https://www.scmp.com/rss/517734/feed The latest news, analysis and opinion on Pfizer. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Themis Qi,Julie Zhang Themis Qi,Julie Zhang Eli Lilly has pledged an additional US$3 billion investment in China over the next decade to strengthen its local supply chain and manufacturing capabilities, deepening the footprint of foreign pharmaceutical giants in the world’s second-largest healthcare market. The move would bring the total cumulative investment of Eli Lilly, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company by market capitalisation, in China to nearly US$6 billion, according to a statement released on its WeChat account on... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346260/eli-lilly-boosts-china-footprint-us3-billion-plan-expand-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346260/eli-lilly-boosts-china-footprint-us3-billion-plan-expand-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:39:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled a self-branded “TrumpRx” website allowing consumers to buy discounted drugs such as weight-loss and infertility treatments directly from companies. The move is part of Trump’s drive to tackle voter anger over the cost of living ahead of midterm elections in November, in which his Republicans risk losing control of Congress. “Starting tonight, dozens of the most commonly used prescription drugs will be available at dramatic discounts for all... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342568/trump-unveil-trumprx-website-people-buy-discounted-prescription-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342568/trump-unveil-trumprx-website-people-buy-discounted-prescription-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:18:15 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Mainland China could become one of the first markets in the world to approve a drug fully designed by artificial intelligence, as advances in AI and human genetics combine to create a “seismic shift” in drug development, according to executives of pharmaceutical giants. “We will see in 2026 that we move from AI-assisted discovery to fully AI-designed compounds, perhaps entering the pipeline,” said Marc Horn, president of Merck China, at the Asian Financial Forum on Tuesday in Hong Kong. “We... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3341432/china-could-approve-first-fully-ai-designed-drug-next-year-merck-executive-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3341432/china-could-approve-first-fully-ai-designed-drug-next-year-merck-executive-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Shanghai-based Harbour BioMed’s acquisition of a stake in US-based Spruce Biosciences is the latest example of China’s novel drug developers progressing from one-time licensing deals into long-lasting equity partnerships with overseas partners. The deal, detailed in a Hong Kong stock exchange filing on Monday, also showed Chinese firms’ growing clout on the global pharmaceutical stage, analysts said. “The coming years will see more Chinese biotech firms engaging in equity investments and joint... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340489/harbour-biomed-stake-us-drug-firm-spruce-shows-chinese-firms-growing-clout-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340489/harbour-biomed-stake-us-drug-firm-spruce-shows-chinese-firms-growing-clout-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 23:30:12 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese drug makers’ licensing deals more than doubled in 2025 from a year earlier to a record high, propelled by dozens of multibillion-dollar agreements between Hong Kong and mainland China-listed firms and global pharmaceutical giants. Last year, 157 out-licensing deals worth US$135.7 billion were signed, compared with 94 transactions worth US$51.9 billion in 2024, state media reported, citing data released by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), China’s drugs regulator, last... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339011/chinese-drug-makers-strike-record-us136-billion-out-licensing-deals-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339011/chinese-drug-makers-strike-record-us136-billion-out-licensing-deals-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Irina Zhou’s five-year-old cat has gained about a kilogram every year for the past three years. She knows the extra weight puts her pet at risk of obesity-related diseases and could even shorten his life. “My parents just can’t bear to see the cat go hungry,” the 29-year-old Zhou said. “If the weight starts to affect his health, I might consider trying weight-loss medicines for him.” The idea of using obesity drugs for pets drew public attention after Fosun Pharma’s unit Yao Pharma signed a... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338820/meow-or-never-chinas-pudgy-pets-spark-race-weight-loss-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338820/meow-or-never-chinas-pudgy-pets-spark-race-weight-loss-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:30:10 +0000 Julie Zhang,Eunice Xu Julie Zhang,Eunice Xu If pharmaceutical drug patents are an hourglass turned over on the day of approval – with the approaching loss of exclusivity known in the industry as the “patent cliff” – then Big Pharma is currently watching the final grains of sand slipping through the neck of the glass. At the bottom of the hourglass awaits an unforgiving world of generic and biosimilar competition. Between 2025 and 2030, the patent cliff is set to be one of the biggest since 2010 by revenue at risk, according to... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337038/patent-cliffhanger-will-china-biotech-throw-big-pharma-lifeline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337038/patent-cliffhanger-will-china-biotech-throw-big-pharma-lifeline?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:00:10 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A Chinese biopharmaceutical firm has sealed a global licensing deal valued at up to US$1.44 billion, the second in a week, as a wave of cross-border tie-ups shows no sign of abating despite headwinds from the US Biosecure Act. Shanghai Scizeng Medical Technology, a unit of Changchun High-Tech Industry, has agreed to grant US-based Yarrow Bioscience exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise GenSci098, an injectable therapy for thyroid eye disease and Graves’ disease, both... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336609/chinese-biotech-scizengs-global-licensing-deal-yield-us144-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336609/chinese-biotech-scizengs-global-licensing-deal-yield-us144-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 07:47:10 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang US pharmaceutical behemoth Pfizer has agreed to pay up to US$2.1 billion to Shanghai-based Fosun Pharma’s unit Yao Pharma for an experimental oral obesity drug, underscoring the growing trend of Chinese drug makers selling early-stage assets to global multinationals. Under the licensing agreement, Yao Pharma would grant Pfizer an exclusive worldwide licence for the development, use, manufacturing and commercialisation of oral small-molecule drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, including... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3335836/chinas-fosun-pharma-unit-strikes-us21-billion-obesity-drug-deal-pfizer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3335836/chinas-fosun-pharma-unit-strikes-us21-billion-obesity-drug-deal-pfizer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 04:15:14 +0000 Kamala Thiagarajan Kamala Thiagarajan China’s pharmaceutical industry is on the brink of enormous growth and transformation. In just a few years, it has moved on from being the world’s cheapest source of active pharmaceutical ingredients to becoming a major hub for pharmaceutical innovation – a place where new, more effective drugs are born. It is now the second-largest developer of drugs, trailing only the United States. In the global drug development pipeline, China’s growth rate is phenomenal, leaping from 3 per cent in 2013 to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3334948/how-china-went-generic-drug-factory-biomedicine-innovator?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3334948/how-china-went-generic-drug-factory-biomedicine-innovator?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng Scientists in China have solved a 140-year-old chemistry problem in a breakthrough that could overturn traditional production methods and slash the cost of cancer treatments and other expensive medicinal compounds. The research was co-led by Zhang Xiaheng, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, and Xue Xiaosong, a professor with the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, and published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature. In his review of the paper, Scott... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3332100/tour-de-force-chinese-chemists-could-overturn-high-cost-drug-treatments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3332100/tour-de-force-chinese-chemists-could-overturn-high-cost-drug-treatments?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 04:00:17 +0000 Frank Chen,Mandy Zuo Frank Chen,Mandy Zuo Less than a week after a high-profile summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump – a meeting that cooled the trade conflict between Beijing and Washington after months of heated recriminations – American exhibitors are expected to be more visible at this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE). More than a dozen agricultural producers from US breadbasket regions will display their wares at a special pavilion at the high-profile trade show, and several of the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331499/after-xi-trump-summit-us-firms-seize-window-opportunity-china-import-expo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331499/after-xi-trump-summit-us-firms-seize-window-opportunity-china-import-expo?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 23:00:09 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words On October 9, the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises welcomed a new batch of strategic enterprises establishing or expanding their operations in Hong Kong, including top global pharmaceutical companies such as GlaxoSmithKline and Roche. They aim to expand their innovative... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3330170/how-hong-kong-can-help-chinese-drug-makers-go-global?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3330170/how-hong-kong-can-help-chinese-drug-makers-go-global?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 03:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Pfizer will cut the price of all prescription drugs in the Medicaid programme for low-income Americans and sell new prescription drugs at a “most favoured nation” price in exchange for tariff relief. Trump also said he expects other drug makers to follow suit. US patients currently pay by far the most for prescription medicines, often nearly three times more than in other developed nations, and Trump has been pressuring drug makers to lower their prices... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327440/trump-unveils-pfizer-price-cuts-white-house-presses-drug-makers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327440/trump-unveils-pfizer-price-cuts-white-house-presses-drug-makers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 16:40:06 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg New US levies on pharmaceuticals may not have an “immediate impact” on Singapore’s drug makers, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong has said, adding the city state may pursue a ceiling on tariff rates similar to deals that Washington has with other countries. Gan, who is also minister for trade and industry, told reporters on Saturday that most pharmaceutical companies in Singapore had built capacity in the US or had plans to do so. That could allow them to be exempted from the coming US... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3327095/singapores-drug-makers-may-be-shielded-us-pharmaceutical-tariffs-deputy-pm-gan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3327095/singapores-drug-makers-may-be-shielded-us-pharmaceutical-tariffs-deputy-pm-gan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Sep 2025 09:50:24 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer’s up to US$7.3 billion acquisition of next-generation weight loss drugs developer Metsera will encourage more research spending on innovative products in China but is unlikely to draw new players into the fray, according to analysts. The acquisition of the US company, together with other deals by global pharmaceutical firms, would encourage companies already developing obesity drugs – including those in China – to continue their investments, said the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3326774/pfizers-metsera-acquisition-spur-chinese-search-next-generation-weight-loss-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3326774/pfizers-metsera-acquisition-spur-chinese-search-next-generation-weight-loss-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals, a Chinese developer of novel drugs, could receive up to US$1.01 billion in milestone payments after granting a US company exclusive rights to develop a heart disease drug, the latest example of mainland drug makers licensing early-stage assets to international partners. Jiangsu Hengrui entered into a licensing agreement with one-year-old US start-up Braveheart Bio for its innovative drug HRS-1893 to treat obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, according to a... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3324435/chinas-jiangsu-hengrui-signs-licensing-deal-braveheart-bio-heart-drug?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3324435/chinas-jiangsu-hengrui-signs-licensing-deal-braveheart-bio-heart-drug?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Sep 2025 04:54:34 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for stronger policy support for the biotech industry, as part of efforts to bolster innovation in a sector that has witnessed a boom in recent years. “The biopharmaceutical industry is both a strategic emerging sector and vital to public health,” he said during an inspection in Beijing on Wednesday, as reported by the state-run Xinhua News Agency. “Efforts should be made to strengthen original innovation, address core technological challenges and mobilise... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322656/china-vows-stronger-biotech-support-deals-global-pharmaceutical-giants-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322656/china-vows-stronger-biotech-support-deals-global-pharmaceutical-giants-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Pfizer and 3SBio have completed a licensing agreement that grants the US pharmaceutical giant worldwide rights to sell the Hong Kong-listed firm’s cancer drug, marking the largest deal ever for a single drug in China’s biotech industry. First announced in May, the deal will see 3SBio – based in Shenyang, capital of northeastern Liaoning province – receive a US$1.25 billion upfront payment from Pfizer for the exclusive right to sell its cancer drug, SSGJ-707, outside China. Under the terms of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3319601/pfizer-chinese-biotech-firm-3sbio-complete-worldwide-licensing-deal-cancer-drug?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3319601/pfizer-chinese-biotech-firm-3sbio-complete-worldwide-licensing-deal-cancer-drug?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2025 09:10:32 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen comfortably survived a vote of no confidence on Thursday, as an overwhelming number of European Union lawmakers rejected a censure motion against her. The motion contained a mix of allegations against von der Leyen, including text messaging privately with the chief executive of vaccine maker Pfizer during the Covid-19 pandemic, misuse of EU funds and interference in elections in Germany and Romania. The motion was defeated by a 360-175 vote,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3317736/eu-chief-ursula-von-der-leyen-easily-survives-parliament-no-confidence-vote?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3317736/eu-chief-ursula-von-der-leyen-easily-survives-parliament-no-confidence-vote?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 11:02:10 +0000 Bloomberg,Reuters Bloomberg,Reuters Singapore’s tariff talks with the US will include a focus on pharmaceutical supply chains as the trade-reliant nation navigates President Donald Trump’s global trade war. “Pharmaceuticals have a very complex supply chain and a very long supply chain,” Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said at a briefing on Thursday. The conversations with the US Commerce Department will include “how can we make sure that we are able to continually facilitate the trade between Singapore and the US” on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3317718/singapore-prioritising-pharmaceutical-supply-chains-us-tariff-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3317718/singapore-prioritising-pharmaceutical-supply-chains-us-tariff-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 09:29:09 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng A potential multibillion-dollar deal unveiled on Friday by CSPC Pharmaceutical Group is the latest in a growing number of agreements by Chinese biotechnology firms to license development rights for innovative medicines to global pharmaceutical firms, according to lawyers advising the companies. Many of these deals use a so-called newco structure, which combines traditional intellectual property licensing with fundraising via a newly established corporate vehicle, said the Shanghai-based partners... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3312416/chinese-biotechs-mega-drug-licensing-deals-multinationals-surge-cost-savings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3312416/chinese-biotechs-mega-drug-licensing-deals-multinationals-surge-cost-savings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 May 2025 05:30:38 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Chinese drug maker 3SBio has licensed its new cancer drug to US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer in the largest deal ever for China’s biotech industry, underscoring the strong commercial Sino-US ties despite geopolitical headwinds. Based in Shenyang, capital of northeastern Liaoning province, 3SBio will receive a US$1.25 billion upfront payment for licensing its cancer drug SSGJ-707 exclusively to Pfizer, which will manufacture and commercialise the drug outside mainland China, the companies... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3311231/chinese-biotech-firm-secures-us6-billion-pfizer-deal-cancer-drug?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3311231/chinese-biotech-firm-secures-us6-billion-pfizer-deal-cancer-drug?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 May 2025 10:00:19 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen lost a court fight against attempts to force her to disclose secret text messages with Pfizer’s boss as the bloc was negotiating massive vaccine deals at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Judges at the EU’s General Court in Luxembourg backed a challenge from The New York Times against the commission’s refusal to disclose the texts, saying it “has not given a plausible explanation to justify the non-possession” of the messages. “Moreover, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3310338/eus-von-der-leyen-loses-court-case-over-secret-pfizer-texts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3310338/eus-von-der-leyen-loses-court-case-over-secret-pfizer-texts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 May 2025 11:01:49 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Hong Kong residents’ willingness in taking the latest Covid-19 vaccine is lower than in Singapore, but higher compared with other Asian markets, according to a new survey by US pharmaceutical giant Moderna, which called on vulnerable groups to get inoculated. Moderna found 52 per cent of Hong Kong respondents said they were willing to get the updated vaccine when it becomes available, while 58 per cent of those surveyed in Singapore were inclined to take the latest jab, according to the findings... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3289367/hong-kong-residents-reticent-get-latest-covid-19-jab-moderna-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3289367/hong-kong-residents-reticent-get-latest-covid-19-jab-moderna-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Dec 2024 12:00:14 +0000 Hongkongers aged 65 or older can start booking appointments for the Covid-19 vaccine targeting the XBB variant from Wednesday, while a fresh batch of jabs from another brand is expected to arrive “soon”, health authorities have said. The announcement on Tuesday followed recommendations made by the government’s medical advisers, who said in October that the XBB-targeted mRNA vaccines could provide better protection than earlier shots and high-risk groups should be prioritised. Starting from... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3244785/hong-kong-health-officials-say-citys-elderly-can-apply-covid-xbb-jabs-wednesday-new-batch-arrive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3244785/hong-kong-health-officials-say-citys-elderly-can-apply-covid-xbb-jabs-wednesday-new-batch-arrive?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Dec 2023 06:58:48 +0000 Health authorities on Thursday said Hong Kong had received its first batch of Covid-19 vaccines targeting the XBB variant, adding that high-risk groups, including the elderly, would be prioritised. The shipment consists of about 100,000 new-generation XBB vaccine doses manufactured by US drug firm Pfizer. “In view of the limited local supply of the XBB vaccine, the government will arrange the vaccination of high-risk individuals in batches,” the Department of Health said. “Care home residents... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3243398/hong-kong-receives-first-batch-covid-xbb-variant-vaccines-prioritises-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3243398/hong-kong-receives-first-batch-covid-xbb-variant-vaccines-prioritises-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Nov 2023 11:58:33 +0000 Hong Kong’s private healthcare sector is expected to start offering a vaccine to protect older people against a common respiratory infection from next month. Experts told the Post more clinical data was needed before deciding if the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine should be included in public programmes. RSV can cause infections in the airways, lungs and middle ear, with young children and the elderly more likely to develop serious conditions if infected. Hong Kong is the second market... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3242080/hong-kongs-private-healthcare-providers-expected-offer-rsv-vaccine-mid-december-experts-say-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3242080/hong-kongs-private-healthcare-providers-expected-offer-rsv-vaccine-mid-december-experts-say-more?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Nov 2023 23:00:25 +0000 The US approved updated Covid-19 vaccines on Monday, hoping to rev up protection against the latest coronavirus strains and halt any surge this autumn and winter. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision opens the newest vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer and its partner BioNTech to most Americans even if they have never had a coronavirus vaccination. It is part of a shift to treat autumn updates of the Covid-19 vaccine much like getting a yearly flu vaccination. There is still another... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3234192/coronavirus-us-fda-approves-updated-covid-19-vaccines-increase-protection-autumn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3234192/coronavirus-us-fda-approves-updated-covid-19-vaccines-increase-protection-autumn?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Sep 2023 18:55:08 +0000 The family of a woman who died about four days after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine booster jab was given S$225,000 (US$169,000) under Singapore’s Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme, the Health Ministry said. Ontal Charlene Vargas, from the Philippines, died on December 13, 2021. The cause of her death was myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, a coroner’s court heard on Friday. State Coroner Adam Nakhoda found that on the balance of probabilities, it was likely to be related to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3217275/she-died-4-days-after-getting-her-covid-booster-jab-singapore-paid-her-family-philippines-us169000?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3217275/she-died-4-days-after-getting-her-covid-booster-jab-singapore-paid-her-family-philippines-us169000?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Apr 2023 01:10:13 +0000 China’s medical products regulator has approved two more domestically developed antiviral drugs as the country braces for a possible wave of post-Lunar New Year Covid-19 infections. The oral pills SIM0417 (called Xiannuoxin) and VV116, targeting mild to moderate symptoms, were approved for adult patients by the National Medical Products Administration on Sunday. Over 90 per cent of people in Beijing will have had Covid by end of month: study The approval brings the number of Covid-19 antivirals... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3208457/china-gives-green-light-2-home-grown-covid-19-antiviral-treatments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3208457/china-gives-green-light-2-home-grown-covid-19-antiviral-treatments?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jan 2023 10:00:20 +0000 A Chinese antiviral drug is just as effective as Pfizer’s Paxlovid pill in easing moderate to mild Covid-10 symptoms, new research has found. According to the study, published in the peer-reviewed New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday, patients who took the pill, known as VV116, recovered after a median time of four days, compared with five for those who took Paxlovid. The researchers also found that the incidence of adverse events was lower in the VV116 group compared to the Paxlovid... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3205139/chinese-drug-matches-paxlovid-treating-less-severe-covid-symptoms-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3205139/chinese-drug-matches-paxlovid-treating-less-severe-covid-symptoms-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Dec 2022 14:13:56 +0000 A top official at the World Health Organization said the UN agency was “pleased” to see China loosening some of its coronavirus restrictions, saying “it’s really important that governments listen to their people when the people are in pain”. At a press briefing on Friday, WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan said the organisation was glad to see China “adjusting their current strategies” in trying to recalibrate their response to Covid-19. Last week, huge protests against the severe Covid-19... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3201918/who-pleased-see-china-ease-strict-zero-covid-policies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3201918/who-pleased-see-china-ease-strict-zero-covid-policies?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Dec 2022 18:49:57 +0000 Pfizer emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic as the world’s most visible drug maker, but its success has left investors impatient for an encore. The windfall from the pharmaceutical giant’s Covid-19 vaccine almost doubled its revenue in just one year. And now the shot, coupled with Pfizer’s Covid antiviral pill, is poised to make up more than half of its expected US$100 billion of sales in 2022. That’s left Pfizer flush with cash – US$28 billion it could spend on the kinds of deals that fuelled its... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3198422/pfizer-whats-next-covid-19-vaccine-maker-and-its-us28-billion-war-chest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3198422/pfizer-whats-next-covid-19-vaccine-maker-and-its-us28-billion-war-chest?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Nov 2022 11:45:08 +0000 The early use of antiviral drugs reduces the risk of death significantly in patients infected by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus causing Covid-19, a large-scale study in Hong Kong has found. The study, which involved more than 10,000 people who were infected but not in hospital, was funded by the Health Bureau and carried out by the University of Hong Kong (HKU). Slightly under half were given the drug molnupiravir, produced by Merck and sold as Lagevrio, while the rest received... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3197751/hong-kong-study-shows-early-use-antiviral-drugs-cuts-risk-death-covid-19-patients?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3197751/hong-kong-study-shows-early-use-antiviral-drugs-cuts-risk-death-covid-19-patients?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Oct 2022 23:00:18 +0000 The US Food and Drug Administration has authorised emergency use of two new Covid-19 vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna that target original strains and the BA.4 and BA.5 variants of Omicron, the strain that currently causes more infections than any others. This is the first major revamp of Covid-19 vaccines since they were rolled out in December 2020. The boosters, which only went through animal trials and were not tested on humans, have been backed by the US Centres for Disease Control... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3191081/latest-coronavirus-boosters-target-omicron-are-they-safe-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3191081/latest-coronavirus-boosters-target-omicron-are-they-safe-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Sep 2022 08:01:08 +0000 The German government is preparing to roll out a version of the Covid-19 vaccine that is adapted to the Omicron strain of the coronavirus, in anticipation of a winter wave of cases. The latest vaccine is adapted to the BA.1 variant and Germany will receive about 14 million doses of the vaccines made by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna in the weeks beginning September 5 and September 12, subject to EU approval, according to a letter sent by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach to vaccination campaign... https://www.scmp.com/coronavirus/europe/article/3190634/coronavirus-german-government-prepares-roll-out-adapted-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/coronavirus/europe/article/3190634/coronavirus-german-government-prepares-roll-out-adapted-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Aug 2022 22:51:18 +0000 Moderna on Friday said it was suing rival vaccine-makers Pfizer and BioNTech, alleging the partners infringed on its patents in developing their Covid-19 shot that has been administered to hundreds of millions around the world. The lawsuits filed both in US district court in Massachusetts, and in regional court in Düsseldorf, Germany, set up a showdown between the leading manufacturers of Covid-19 jabs that are a key tool in the fight against the disease. “Moderna believes that Pfizer and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3190368/moderna-sues-pfizer-biontech-over-covid-19-vaccine-alleging-they-copied?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3190368/moderna-sues-pfizer-biontech-over-covid-19-vaccine-alleging-they-copied?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Aug 2022 13:54:25 +0000 US President Joe Biden had tested positive for Covid-19 and was experiencing “very mild symptoms”, the White House said on Thursday. Following the positive diagnosis on Thursday morning, Biden began isolating at the White House and would “continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time”, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. Biden has also begun taking Paxlovid, an antiviral drug developed by Pfizer, Jean-Pierre said. In a memo, Biden’s physician, Kevin O’Connor,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3186137/president-biden-tests-positive-covid-very-mild?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3186137/president-biden-tests-positive-covid-very-mild?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Jul 2022 14:46:40 +0000 China’s home-grown mRNA Covid-19 vaccine produces stronger antibodies against the Omicron variant than inactivated shots when given as a booster, a study has shown. The AWcorna vaccine is the latest in a string of Chinese shots seeking to improve public immunity against the highly transmissible strain of the Sars-Cov-2 coronavirus that causes Covid-19, in a country where most residents were inoculated with inactivated doses. Nearly 90 per cent of China’s population have been fully vaccinated and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3182142/chinese-mrna-booster-fights-omicron-4-times-better-inactivated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3182142/chinese-mrna-booster-fights-omicron-4-times-better-inactivated?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jun 2022 13:11:01 +0000 US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer on Wednesday said it would sell its patented drugs on a not-for-profit basis to the world’s poorest countries, as part of a new initiative announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos. “The time is now to begin closing this gap” between people with access to the latest treatments and those going without, chief executive Albert Bourla told attendees at the exclusive Swiss mountain resort gathering. “An Accord for a Healthier World” focuses on five areas:... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3179132/coronavirus-pfizer-offers-sell-medicines-cost-poorest-countries-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3179132/coronavirus-pfizer-offers-sell-medicines-cost-poorest-countries-new?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 May 2022 10:39:36 +0000 Covid-19 vaccinations are at a critical juncture as companies test whether new approaches like combination shots or nasal drops can keep up with a mutating coronavirus – even though it’s not clear if changes are needed. Already there’s public confusion about who should get a second booster now and who can wait. There’s also debate about whether pretty much everyone might need an extra dose in the fall. “I’m very concerned about booster fatigue” causing a loss of confidence in vaccines that still... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3175370/coronavirus-experts-worry-about-booster-fatigue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3175370/coronavirus-experts-worry-about-booster-fatigue?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Apr 2022 13:47:35 +0000 Talks on Taiwan buying the child version of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine have stalled as Pfizer does not have the right to sell it, and BioNTech and its Chinese partner do not make it, a Taiwanese minister said. The sales rights for the vaccine in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan belong to BioNTech and its Chinese sales agent, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group (Fosun Pharma), which snarled a deal for the main version of the vaccine last year after Taiwan accused Beijing of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3174663/coronavirus-taiwan-says-talks-buy-pfizer-biontech-child-vaccine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3174663/coronavirus-taiwan-says-talks-buy-pfizer-biontech-child-vaccine?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Apr 2022 09:59:03 +0000 China’s health authorities have approved clinical trials of two Covid-19 vaccines that use mRNA, potentially adding an option to the nation’s arsenal in its battle against the pandemic’s worst outbreak since 2020. CanSino Biologics and CSPC Pharmaceutical have been approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China (NMPA) to commence trials, according to statements by the two companies. CanSino’s stock price in Hong Kong closed 5.9 per cent higher at HK$132.90 on Monday morning.... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3172972/china-approves-cspc-cansino-mrna-vaccines-clinical-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3172972/china-approves-cspc-cansino-mrna-vaccines-clinical-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Apr 2022 04:06:18 +0000 Some 16,000 coronavirus patients in Hong Kong have been prescribed two new oral anti-Covid drugs with favourable outcomes and few side effects being reported, according to the Hospital Authority. The authority bought the antiviral drugs molnupiravir, made by US firm MSD, and Pfizer’s Paxlovid, with both having been administered to patients for two weeks. Molnupiravir was given to 12,000 patients while 4,000 took Paxlovid, according to the authority. Molnupiravir was also prescribed at designated... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3171980/coronavirus-16000-hong-kong-patients-receive-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3171980/coronavirus-16000-hong-kong-patients-receive-new?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Mar 2022 12:19:43 +0000 Fosun International, one of China’s largest private conglomerates, has stepped up preparations to produce cheaper generic versions of Covid-19 medications developed by American pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Merck. Its subsidiary Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group is looking into which of its existing plants can be used to manufacture generic versions of Pfizer’s nirmatrelvir, which is sold under the Paxlovid brand name, and Merck’s molnupiravir, Fosun International co-CEO Chen Qiyu said... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3171731/chinas-fosun-posts-26-cent-jump-net-profit-gets-ready-make?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3171731/chinas-fosun-posts-26-cent-jump-net-profit-gets-ready-make?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Mar 2022 10:20:57 +0000 Nearly 10,000 Covid-19 patients have received oral antivirals since they were introduced in Hong Kong two weeks ago as a way to reduce deaths and cases with severe symptoms, according to health authorities. Hospital Authority Chief Manager Dr Lau Ka-hin said public health facilities had administered MSD’s molnupiravir to 8,500 patients so far. About 1,000 others had received Pfizer’s Paxlovid since it was made locally available last Wednesday. Addressing concerns that the current guidelines... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3171122/coronavirus-nearly-10000-hongkongers-treated-oral?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3171122/coronavirus-nearly-10000-hongkongers-treated-oral?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Mar 2022 13:08:06 +0000 Five Chinese companies have been licensed to produce a cheaper version of a Pifzer oral Covid-19 treatment for lower-income countries, pushing related stocks higher on Friday. Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group, Apeloa Pharmaceutical, Shanghai Desano Pharmaceuticals and Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical signed agreements with the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), an organisation that aims to increase access to drugs in poorer countries, to produce and supply the raw ingredients for nirmatrelvir and the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3171036/fosun-pharmaceutical-among-five-chinese-firms-licensed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3171036/fosun-pharmaceutical-among-five-chinese-firms-licensed?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Mar 2022 13:00:21 +0000 Karan Aggarwal, 54, is a businessman with commercial interests across India and the Middle East. Over the years he has often considered moving to Dubai or at least buying a second home there. Now, fuelled in part by the coronavirus pandemic, he has finally taken the plunge, relocating to the emirate with his family. The Aggarwals are far from alone. They are part of a new wave of wealthy Indians flocking to Dubai who have been lured by its sparkling clean streets, world-class infrastructure and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3169214/why-affluent-indian-expats-are-following-shah-rukh-khan-and-sania?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3169214/why-affluent-indian-expats-are-following-shah-rukh-khan-and-sania?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Mar 2022 07:00:10 +0000 Japanese drug maker Shionogi & Co said its experimental Covid-19 vaccine was found safe and effective in a study, creating an indigenous supply source for the Asian nation that is racing to complete a booster drive in hopes of curbing future outbreaks. The recombinant protein-based vaccine that was being tested as a booster shot met its primary endpoint in the Phase 2/3 trials, Osaka-based Shionogi said in a statement Friday announcing the interim report’s findings. There were no serious... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3169292/coronavirus-japanese-vaccine-safe-and-effective-new-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3169292/coronavirus-japanese-vaccine-safe-and-effective-new-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Mar 2022 11:05:21 +0000