With a potential $2.5 billion deal with Hanmi, Roche is taking a less-trodden path in obesity. Akeso's CEO countered concerns over shrinking lung cancer data for ivonescimab as the PD-1xVEGF drug delivered its first phase 3 win outside lung cancer. A U.S. congressman says China is "beating us on our ground game" in biotech. And more.
1. Roche pens $2.5B pact for Hanmi’s clinical-stage obesity drug targeting less-explored mechanism
Roche is paying $190 million for a clinical-stage UCN2 analog from Korea’s Hanmi. For up to $2.3 billion in additional milestone payments, Roche is betting the candidate, coded HM17321, could promote weight loss while preserving lean body mass. Besides obesity, Roche plans to explore the drug in other associated cardiometabolic conditions.
2. Akeso CEO looks beyond lung cancer with biliary tract win, counters ivonescimab debate
Akeso’s ivonescimab posted its first phase 3 win outside lung cancer by delivering an overall survival benefit against AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi in biliary tract cancer. Meanwhile, CEO Michelle Xia, Ph.D., finds herself defending weaker data from an exploratory longer-term analysis of the Harmoni-6 study in first-line squamous non-small cell lung cancer, as investors worry about its partner Summit Therapeutics’ global Harmoni-3 readout.
3. Why a Texas congressman believes Chinese biotechs are 'beating us on our ground game'
“The United States has been too focused on measuring the outcomes of strategic scenarios with China and not paid enough attention to the input,” Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, a member of the House Select Committee on China, told Fierce. “We talk about the growing trials that are happening in China," he continued. "What we forget to focus on is that they are beating us on our ground game.”
4. Founded by Metsera backers, Sentivera emerges with $1.5B inflammatory disease deal
After selling Metsera to Pfizer, Arch Venture Partners and Population Health Partners have formed a new biotech, Sentivera, which emerged with a $40 million upfront deal with China’s Haisco Pharmaceutical. The target is an inflammatory disease drug candidate that recently received clearance to enter clinical development in China.
5. Hansoh heralds China’s move from ‘follower’ to ‘frontrunner’ in biopharma race
Hansoh Pharma, which has partnered with the likes of GSK, Roche and Regeneron, said China’s biotech industry is “fully transitioning from the ‘follower’ phase to the ‘frontrunner’ phase,” according to its half-year results announcement. The company cited evidence that China now accounts for 30% of investigational medicines.
6. SK Biopharma pens $795M deal to usher Biohaven’s epilepsy therapy towards hoped-for 2029 launch
SK Biopharmaceuticals agreed to pay $350 million up front for Biohaven’s Kv7 ion channel platform, led by opakalim, which is in a phase 2/3 trial of patients with focal epilepsy. The Korean pharma hopes to leverage its experience with the epilepsy med Xcopri to speed the development and commercial rollout of opakalim.
Other News of Note:
7. Daiichi Sankyo promotes Ken Keller to lead new commercialization unit
8. GSK nabs first-of-its-kind hep B nod in Japan (Regulatory tracker)
9. BioRay Pharma CEO Wang Haibin passes away (Obituary, Chinese)