Over the past few weeks, there have been numerous new offers and advances in Asia’s tumor treatment.
This includes a $1.5 billion investment from UK-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca in Singapore, a listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) by a Chinese biopharmaceutical firm and an acquisition in Hong Kong by the New Frontier Group of the Hong Kong Integrated Oncology Center, a leading comprehensive private oncology medical platform.
AstraZeneca‘s investment was made in partnership with the Economic Development Board of Singapore, which is a department of trade and industry official, demonstrating that other institutions are discovering the potential for investment in this area.
Sunho Biologics ( China ), which is focused on the development and commercialization of biologics for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, was listed on the HKEX on May 24. The company’s shares, which had a last offer price of HK$ 13.5, increased 10 % on the day of the list, which is also a part of a wider pattern of more businesses looking to raise money via an IPO on the HKSE as the city’s market recovers from some very tough times.
The Nanjing City- based company, founded in 2018, offered 34.1518 million securities worldwide, with the Hong Kong government offering budgeting for 10 %, it was 10 times overstretched. CICC was the only sponsor, only general goordinator, only international coordinator, combined bookrunner and joint lead manager on the deal. The partnership between lovers Ke Geng and Ke Zhu was led by international laws company O’Melveny. It was O’Melveny’s sixteenth Hong Kong Investor completed for Chapter 18A biotechnology companies.  ,
The offering size was approximately HK$ 460 million ( approximately$ 60 million ).
Garri Zmudze, public companion at venture capital firm LongeVC, told FinanceAsia:” Asia is a growing opportunity for life research businesses and investors equally, because the place presents a unique set of circumstances for development”.
Zmudze added:” The region’s potential is reflected in a , flurry of deals in the cancer space in recent weeks”.
Next- generation cancer treatment
In recent years, cancer drugs have been quickly developing.
SunHo Biologics makes use of its understanding of immunology to create immunotherapies, including immunocytokines, to treat cancers and autoimmune diseases. It is in the middle of several trials, including Phase II of clinical trials for biliary tract carcinoma  , and colorectal cancer, and has three products it has developed in-house.
In order to increase the global supply of its ADC portfolio, AstraZeneca is building a manufacturing facility in Singapore for antibody drug conjugates ( ADCs ). In 2029, the manufacturing facility is expected to be operational.
ADCs  are the newest treatments that use targeted antibodies to deliver cancer-killing agents directly to cancer cells. The manufacturing of ADCs includes: antibody production, the synthesis of chemotherapy drug and linker, the conjugation of drug- linker to the antibody, and the filling of the completed ADC substance.  ,
Unfortunately, one of the factors influencing the investment in Asia Pacific is that there has been a significant rise in cancer incidences overall.
Over 35 million new cancer cases are expected to occur in 2050, an increase from the 20 million expected in 2022, according to the World Health Organization. With 2.5 million new cases accounted for 12.4 % of the total new cases, lung cancer was the most prevalent cancer worldwide.
The most prevalent cancer in Asia is likely to be caused by persistent tobacco use, which is now known as lung cancer.
GBA
Greater Bay Area ( GBA ) is one of the areas where cancer investments are projected to increase.
The Hong Kong Integrated Oncology Center ( HKIOC ) was recently purchased by the healthcare company New Frontier Group. The HKIOC provies cancer treatment services, early diagnosis, radiotherapy, systemic treatments, mental health and other rehabilitation services.
The company New Frontier owns the HEAL Medical Group, the Guangzhou United Familty Hospital, and the New Frontier Shenzhen United Family Hospital, and it also sees a” sizeable and growing patient population in the Greater Bay Area.” Collectively, they are referred to as the New Frontier Greater Bay Area Healthcare.
Life and health technology will be a part of the Shenzhenh- Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, according to Hong Kong CEO John Lee at the Asia Summit on Global Health held in Hong Kong in May.
Lee stated that the government of Hong Kong SAR is also strengthening I&T support in the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors to spur the development of life and health science. The 16 life and health- related R&, D ( research and development ) centres established in our InnoHK research clusters are yielding impressive research outcomes”.
He added that Hong Kong’s government has committed to investing an additional$ 1.3 billion to further advance life and health technology and welcomed international talent to the country to work in the field.  ,  ,
Other investors , on the hunt
Private equity firms Carlyle and EQT recently closed large funds in Asia, which are, among other things, targeting Asian healthcare companies. Carlyle specifically targets Japanese companies after closing its most recent record buyout fund in the country.
In addition to Pureos BioVentures, there are a number of specialist, smaller investors in the industry who are looking to enter the market. LongeVC also looks at the wider “longevity” market and is backing “visionary biotech” in the US and markets like Japan.  ,
Expect more money to be made in this area, which will hopefully result in many lives being saved.  ,
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