Week in Review: Signs of Life after Coronavirus -- China Biopharma Scores $721 Million in Deals

Deals and Financings • Ping An, a China insurance company, announced a $311 million agreement with Japan's Shionogi to develop new drugs for infectious diseases and CNS needs; • Nanjing Legend Biotech, a CAR-T subsidiary of GenScript, raised $150 million as Legend prepares for a US IPO; • Ocumension of Hong Kong partnered with Japan's SanBio to develop novel stem cell therapies for ophthalmic diseases in a $77 million agreement; • Genechem, a Shanghai CRO/CMO, raised $56 million in a Series C financing to support its innovative biologic services; • Shanghai ZhenGe Biotech completed a $51 million Series A financing round to expand its CDMO services; • HK Tainuo and Jiangsu Tainuo signed a $42.5 million agreement to acquire greater China rights to a Flexion treatment for knee osteoarthritis pain; • Rgenta Therapeutics, a Cambridge, Mass. biotech startup, raised $20 million to develop small molecule candidates that target RNA regulation in oncology and neurological disorders; • Guangzhou Targene, a company developing early diagnosis reagents and testing services, closed a $14 million Series A round, led by the venture arm of Shenzhen's BGI; • Shanghai Junshi Biosciences has been approved to list on the Shanghai STAR Exchange, a dual listing with its existing Hong Kong presence; Coronavirus Outbreak • Ansun, a San Diego clinical-stage biopharma, announced positive early results from a four-person China trial using its antiviral to treat COVID-19; Trials and Approvals • BeyondSpring of New York City started a rolling submission of a China NDA for Plinabulin to treat chemotherapy-induced neutropenia; • Hutchison China MediTech (Chi-Med) started a China Phase II trial its novel small molecule FGFR inhibitor aimed at solid tumors; • Gracell Biotechnologies of Suzhou announced that China accepted for review its IND for GC007g, a donor-derived anti-CD19 CAR-T candidate in relapsed/refractory B-ALL patients; Company News • GoBroad Healthcare Group has broken ground for a 500-bed research hospital in Beijing's Changping district, funded by Hillhouse Capital; • Seneca Bio, a Maryland biopharma, completed its new Suzhou facility to manufacture its stem cell therapy for ischemic stroke; • Suzhou Alphamab Oncology and 3D Medicines (Beijing) will market KN035 (envafolimab), their partnered PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor, through Simcere Pharma. Stock Symbols: (HK: 1548; OTC: GNNSF) (TSE: 4592) (HK: 1093) (NSDQ: FLXN) (HK: 1877) (NSDQ: BYSI) (NSDQ/AIM: HCM) (NSDQ: SNCA) (HK: 9966) Share this with colleagues: // //