Week in Review

Summaries of each week's events in China biotech are provided free to all readers. A weekly email newsletter providing direct links to these articles is also available - click here for free email newsletter...

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The Week in Review: China Offers Lion's Share of Emerging Market Growth Mar 20, 2010: IMS Health said China is “in a league of its own” among the 17 “pharmerging” countries that represent $90 billion of future growth in pharmaceutical markets; Shanghai’s Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park has signed a cooperation agreement with its counterpart in Sweden, Uppsala BIO; MicuRx Pharmaceuticals filed an IND with the SFDA for a new antibiotic drug candidate; Sinovac Biotech (北京科兴生物制品有限公司) has signed up Parenteral Drugs India to distribute its pandemic flu vaccines in India; Novartis said revenues in China grew 36% last year; China Sky One Medical (中国天字一号医药公司) expects 2010 revenues to grow by 20% to $156 million; Vycor Medical will seek SFDA approval for its medical device used during brain surgery; Lee's Pharma will distribute an antihypertensive drug for Recordati; and the FDA has warned XiAn Libang Pharma it must improve its quality control procedures, if it wants to continue importing products to the US. More details…

Stock Symbols: (NYSE: IMS) (NYSE: SVA) (BSE: 524689) (NYSE: NVS) (NSDQ: CSKI) (OTCBB: VYCO) (GEM: 8221) (MI: RECI)

The Week in Review: AutekBio Raises $100 Million for Biologic CMO Mar 13, 2010: AutekBio raised $100 million to build Asia’s largest biologic CMO facility in Beijing; Porton Fine Chemicals announced a $10 million funding to expand its CMO capacity; TCT Medical Technology, an OB/GYN company, booked $10 million in new capital from two Fidelity funds; EA Inc., which makes invisible dental braces, raised $6.6 million Series A from OrbiMed; Lotus Pharma (路坦制药有限公司) began building a combined office, R&D, production, and storage facility; Dr. Xiaochuan Wang, who founded Sundia MediTech (桑迪亚医药技术（上海）有限公司), was named the Asia-Pacific Entrepreneur of the Year by BioSpectrum; and WuXi PharmaTech (药明康德) reported 2009 net revenues of $270 million, an increase of 7%, and net income of $53 million. More details…

Stock Symbols: (OTCBB: LTUS) (NYSE: WX)

The Week in Review: China Life Science to Grow 22% Per Year Through 2013 Mar 6, 2010: IMS Health predicts China’s drug market will see a 22% CAGR during 2010-2113, compared to 4%-6% worldwide; fifteen early stage China life science entrepreneurs were selected as Finalists in the SEED Competition; Chi-Med may IPO its drug development arm, Hutchison MediPharma, possibly on Nasdaq; WuXi PharmaTech (药明康德) struck a two-way pre-clinical services deal with a J&J subsidiary; aTyr Pharma received a second 18-month grant to fund research at its Hong Kong subsidiary; Sanofi-Aventis is seeking additional partnerships in China; Asymchem Labs will build another manufacturing plant in TEDA; Mindray Medical (迈瑞医疗国际有限公司), released very positive financial results and raised $150 million in new cash; Biostar Pharma expects a 35% increase in 2010 revenues; and Kalen Biomedical found a China distribution partner for its research products. More details…

Stock Symbols: (NYSE: RX) (AIM: HCM) (NYSE: WX) (NYSE: JNJ) (NYSE: SNY) (NYSE: MR) (OTCBB: BSPM)

The Week in Review: New Deals in China Life Science Feb 27, 2010: Merck, Lilly and Pfizer will work together to compile a pharmacogenomic gastric and lung cancer database in Singapore; the PRC authorized 37 billion RMB ($5.5 billion) to increase access to medical care; WuXi PharmaTech (药明康德) is expanding services to keep revenues growing; WuXi also received AAALAC Accreditation for its new Suzhou tox lab; China Cord Blood Corp. paid $20.5 million for a 20% equity interest in Shandong Cord Blood Bank; Fosun Pharma will invest $9.7 million into Biosino Bio-Technology; Beijing Shenghong Biotech paid $4.1 million for four new drug projects; Lundbeck authorized Teva Pharma to distribute its Parkinson’s treatment in China; China Aoxing will collaborate with QRxPharma Limited to develop its narcotic combination in China; and Indian CMO Dishman hopes to have its Shanghai facility operational by September 2010. More details…

Stock Symbols: (NYSE: MRK) (NYSE: LLY) (NYSE: PFE) (NYSE: WX) (NYSE: CO) (CPH: LUN) (NSDQ: TEVA) (OTCBB: CAXG) (ASX: QRX and OTCQX: QRXPY)

The Week in Review: China New Year’s News Feb 20, 2010: CMOs will continue their 20% CAGR to $2 billion in 2010, according to Frost & Sullivan; Charles River Labs is surprised at the low demand for its China CRO services; The Hamner Institutes extended its US-China alliance to Europe; Bayer expects to top the 20% growth in China drug spending this year; Sinovac (北京科兴生物制品有限公司) acquired a medical manufacturing site in Beijing; Quintiles added cancer services to its Beijing central lab; CRH Medical signed up Rayfield Technologies to market its medical device in China; and Narhex Life Sciences, which was a partner in a China cancer JV, declared bankruptcy. More details…

Stock Symbols: (NYSE: CRL) (NSDQ: SVA)

The Week in Review: 3SBio and Ascentage Form Cancer Partnership Feb 13, 2010: 3SBio (沈阳三生制药) and Ascentage Pharma will develop targeted cancer therapeutics focusing on programmed cell death; Allele Biotech was granted a China patent with far-reaching claims for RNAi; Private equity investors in the west currently find emerging markets, especially China, an attractive investment; Gorbec Pharm will open a GMP-compliant analytical laboratory in Yantai; NeoStem priced a public offering of 5,000,000 shares; 3SBio in-licensed the China rights to a phosphate binder for dialysis patients; Simcere Pharma (先声药业) received SFDA approval to market the flu drug Relenza; Celsis In Vitro Technologies found a China distributor for its drug discovery products; OrbusNeich began a China clinical trial of its Genous Bio-engineered R stent; and Tianyin Pharma reported positive results for its fiscal Q2. More details...

Stock Symbols: (NSDQ: SSRX) (NYSE Amex: NBS) (NYSE: SCR) (NYSE Alternext: TPI)

The Week in Review: New Investments in China Life Science Feb 6, 2010: BioMarin Pharma will pay up to $96 million to acquire LEAD Therapeutics, which is connected to ShangPharma; Tongjitang Chinese Medicines will acquire Guiyang Liquor Factory for $17.7 million; Zhejiang Hisun Pharma will make a $10 million investment in Sagent Pharma of the US; Sanofi-Aventis formed a consumer healthcare joint venture with Minsheng Pharma; China Medicine Corp. closed a previously announced $70 million private placement; Huifeng Bio-Pharma predicts 2010’s revenues will jump 50% or more; Achillion Pharma out-licensed the China rights for a hepatitis B treatment to GCA Therapeutics; Response Biomedical signed up a second partner to market its diagnostic products in China; Sinobiopharma’s most important product is now covered by China’s basic health insurance plan; NeoStem’s China subsidiary received manufacturing approval for its new facility; and finally, China will establish pilot programs to get hospital reform underway. More details...

Stock Symbol: (NSDQ: BMRN) (NYSE: TCM) (SHA: 600267) (NYSE: SNY) (OCTBB: CHME) (OTCBB: HFGB) (NSDQ: ACHN) (TSX: RBM, OTCBB: RPBIF) (OTCBB: SNBP) (NYSE Amex: NBS)

The Week in Review: Suzhou Nanomed Funded by Softbank Jan 30, 2010: Suzhou Natong BioNanotechnology signed a funding agreement with Softbank’s SB China Venture Capital (SBCVC); China exchanges raised more money in IPO transactions during 2009 than their US counterparts; Covance has begun construction on a pre-clinical facility near Shanghai; Sinovac (北京科兴生物制品有限公司) raised $54 million in a secondary offering; NeoStem's China subsidiary was granted SFDA approval for an anti-ulcer drug; Sinobiopharma was given production approval for a blood pressure medication; China Aoxing Pharma completed a Phase III trial of a synthetic oral narcotic; Novo Nordisk submitted its type 2 Diabetes drug for SFDA approval; and Bayer Schering is beginning a Phase IV trial of a blood pressure drug in China. More details...

Stock Symbol: (NYSE: CVD) (NSDQ: SVA) (NYSE Amex: NBS) (OTCBB: SNBP) (OTCBB: CAXG) (NYSE: NVO)

The Week in Review: China Pharma Investment, Company Progress Jan 23, 2010: Pfizer has built a Shanghai-based business development team to take advantage of the consolidation it expects over the next few years; the Changzhou Biopharmaceutical Incubator began construction of its $76 million project; Morningside Asia Venture will form a China JV with Can-Fite BioPharma to develop a liver cancer drug; China Pharma Holdings has asked for SFDA approval of a generic anti-hypertension drug; China Sky One Medical (中国天字一号医药公司) will turn its focus toward injected generic western drugs; Sinovac Biotech (北京科兴生物制品有限公司) expects to beat 2009 forecasts and will issue additional shares; Sinobiopharma reported greatly improved financial results for its Q2; Shandong Luoxin Pharma listed its ADRs on the QX tier of the OTC Exchange; and Burdica Biomed will have Sinopharm register its products in China and distribute them. More details...

Stock Symbol: (NYSE: PFE) (TASE: CFBI) (NYSE: CPHI) (NSDQ: CSKI) (NSDQ: SVA) (OTCBB: SNBP) (HKEX: 8058; OTCQX: SLUXY)

The Week in Review: China Life Science Convergence Jan 16, 2010: The world of China life science is “ascendant,” according to Greg B. Scott, Executive Editor of ChinaBio® Today in a presentation; ChinaBio® has formed a China domestic company, ChinaBio Accelerator (Shanghai), to help US life science companies establish operations in China; Pharmaron completed its acquisition of fellow CRO Bridge Laboratories China; bioMerieux acquired Meikang Biotech, a China company also involved in rapid test manufacturing; WuXi AppTec and QIAGEN partnered up to develop molecular biomarkers; Beike Biotech received a $1.8 million grant to conduct a clinical trial using umbilical cord stem cells; Mindray Medical (迈瑞医疗国际有限公司) expects 2009 financial results to beat analysts' estimates; Sinovac Biotech (NSDQ: SVA) (北京科兴生物制品有限公司) received an 8.6 million dose order for its H1N1 vaccine, Panflu.1; Jiangbo Pharma said its oral Osteomyelitis treatment, was included in the 2009 Insurance Directory; Invida Group will launch three dermatological brands in China; China Sky One Medical's (中国天字一号医药公司) heart disease diagnositc kit was designated a National Innovation Project; and Suven Life Sciences was granted two patents in China for new chemical entities. More details...

Stock Symbol: (Euronext: BIM) (NYSE: WX) (NYSE: MR) (OTCBB: JGBO) (NSDQ: CSKI)