BrightGene Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

HONG KONG, Nov. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 20, 2023, Viva Biotech Holdings Group (1873. HK) announced that it completed a funding round, securing approximately US$210 million and bringing in the strategic investors, Temasek, Highlight Capital (HLC), and True Light. Following this transaction, the Viva Biotech Holdings group obtained financing of nearly US$150 million through the transfer of approximately 24.21% equity in its CRO business entity, Viva Biotech (Shanghai) Limited. Before, the publicly listed company at the group level had already secured approximately US$ 60 million in convertible bond financing, which will be automatically converted into shares at the price of 2.0 HKD/share on the delivery date. Dr. Cheney Mao, Chairman and CEO of Viva Biotech, stated that we are pleased to announce the completion of the equity investment and convertible bond arrangement with our strategic investors. This step is pivotal for our future strategic plans, fostering Viva's rejuvenation and sustainable growth, and leading to greater value and returns. At Viva Biotech, innovation remains our cornerstone, as we continuously improve our state-of-the-art technology platforms, fully leveraging the capabilities of our globally recognized drug research and development service platform, among other ventures. Looking ahead, Viva Biotech is committed to maintaining its unique approach to providing comprehensive, one-stop services in drug research, development, and production. Leveraging our extensive experience and unique position in pioneering First-in-class drug discovery, coupled with our comprehensive service offerings, we are dedicated to delivering specialized, customized, full-range services to the global biotech and pharmaceutical industries. This commitment is underpinned by the profound expertise of our highly skilled team of scientists. About Viva Biotech Established in 2008, Viva Biotech (01873.HK) provides one-stop services ranging from early-stage structure-based drug R&D to commercial drug delivery to global biopharmaceutical innovators. We offer leading early-stage to late-phase drug discovery expertise by integrating our dedicated team of experts, cutting-edge technology platforms, and state-of-the-art equipment in X-ray crystallization, Cryo-EM, ASMS, SPR, HDX, CADD, and much more. Our business covers all aspects of therapeutic strategies and drug modalities, including small molecules and biologics across the pharma and biotech spectrum. The experienced chemistry team, led by senior medicinal chemists and drug discovery biologists, provides services for drug design, medicinal chemistry (hit to lead and lead optimization), custom synthesis, chemical analysis and purification, kilogram scale-up, peptide synthesis and corresponding bioassays. With our subsidiary, Langhua Pharmaceutical, we offer our worldwide pharmaceutical and biotech partners a one-stop integrated CMC (Chemical, Manufacturing, and Control) service from preclinical to commercial manufacturing. Additionally, Viva embedded an equity for service (EFS) model to high potential startups to address unmet medical needs. Introduction of Relevant Investors: About TEMASEK Temasek is a global investment company with a net portfolio value of S$382 billion as at 31 March 2023. Its Purpose "So Every Generation Prospers" guides it to make a difference for today's and future generations. As an active investor, forward looking institution and trusted steward, it is committed to deliver sustainable value over the long term. Temasek has overall corporate credit ratings of Aaa/AAA by rating agencies Moody's Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings respectively. Headquartered in Singapore, it has 13 offices in 9 countries around the world: Beijing, Hanoi, Mumbai, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Singapore in Asia; and London, Brussels, Paris, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, and Mexico City outside Asia. About HighLight Capital (HLC) HighLight Capital (HLC) is dedicated to creating long-term values through the promotion of technology innovations. Empowered by deep knowledge in chemical, biological and material sciences, and leveraging proprietary industry research and comprehensive enablement services, HLC strives to create sustainable value over the long term by investing in companies that boost manufacturing efficiency. HLC has invested in over 100 leading companies, including Mindray, United Imaging, Yuwell, Wuxi Biologics, Tigermed, Baheal Pharma, Pharmaron, BrightGene, Hongene, BABO, XINGYUN Group, CHOWSING Nourse, Nayuki. SOURCE Viva Biotech Holdings

Shionogi's acquisition of Qpex, data from a Takeda enzyme replacement therapy and an expert's analysis of AbbVie's patent lawsuit against BeiGene made our news this week. Shionogi will pay $100 million upfront to purchase an infectious disease company. Takeda unveiled more data to back its enzyme replacement therapy for a rare heart disease. AbbVie's BTK patent infringement lawsuit against BeiGene may have merit, according to a patent expert. And more. 1. Fierce Biotech M&A Tracker 2023: Shionogi buys Qpex for $100M; Erytech and Pherecydes plot merger Shionogi is bolstering its infectious disease portfolio by paying $100 million upfront to buy Qpex. The acquisition gives the Japanese company xeruborbactam, a beta-lactamase inhibitor that’s designed to target the mechanism behind resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics such as penicillin. Shionogi believes the drug may provide improved activity in combination with other antibiotics. 2. After data breadcrumbs, Takeda shows elimination of deadly blood clot attacks for rare disease drug Takeda has laid out detailed data for its ADAMTS13 enzyme replacement therapy TAK-755 in patients with congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (CTTP), a rare disease. The disorder can be fatal and is characterized by sudden attacks. But interim results from a phase 3 trial showed that patients taking the drug as a preventive measure didn’t have any acute TTP attacks. 3. AbbVie's Imbruvica-Brukinsa patent suit may have merit, and BeiGene will likely settle: expert AbbVie may succeed in its BTK patent infringement case against BeiGene, a patent attorney told SVB Securities. BeiGene could try to invalidate the method of use patent, but the expert thinks it’d be difficult based on how narrow the patent is and its extensive “prior art” list. The expert predicted that BeiGene will likely settle the case by paying AbbVie sales-based royalties. 4. Eisai launches Gates-backed research collab to develop digital tools for dementia diagnosis, treatment In a new research collaboration dubbed NEURii, Eisai, Gates Ventures, the University of Edinburgh, Health Data Research UK and LifeArc, which is a nonprofit medical research organization, have joined forces to develop digital health tools to predict and monitor cases of dementia. A two-year pilot period will focus specifically on the U.K. Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies will help analyze the massive databases to help the partners design new tools. 5. Generics to Novartis' leukemia drug Tasigna to reach poor countries under 4 MPP licenses Under a previous license Novartis penned with the Medicines Patent Pool, four generic drug makers have signed on to produce copycat versions of the Swiss pharma’s myeloid leukemia blockbuster Tasigna for some low- and middle-income countries. BrightGene of Indonesia and three Indian manufacturers—Dr. Reddy’s, Eugia and Hetero—will make and supply their generic versions to 44 territories. 6. Pfizer partners with CSPC to make Paxlovid for China (Bloomberg) China’s CSPC Pharma said it signed a partnership with Pfizer to make a Chinese brand of the oral COVID drug Paxlovid. The deal comes after Pfizer didn’t reach a national reimbursement agreement with Chinese authorities. Pfizer has previously tapped local generic drug maker Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical to help manufacturer Paxlovid.

Novartis is the first company to sign a deal with the Medicines Patent Pool to allow generic drugmakers to produce a cancer drug through the Access to Oncology Medicines coalition. Three companies in India and one in Indonesia will make a generic version of multiple myeloma blockbuster Tasigna to be provided to poor countries. More than a year ago, eight pharma giants partnered to provide cancer medicines to many of the world’s most needy nations where oncology treatments often are non-existent. On Thursday, the effort took a major step toward fruition as the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) signed up four generic drugmakers to produce copycat versions of Novartis’ myeloid leukemia blockbuster Tasigna (nilotinib). The agreement allows BrightGene of Indonesia and three Indian manufacturers—Dr. Reddy’s, Eugia and Hetero—to produce generic nilotinib, even though it remains on patent in the U.S. The generic companies plan to make their copycats in six countries—Egypt, Guatamala, Morocco, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tunisia—and supply it to 44 territories. “We have seen great gains in cancer survival in the richest countries over the last decade, however, the benefit of our innovation is not reaching everyone,” Lutz Hagemann, Novartis’ president of global health and sustainability, said in a release. “Through public-private partnerships, we aim to address barriers to healthcare and expand access to innovative treatment solutions for the long-term for as many people as possible.” It is the first sublicense agreement for a cancer drug under MPP, which made it name during the pandemic for similar deals around COVID drugs. It's also the first sublicence agreement to be executed after the Access to Oncology Medicines coalition was formed in May of last year, with Novartis joined by AstraZeneca, BeiGene, Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead, Roche, Sanofi and Teva. Since then, major players such as Amgen, Eli Lilly, Merck, Pfizer and Thermo Fisher have signed on. The effort is in response to the lack of cancer treatments in more remote and poverty-stricken nations. In 2020, the World Health Organization reported that 3.5 million new cancer cases were diagnosed in low- and middle-income countries annually, accounting for 2.3 million premature deaths. The toll is expected to escalate to 4 million deaths in the next 20 years. “We are determined to show that voluntary licensing is a truly impactful way of delivering affordable treatments to tackle the ever-rising burden of cancer in low- and middle-income countries,” Charles Gore, director of the MPP, said in the release. Last year, Pfizer established its own initiative, dubbed "An Accord for a Healthier World," designed to get COVID-19 vaccines and oral antiviral treatment Paxlovid to poor countries. Early this year, the New York company expanded the program to provide drugs at cost to the world’s poorest countries from 23 patented medicines to its entire suite of approximately 500 products.   We need your help to tell the industry's stories from the COVID-19 pandemic. Please submit a clear photo and a short description to fiercesubmissions@questex.com. Click here to learn more.