PharmAsia News

Roche Licenses Novel Oral Rheumatoid Arthritis Agent From Japanese Firm Toyama

Roche and Toyama Chemical have entered a licensing agreement valued at up to $370 million for the Japanese company's novel Phase I oral rheumatoid arthritis agent T-5224, the companies announced June 25.

Weekly Roundup: June 25, 2007

• Thailand to Buy More Generic Drugs From India (Thailand)
• Third Top Drug Official in China Faces Music (China)
• Roche, Toyama Enter Licensing Pact Worth Up To $370M (Japan)
• Symantec to Bet on Data Archive Biz (Asia)
• Thailand Aims to Boost Traditional Medicine Use to 25 Percent (Thailand)
• Pharma Exports to Surpass Retail Sales (India)
• Indian Drug Manufacturers Association Secretary General Touts Prospects (Asia)
• Japan Orders New Tests on Bird Flu Drug (Japan)
• Safety Fears Over Chinese Foods, Drugs (Japan)
• H Fund Buys Shijiazhuang Pharmaceutical Group (China)
• Strides Arcolab Completes Acquisition of Grandix (India)
• Japan's Astellas to Market New Immunosuppressive Drug Advagraf in Germany, UK (Japan)

Government Survey Could Lead To New Round Of Drug Price Cuts In China

China’s National Development and Reform Commission is conducting a nation-wide drug price survey this month. The first such survey was conducted last year, and led to a major round of drug price cuts.

Tacere Inks Deal With Oncolys BioPharma For RNAi Candidate

Tacere Therapeutics has entered into a strategic alliance with Tokyo-based Oncolys BioPharma to develop its lead RNA interference-based candidate for treatment of hepatitis C, the companies announced June 21.

China IND Requirements Overly Burdensome To Industry - Shanghai R&D Summit

The pharmaceutical industry should lobby the Chinese government to relax requirements for IND approvals that discourage multinational companies from sponsoring clinical trials in China, according to Hutchison MediPharma Managing Director Samantha Du.

Weekly Roundup: June 19, 2007

• 'India, China Hold Key to Drug Firms' Global Expansion' (Asia)
• Australia's Sigma Eyes Bid for Symbion (Australia)
• Indian Pharmas Increase API Imports From China (India)
• Vical Licensee AnGes MG Announces Positive Results Of Phase 3 Angiogenesis Trial In Japan (Japan)
• Reliance Life Sciences Plans to Acquire Co in Europe or US (India)
• Taiwan Researchers Claim Cancer Therapy Alternative (Taiwan)
• Amer Oriental Plans To Buy Changchun Xinan Pharm For $30M (China)
• Announcement of the Launch of the Selective COX-2 Inhibitor Celecox Tablets in Japan (Japan)
• Scientists Identify Previously Undetected Drug Resistant Forms of HIV (India)
• Pfizer Agrees to Invest US$300 Mln in Joint R&D With S. Korea (South Korea)
• We Are Still Not Independent of Foreign Drug Firms (Phillipines)
• China Biopharma to Acquire Beijing Tiancheng Haixin (China)
• India Sees Possibility of Economic Ties with Indonesia (Indonesia)

Guest Column: China Commercial Bribery Laws and Life Sciences Enterprises

By Tang Zhengyu Sidley Austin LLP, Shanghai

By Tang Zhengyu Sidley Austin LLP, Shanghai

By Tang Zhengyu Sidley Austin LLP, Shanghai

Drug Safety Concerns Spark SFDA Inspections Of Chinese Manufacturers

China ramped up inspections of its pharmaceutical industry during the first half of June in response to heightened concerns over drug safety, according to State Food and Drug Administration reports.

Simcere Seeks Oncology Acquisitions, Ex-China Licensing Partners For Endu

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group plans to be one of the last China-based pharmaceutical firms standing after a predicted major consolidation could shrink that industry to as few as 1,000 companies in the next several years.

Toothpaste Recalls Bear Out FDA Warning On DEG Contamination

Firms in Florida, New Jersey and Puerto Rico initiated recalls of toothpaste products possibly contaminated with diethylene glycol after FDA warned consumers not to use toothpaste labeled as made in China and issued an import alert to prevent toothpaste containing toxic DEG from entering the country.