Beijing CANbridge Pharma was approved to launch Maralixibat Chloride Oral Solution (Livmarli®) in China to treat cholestatic pruritus in patients at least one year old with Alagille syndrome. Livmarli (maralixibat) inhibits ileal bile acid transporters (IBAT), blocking bile circulation and lowering bile acid levels in the liver and serum. This reduces liver injury and relieves pruritus. Livmarli is the only medication approved in China, the US and EU to treat Alagille syndrome cholestatic pruritus. CANbridge, a rare disease company, acquired China rights for Livmarli from Mirum Pharma, a San Francisco-area biopharma. More details....

Stock Symbol: (HK: 1228)

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Connect Biopharma, a Foster City-Taicang company developing therapies for inflammation, announced that its S1P1 modulator showed statistically significant improvement in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) during a Phase II trial. The study evaluated icanbelimod (CN002) over a 36-week maintenance period following a 12-week induction period. In the four-country Phase II trial, CN002, an oral selective sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) modulator, was administered once daily. Connect Bio believes that icanbelimod could be a best-in-class S1P1 modulator. More details....

Stock Symbol: (NSDQ: CNTB)

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HighField Biopharma, a Hangzhou-based company developing immunoliposomes to treat cancer, has published positive early data from a Phase Ia trial of its lead drug in patients with metastatic cancer. HF1K16 is a drug-encapsulated immune-modulating liposome that contains all-trans retinoic acid. In preliminary data from a trial conducted in China, three patients with refractory glioma reported progression-free survival. The company will start a Phase Ib/II trial of the drug for glioma in China. HighField will present an abstract on the ongoing trial, which enrolled patients with metastatic cancers, at the ASCO meeting this weekend. More details....

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Shanghai Unicar-Therapy published Phase I/II data showing its sequential CD19/CD22 dual-target CAR T-cell therapies outperformed single CD19 CAR-T candidates in patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In 219 patients, the single CD19 group’s complete response was 83%, the tandem CD19/CD22 was 98%, and the sequential CD19/CD22 was 95%. Unicar pointed out that single CD19 CAR-T therapies, although they may be effective initially, are prone to relapse. TSingle CD19 patients had a two-year overall survival of 59%, while the two dual therapy patients’ two-year OS rate was 78%. More details....

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ProfoundBio, a Suzhou-Seattle ADC biotech, has dosed the first patients in a US Phase I/II trial of its CD70 ADC, PRO1160, and it was approved to start a similar trial in China. The company was also approved to start a Phase I/II trial of Rina-S in China. Rina-S, which will be tested in patients with solid tumors or mesothelioma, has already shown promising results in a US trial. Both candidates use ProfoundBio’s novel hydrophilic linker and exatecan payload that is designed to reduce off-target toxicities. More details.....

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