Recent Articles in Top Stories

CStone Pharma of Suzhou acquired rights to a novel cancer drug from Agios, a Boston area pharma, in a deal worth up to $424 million. CStone will have rights to ivosidenib in greater China. It will initially target acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and cholangiocarcinoma, although the companies believe ivosidenib has potential efficacy against many cancer indications including glioma. Ivosidenib is a first-in-class, oral, targeted inhibitor of the mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1) enzyme. More details....

Stock Symbol: (NSDQ: AGIO)

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Aptose Biosciences of San Diego has added greater China to its in-licensing deal for a leukemia candidate discovered by Korea's CrystalGenomics. Aptose paid $3 million upfront and agreed to additional milestones along with a single-digit royalty on sales, totaling up to $125 million. CG-806 is a novel pre-clinical small molecule treatment for acute myeloid leukemia. In 2016, Aptose signed an $303 million option agreement for CG-806, excluding China and Korea. Last month, Aptose exercised that option ahead of schedule. More details....

Stock Symbols: (NSDQ: APTO; TSX: APS) (KOSDAQ: 083790)

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WuXi Biologics will invest $60 million to build a state-of-the-art biologics CDMO operation in the greater Boston area, the fourth new manufacturing project WuXi has announced in the last two months. The four most recent projects, representing a total investment of $792 million, are: Ireland ($392 million), Northern China ($240 million), Singapore ($60 million) and now Wooster, Mass, ($60 million), the eleventh CDMO facility in the company's portfolio. The new plants offer geographical diversity. Previously, WuXi Biologics built facilities in Shanghai and Wuxi City. More details....

Stock Symbol: (HK: 2269)

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CStone Pharma of Suzhou signed a $386 million agreement for rights to three drug candidates discovered by Blueprint Medicines of Cambridge, Mass. CStone will have exclusive Greater China rights to the three Blueprint clinical-stage oral oncology medicines, each targeting genomically defined conditions. CStone paid $40 million upfront for the candidates, and it will make payments totaling up to $118.5 million for clinical milestones and $227.5 million for sales levels, plus royalties. Last month, the company raised $260 million in a B round to support its 13 immunocology candidates. More details....

Stock Symbol: (NSDQ: BPMC)

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China Resources Pharma will pay $667 million to acquire all the outstanding shares of Jiangzhong Pharma, a listed company. Three weeks ago, CR Pharma announced plans to acquire a stake in the parent company, Jiangzhong Group, for $613 million, which will, when added to its current holdings, give CR Pharma majority control of Jiangzhong Group. Jiangzhong Group, the parent, owns a 43% stake in Jiangzhong Pharma. All together, CR Pharma will pay nearly $1.3 billion for a controlling stake in the parent and about 80% ownership of the listed subsidiary. More details....

Stock Symbol: (HK: 3320) (SHA: 600750)

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