibody Drug Conjugate services

Jubilant Biosys Innovative Research Services Pte Limited, Singapore (JBIRSPL), a subsidiary of Jubilant Biosys Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Jubilant Pharmova Limited, has executed the transaction definitive agreements with Pierre Fabre (PF) SA, and its affiliate entities, for JBIRSPL to acquire 80 per cent equity capital in JASMIN (new company incorporated by PF in France, as a Société par Actions Simplifiée (SAS)), with remaining 20 per cent retained by PF.

1 min

NephroPlus increases footprint in the Philippines with acquisition of 7 dialysis centres

NephroPlus, Asia’s largest dialysis care network, has acquired seven new dialysis clinics in the Philippines, enhancing its position as a leading dialysis provider in the country.

1 min

XDENT LAB expands largest removable denture factory in Vietnam

XDENT LAB, one of the leading providers in the field of Removable Denture manufacturing in Vietnam, has officially announced the expansion of its production facility, making it the largest in the country.

1 min

Sequential & AMILI secure $1.8M UK-Singapore R&D project

Sequential Skin, a world leader in skin microbiome testing, and AMILI, a leading expert in gut microbiome science, have been awarded the prestigious UK-Singapore Collaborative R&D Grant.

1 min

AdvanCell partners with Lilly to develop new targeted alpha therapies for cancer treatment in Australia

AdvanCell, a radiopharmaceutical company, has announced the expansion of the scope and scale of its strategic collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company for the research and development of innovative treatments for various cancers.

1 min

PanopticAI gets US FDA clearance for contactless vital signs monitoring software

PanopticAI, a startup in remote patient monitoring space, has received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its contactless vital signs monitoring software.

1 min

Immuneel unveils India's first global CAR T-cell therapy for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

In a significant step forward for India’s cancer treatment, Immuneel Therapeutics has unveiled Qartemi, country’s first global CAR T-cell therapy for adult B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (B-NHL), a group of blood cancers.

1 min

Paris pushing mRNA vaccine development timelines to new speeds

Scientists in Paris are set to advance new technology that could streamline the production of mRNA-based vaccines while also improving global access to the technology.

1 min

UK launches world-leading AI trial to tackle breast cancer

The Department of Health and Social Care in the UK government has announced that nearly 700,000 women across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier.

1 min

NIH to lead implementation of National Plan to End Parkinson's Act in US

With support from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is leading the implementation of the Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis and Jennifer Wexton National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act, which was signed into law on July 2, 2024.

1 min

World Bank supports Bosnia and Herzegovina in strengthening healthcare

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a $75 million Second Health Sectors Programmatic Development Policy Loan for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).

1 min

WHO partners with Siriraj Hospital in Thailand to address growing burden of injuries and falls

The World Health Organization (WHO) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand, to strengthen collaboration on trauma, injury, and fall prevention across the WHO South-East Asia Region to address the growing health, social, and economic challenges posed by these issues.

1 min

WHO certifies Georgia malaria-free

Following a nearly century-long effort, Georgia has been certified malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 23.

1 min

Mitigating PATENT CLIFF Fallout

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) represent a $279.8 billion market, projected to reach $804 billion by 2033, according to a report from Dimension Market Research. With patents for many of these valuable drugs set to expire in the coming years, the industry faces significant challenges. In this story, we examine 11 blockbuster mAbs whose patents will expire between 2025 and 2030. These expirations, affecting some of pharma's biggest players, will have a major impact on the market and their revenue streams.

10 mins

Collaboration vs.Competition: Patent Cliffs

The biosimilar business is growing increasingly fragmented among smaller firms, even as larger corporations are merging. Biosimilars are being developed by more than 40 smaller companies, many of which have no prior experience in the field. Long-term viability and supply reliability are threatened by this fragmentation.

3 mins

Trump's Executive Order Impinges WHO Ops

The United States has announced its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), a move that raises significant concerns due to the US being its largest donor, contributing nearly 18 per cent of the funding. This decision creates a major funding gap for the WHO. What immediate actions will the organisation and its member states take to address this shortfall, and how might it reshape the global leadership landscape in health governance? Let's find out.

4 mins

"Biotech sector in Taiwan moves fast, making it easier to pivot and innovate"

Caliway Biopharmaceuticals has recently announced the completion of its initial public offering (IPO) and up-listing from the Emerging Stock Market to the Taipei Exchange (TWSE-6919). The round raised approximately $206 million (NT$6.4 billion), marking it the largest IPO in Taiwan's biotech industry history and valuing the company at nearly $3 billion. The company is poised for a transformation in 2025, advancing its groundbreaking clinical programmes and strengthening its global market presence. Following its recent record-breaking IPO, BioSpectrum Asia took an opportunity to speak with Vivian Ling, Chief Executive Officer & Chief R&D Officer, Caliway Biopharmaceuticals to explore their innovative contributions in biopharmaceuticals. Edited excerpts:

4 mins

"Personalised medicine is now a reality, not just an aspiration"

Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, (a subsidiary of Terumo Corporation, Japan) is at the forefront of advancing blood- and cell-based therapies. In an interview with BioSpectrum Asia, Antoinette Gawin, President and CEO,Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies outlines the company’s current strategy, key projects, the importance of the APAC region, and her perspective on evolving trends in the industry.

4 mins

ADCS on the rise: A Trojan Horse Race for Patients

Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a major therapeutic approach creating new opportunities for a range of cancer treatments. The recent scientific and clinical progress in the ADC field underscores its importance for ongoing research.

4 mins

Rise of ADCs: Expanding Applications and the Road to Commercialisation

The development of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) has advanced significantly in the biopharmaceutical sector; in the last five years, eight of the 14 ADCs that are currently approved have obtained regulatory approval. The quantity of pre-clinical to commercial ADC compounds in the innovative modality pipeline increased by more than 25 per cent year over year, according to a market trend. ADCs have the potential to transform targeted medicine and give patients everywhere new hope with further development and wise funding.

4 mins

How Degrader-Antibody Conjugates Are Transforming Precision Medicine for Oncology & Beyond

Targeted cancer therapy has advanced significantly with the creation of Degrader-antibody conjugates (DACs). The shortcomings of conventional ADCs are addressed by DACs, which combine the specificity of antibodies with the special capacity of protein degraders to eradicate important oncogenic drivers.

2 mins

Empowering Women in STEM: Viet Nam's Journey Towards Innovation and Equality

2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGS) (observed on February 11) and the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, two significant milestones in the global effort to promote gender equality and women's empowerment. Recognising the importance of gender inclusivity, Viet Nam has taken major policy steps to empower female researchers and entrepreneurs. By investing in education, policy reforms, and celebrating the achievements of women scientists, the country is setting a global example for inclusive development.

4 mins

A Wake-Up Call for International Women's Day

International Women's Day (IWD) (celebrated on March 8) has been around for over a hundred years, as have many of the issues still impacting women's advancement. Since 1911, IWD belongs to all who care about women's equality. At the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158, which is roughly five generations from now, to reach full gender parity, according to data from the World Economic Forum. Focusing on the need to Accelerate Action (theme for IWD 2025) emphasizes the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality. Talking about the status of women in Australian life sciences space, the article calls for an action for better health, great businesses and a stronger economy.

3 mins

UPES announces strategic partnership with Medical University of the Americas

The School of Health Sciences and Technology (SOHST) at UPES, a multi-disciplinary university in India, has announced a strategic first-of-itskind partnership with the Medical University of the Americas (MUA).

1 min

American University in Dubai partners with University of Pennsylvania to establish new School of Medicine

The American University in Dubai (AUD) has completed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to partner with the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine (Penn Medicine) in establishing the AUD School of Medicine in Dubai.

1 min

Daiichi Sankyo appoints Hiroyuki Okuzawa as CEO

Daiichi Sankyo Company has appointed Hiroyuki Okuzawa, 62, to succeed Sunao Manabe, DVM, PhD as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective April 1, 2025. Dr Manabe will transition from his current role of Representative Director, Executive Chairperson and CEO to Representative Director and Executive Chairperson while Okuzawa will transition to Representative Director, President and CEO.

1 min

Syngene CEO Jonathan Hunt steps down, Peter Bains takes over

Syngene International Limited has announced that Jonathan Hunt has stepped down from his role as Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as well as from the Board of Directors to pursue other opportunities in due course.

1 min

Julie Kim to succeed Christophe Weber as CEO of Takeda in June 2026

Japan headquartered pharmaceutical firm Takeda has announced that its Board of Directors have made the decision unanimously to appoint Julie Kim, currently president of Takeda’s US Business Unit, as the successor to Christophe Weber, Takeda’s president, chief executive officer (CEO) and representative director, when Weber retires from the company in June 2026.

1 min

Axel Klarmeyer joins as CEO at Chamlion International

China-based Chamlion, a pioneer in integrated dental 3D printing solutions, has announced the appointment of Axel Klarmeyer as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Chamlion International, overseeing the company's international business operations.

1 min

Aphra names Justin Untersteiner as CEO

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) has appointed Justin Untersteiner as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

1 min

BioAsia 2025 announces Genome Valley Excellence Award to Singapore's Prof. Patrick Tan

BioAsia, Asia's largest annual global biotechnology and life sciences forum organised by the Government of Telangana, has announced that the prestigious Genome Valley Excellence Award has been conferred upon Prof. Patrick Tan, Executive Director of PRECISE (Precision Health Research, Singapore), National University of Singapore, for his outstanding contributions to precision medicine, cancer genomics, and population health research.

1 min

India develops drug delivery system to revolutionise treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Researchers from Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Mohali, an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, have developed an innovative “self-actuating” drug delivery system that could revolutionise the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by targeting inflammation directly within the joints so that therapeutic agents are released only when needed.

1 min

Hong Kong develops world's smallest multifunctional biomedical robot

Researchers from the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have successfully developed the world's smallest multifunctional biomedical robot, which is 60 per cent smaller than current models.

1 min

Australia offers new treatment hope for childhood cancers

University of Queensland (UQ) research using \"natural killer\" cells may lead to the first new treatment for a devastating childhood cancer in 40 years.

1 min

Korea offers breakthrough in Alzheimer's treatment

A 3D model accurately mimicking the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) in a laboratory environment has been successfully developed by research teams led by Professor Jinah Jang from the Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Life Sciences, IT Convergence Engineering, and the Graduate School of Convergence at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), and Professor Sun Ha Paek from the Department of Neurosurgery at Seoul National University Hospital, in South Korea.

1 min

Thermo Fisher introduces Invitrogen EVOS S1000 Spatial Imaging System

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, has introduced the Invitrogen EVOS S1000 Spatial Imaging System.

1 min

Inventia announces groundbreaking advancement in 3D cell culture technology

Inventia Life Science, an innovator in 3D cell culture technologies, has announced the launch of RASTRUM Allegro, a groundbreaking advancement in 3D cell culture technology designed to accelerate drug discovery and disease research with unprecedented scalability, reproducibility, and efficiency.

1 min

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BioSpectrum Asia Magazine Description:

BioSpectrum Asia Magazine is a monthly magazine published by MM Activ Sci-Tech Communication in India. It is a leading biotechnology magazine in Asia, covering a wide range of topics related to the biotechnology industry, including:

* Biotechnology news and trends: BioSpectrum Asia covers the latest biotechnology news and trends from India and around the world.
* Biotechnology company profiles and interviews: The magazine profiles leading biotechnology companies in Asia and interviews their CEOs and other top executives.
* Biotechnology research and development: BioSpectrum Asia covers the latest biotechnology research and development from academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies.
* Biotechnology product reviews: The magazine reviews the latest biotechnology products and services.
* Biotechnology industry events: BioSpectrum Asia covers biotechnology industry events from around the world.

BioSpectrum Asia Magazine is a must-read for anyone who wants to stay informed about the latest advances in biotechnology and their potential to impact the world around us.