Business
BioSpectrum Asia
Elpis Biopharma signs MoU with NCCS to conduct translational cell therapy research in Singapore
US-based startup Elpis Biopharmaceuticals, a clinicalstage cell therapy company developing bispecific armoured CAR-T therapies for solid tumours, has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS).
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
Thailand approves AI Medical Service's gastric AI-based endoscopic diagnosis support system
AI Medical Service Inc (AIM), a Japan-based medical startup specialising in the development of diagnostic endoscopic AI, has received medical device approval from the Thai Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA).
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
WHO strengthens global access to quality-assured medical products
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially designated Health Canada, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare/Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (MHLW/ PMDA) of Japan, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) of the United Kingdom as WHO-Listed Authorities (WLAs), a status granted to national authorities that meet the highest international regulatory standards for medical products.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
“Singapore has been a great launchpad, owing to its structured safety frameworks”
The increasing prevalence of occupational injuries and illnesses is one of the primary factors fueling the growth of the occupational health market, valued at $5.45 billion in 2025, across the globe. With the Asia Pacific (APAC) region occupying the third-largest share in this market, after the US and Europe, we see a number of companies deploying technologies to unlock tremendous opportunities within the occupational health sector. Singapore-based startup TacnIQ AI is one such example, taking a proactive approach to address the health risks associated with workplace management, through technology. Their flagship product Backy is an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered wearable designed to prevent musculoskeletal injuries in physically demanding jobs. It delivers posture feedback in real time to workers, helping reduce back strain and injury risks. In an exclusive interview with BioSpectrum Asia, TacnIQ's Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Aashish Mehta, shares how the company is navigating product development, adoption challenges, and regulatory compliance as it expands into global markets. Edited excerpts-
4 min |
BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
Astria licenses rare disease drug Navenibart to Japan's Kaken Pharma in $32 M deal
Astria Therapeutics, Inc. a US-based biopharmaceutical company, has exclusively licensed development and commercialisation rights in Japan to Kaken Pharmaceutical, a Japanese specialty pharmaceutical company, for navenibart, a long-acting investigational monoclonal antibody inhibitor of plasma kallikrein, in Phase 3 development for the preventative treatment of the rare disease hereditary angioedema (HAE).
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
India unveils national initiative to benchmark and strengthen state drug regulatory systems
Union Health Secretary, Punya Salila Srivastava, virtually launched the State Health Regulatory Excellence Index (SHRESTH), a first-of-its-kind national initiative to benchmark and strengthen state drug regulatory systems through a transparent, data-driven framework in the presence of Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
PhnyX Lab secures $4 M to transform life sciences sector
PhnyX Lab, a pioneering GenAI startup from South Korea transforming how life science companies operate, has announced the successful closing of a $4 million seed round through a Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE). The round was led by SK Networks, with participation from several prominent angel investors—including Aidan Gomez, co-founder and CEO of Cohere, and Illia Polos-ukhin, co-founder of NEAR Protocol—both of whom are original co-authors of \"Attention Is All You Need,\" the paradigm-shifting work that ushered in the transformer era and laid the foundation for today's generative AI models, including ChatGPT.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
Cartherics unveils cleanroom facility for cell therapy manufacturing in Australia
Cartherics, an Australia-based biotechnology company developing off-the-shelf immune stem cell therapies focusing on high-impact women's diseases, with lead programmes in ovarian cancer and endometriosis, has unveiled its new, state-of-the-art cleanroom facility for clinical-scale manufacturing of cell therapy products.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
XtalPi and DoveTree announce landmark AI drug discovery collaboration worth $6 B
XtalPi, a China-based technology company in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics for drug and materials discovery, has announced a transformative strategic collaboration with Dove Tree Medicines, a biotechnology pioneer founded by renowned drug developer D. Gregory Verdine.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
Sanofi strengthens efforts to prevent Chronic Respiratory Diseases in UAE
The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) in the UAE has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sanofi, to promote healthy lifestyles, advance early detection of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and address their associated risk factors.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
"Despite advances, access to innovative treatments can be limited, particularly for rare cancers"
Specialised in the discovery and development of novel cell signalling small molecules to treat complex medical conditions, Australian life sciences company QBiotics is currently focusing on novel treatments for cancer and debilitating chronic wounds, along with an early-stage antibiotics programme. While the company is known for its lead product, tigilanol tiglate, which is undergoing clinical trials for various cancers, QBiotics is also actively preparing for a potential IPO on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) within this calendar year. To find out more about how QBiotics is tackling some of the most pressing and underserved challenges in global health, BioSpectrum Asia spoke to Stephen Doyle, Chief Executive Officer at QBiotics. Edited excerpts;
4 min |
BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
US FDA announces new PreCheck Programme to boost local drug manufacturing
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced PreCheck, a new programme to strengthen the domestic pharmaceutical supply chain by increasing regulatory predictability and facilitating the construction of manufacturing sites in the United States (US).
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
Pfizer introduces 20-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV20) for adults in India
Pfizer has announced the launch of its next-generation 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) for adults in India. With broader serotype coverage, Pfizer’s vaccine marks a significant advancement in protection against pneumococcal disease in adults. Pfizer's vaccine helps protect against clinically relevant 20 serotypes responsible for a majority of invasive and noninvasive pneumococcal disease. It enables timely and proactive protection for all adults, including those living with chronic conditions.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia Sep 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
TVM Capital Healthcare on-boards Dr Su-Lin Chong as Operating Partner in Malaysia
TVM Capital Healthcare, a leading international healthcare private equity firm and operator focused on emerging markets, has announced the appointment of Dr Su-Lin Chong as Operating Partner and Investment Committee member.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
PHC announces exclusive distribution of MaxCyte ExPERT platform in Japan
The Biomedical Division of Japan-based PHC Corporation (PHCbi), a subsidiary of PHC Holdings Corporation (PHCHD), has signed an exclusive agreement with MaxCyte, Inc. to distribute the MaxCyte EXPERT platform in Japan.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
Singapore-Korea partnership to apply AI in hair follicle regeneration research
Singapore-based startup NYB.AI and Pnaseer Inc., a startup based in South Korea, have announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the discovery of compounds that promote hair follicle regeneration using artificial intelligence (AI).
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
Torrent Pharma buys controlling stake in JB Pharma from KKR for Rs 25,689 Cr valuation
India-based Torrent Pharmaceuticals and global investment firm KKR have announced that Torrent has entered into definitive agreements to acquire controlling stake in J. B. Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals from KKR at an Equity Valuation of Rs 25,689 crore (on fully diluted basis), followed by a merger of the two entities.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
UK launches multi-billionpound compute roadmap for healthcare and other sectors
Quicker health diagnoses, smarter energy supplies, tackling climate change and improved public service delivery - just some huge potential benefits of the new compute roadmap, launched by Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
WHO recommends injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidelines recommending the use of injectable lenacapavir (LEN) twice a year as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for HIV prevention, in a landmark policy action that could help reshape the global HIV response.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
Epsilon Healthcare appoints Daniel Kaplon as CFO
Australia-based Epsilon Healthcare has announced the appointment of Daniel Kaplon to the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
DKSH and Bayer launch strategic partnership across multiple markets in Southeast Asia
DKSH Business Unit Healthcare, a strategic healthcare solutions partner and leading provider of market expansion services for pharmaceutical, over-the-counter (OTC), consumer health and medical device companies, has announced a partnership with life science company Bayer.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
Waters and BD's Biosciences & Diagnostic Solutions business to merge into one
US-based Waters Corporation and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) have announced a definitive agreement to combine BD's Biosciences & Diagnostic Solutions business with Waters, creating an innovative life science and diagnostics leader with pioneering technologies and an industry-leading financial outlook.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
New vaccine set for human trials in Nipah outbreak hotspot
A promising vaccine candidate against one of the world's most deadly viruses, Nipah, is ready for testing in mid-stage human trials in Bangladesh, where people now die almost every year in Nipah disease outbreaks.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
IHH Healthcare catalyses clinical research across global network with initial S$5 M fund
Malaysia headquartered IHH Healthcare, a world-leading integrated healthcare provider, has launched a transformative S$5 million (~Rs 34 crore) Research Grant & Innovation Sandbox programme to accelerate clinical research and innovation across its global network.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
APAC building on enough supply network for radiopharmaceuticals
The radiopharmaceutical industry is gaining ground across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, as countries not only step up development of novel therapies but also move to secure critical supply chains. From new partnerships to domestic isotope production, let's explore how APAC is building a foothold in this specialised sector.
4 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
The Future Formula: What's Driving Recruitment Innovation in Pharma
The pharmaceutical recruitment process is becoming more organised, strategic, and data-driven, adapting to changing demands and needs.
5 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
Restore Medical secures $23 M to advance medical device for heart failure therapy
Restore Medical, a clinical-stage medtech startup based in Israel, developing transcatheter therapies for heart failure, has announced the successful closing of a $23 million Series B financing round.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
PAHO launches dashboard to monitor respiratory viruses in the Americas
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched a new interactive dashboard to enhance monitoring and analysis of respiratory virus circulation trends across the Americas, with the goal of strengthening surveillance and facilitating timely analysis of regional trends.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
HanchorBio signs $200 M deal with Shanghai Henlius Biotech to expand immuno-oncology reach
HanchorBio Inc., a Taiwan-based biotechnology startup developing innovative immunotherapies for oncology and autoimmune diseases, has announced the signing of a major out-licensing agreement with Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Inc.
1 min |
BioSpectrum Asia August 2025
BioSpectrum Asia
Resurging Funding Catapults APAC BIOTECH STARTUPS
Asia-Pacific's biotech startup scene is on the cusp of a renaissance. After a tough 2024 marked by shrinking venture capital, 2025 is showing revived investor enthusiasm and a rebound in funding- especially for oncology, gene therapy, and AI-driven drug discovery. With 9,905 life sciences startups now active across the region, APAC Countries are leveraging scientific innovation, government support, and new incubators to move beyond service roles and develop world-class therapeutic assets. Let's take a closer look at Asia's startup ecosystem, evolution of investor sentiment over the past few years, and buoying biotech areas.
10 min |