Boryung Corp.

Pfizer's first wave of PD-1xVEGF trials, Akeso's first overall survival win from ivonescimab and more deals from Eli Lilly made our news this week. Pfizer is launching the first clinical trials for its PD-1xVEGF drug, while Akeso detailed the first overall survival win for its first-in-class ivonescimab. Eli Lilly signed two more drug discovery pacts, continuing a dealmaking spree. And more.1. With Summit leading the pack in PD-1xVEGF bispecifics, Pfizer lays out its own plan to replace KeytrudaPfizer unveiled the first clinical trials for its PD-1xVEGF bispecific licensed from China’s 3SBio. One of the first two phase 3 trials is a head-to-head study against Keytruda in the two drugs’ respective combinations with chemotherapy in patients with first-line non-small cell lung cancer. A phase 1/2 will combine the drug, coded PF-08634404, with Pfizer’s antibody-drug conjugates.2. Akeso details ivonescimab's 1st overall survival win. Should Summit celebrate?Akeso provided detailed results for ivonescimab’s first positive overall survival readout, showing that the addition of the PD-1xVEGF drug to chemotherapy reduced the risk of death by 25% in Chinese patients with previously treated EGFR-mutated NSCLC. The OS win marked another validation of the drug class but did not necessarily secure ivonescimab a top spot in this particular indication.3. Eli Lilly pens $1.2B pact with Sanegene to better target metabolic RNA medsLilly continues AI push, inking $100M-plus research pact with InsilicoEli Lilly continued its recent deal spree by inking a research pact worth up to $1.2 billion with Sino-American biotech SanegeneBio focused on cardiometabolic RNA interference medicines and a separate $100 million-plus deal with artificial intelligence drug discovery outfit Insilico Medicine. The Indianapolis pharma had just signed another AI drug design deal with XtalPi last week.4. Neurocrine's depression drug is latest asset from Takeda pact to flunk a phase 2 trialA phase 2 major depressive disorder trial of a candidate Neurocrine Biosciences licensed from Takeda has failed. The drug, a negative allosteric modulator of the NMDA NR2B receptor, failed to beat placebo on change in depression severity by Day 5 as measured on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale.5. Lyell hands over $70M-plus in cash, equity for 'impressive' phase 1-stage colorectal cancer CAR-TLyell Immunopharma is paying Sino-American firm Innovative Cellular Therapeutics $40 million upfront, plus 1.9 million of its own shares, for ex-China rights to a CAR-T therapy. In an ongoing U.S. study in 12 pretreated colorectal cancer patients, a high dose of the guanylyl cyclase-C-targeted CAR-T has shown a 67% overall response rate and median progression-free survival of 7.8 months.6. Third Arc Bio pens back-loaded $840M pact for Adagene's masking T-cell engager techIn a heavily back-loaded deal, Third Arc Bio is tapping Adagene to develop T-cell engagers against tumor-associated antigens. The pact includes $5 million upfront and up to $840 million in milestones. The Adagene platform involved is designed to activate an antigen when it reaches the tumor microenvironment, improving safety and widening therapeutic index.Other News of Note:7. JSF divests CRO Crown Biosciences for $204M (release, release)8. Recall roundup: Fresenius, Sun and Teva among drugmakers pulling products in recent weeks9. Lundbeck, Otsuka back survey uncovering ‘blind spot’ around Alzheimer’s agitation10. Boryung breaks ground on penicillin plant expansion in South Korea11. China allocates $60M to procure 15.4M bivalent HPV shots for national immunization scheme (Jiemian, Chinese)

South Korea’s Boryung Corporation continues to boost its production footprint by kicking off a project that will double the size and capacity of its penicillin manufacturing facility. South Korea’s Boryung Corporation continues to boost its production footprint by kicking off a project that will double the capacity of its penicillin manufacturing facility in its home country.The project will expand Boryung’s oral penicillin antibiotic production line at its campus in Ansan, South Korea, from 2,777 square meters (nearly 29,000 square feet) to 4,364 square meters (nearly 47,000 square feet) when completed. The cost of the expansion wasn’t disclosed.The expansion works to fulfill a government directive that designated oral penicillin as an essential drug in the wake of supply chain problems that occurred during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Historically, Boryung has accounted for more than 60% of domestic contract manufacturing of penicillin, the company said in a Nov. 12 press release.“This expansion represents a meaningful step forward in elevating the production quality and supply capacity of penicillin antibiotics, a national essential treatment,” Jay Kim, Boryung chair and chief executive, said in a statement. “Boryung will continue to strengthen the stability of the essential treatment supply chain and fulfill its responsibility as a company dedicated to protecting public health.”The expansion will introduce new systems and equipment, including automated packaging systems and other process innovation technologies. Boryung first revealed plans to expand the penicillin plant two months ago. In September, Boryung struck a deal with Sanofi worth up to $205 million to gain rights to produce and sell the French pharma's chemotherapy Taxotere (docetaxel) for nearly 20 markets. Taxotere, which was first approved in the 1990s, is designated by the World Health Organization as an essential medicine for the treatment of early-stage and metastatic breast cancer as well as metastatic prostate cancer.Taxotere hauled in about $82 million for Sanofi last year, down significantly from the peak of $3 billion annually before its U.S. patent expired in 2010.

QUEENS, N.Y., July 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Biotia, a biotechnology company pioneering the development of novel infectious disease diagnostics, today announced its selection as an awardee in the Humans in Space (HIS) Challenge, a global innovation program led by South Korea–based Boryung Corporation. Biotia was selected as the first ever recipient for Orbital Launch Funding (OLF), a core HIS program that provides funding, strategy sessions, and partner connections to aid startups in successfully carrying out experiments in space. In a three-way partnership with Boryung and Dr. Charles Chiu at University of California, San Francisco, Biotia will advance the development of next-generation diagnostic technologies designed to meet the extreme demands of human spaceflight and remote healthcare environments on Earth. "This project focuses on adapting a clinically validated metagenomic sequencing-based platform to create highly portable, autonomous infectious disease diagnostics that can function reliably in orbit," said Dr. Chiu, adding that "We will leverage the same technologies that are being deployed in the harsh environment of space to support underserved populations on Earth who have limited or no access to clinical testing." "This collaboration enables us to build on our years of collaborative research in extreme environments and accelerate the development of diagnostics that can protect astronauts on long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars," said Dr. Chris Mason, Co-Founder and Global Director of Biotia. "We're honored to partner with Boryung and contribute to a future where precision health is possible anywhere — whether in orbit or in the most remote corners of our planet." The partnership marks a significant step in Biotia's mission to protect global health through genomics and AI-powered diagnostics and aligns with Boryung's commitment to building a robust ecosystem for space health innovation. About Biotia and Boryung Biotia is a health-tech company located NY, that leverages sequencing-based technology and proprietary AI-powered software to rapidly and accurately identify microorganisms and antimicrobial resistance. Boryung is a life science infrastructure company based in South Korea, aiming to solve humanity's health challenges both on Earth and in space. Through initiatives like the HIS Challenge, Boryung identifies and supports startups developing breakthrough technologies in space medicine, fostering a global ecosystem for public space participation. Selected companies receive funding, global exposure, and strategic guidance to accelerate their solutions. Media Contact Biotia Media Biotia +1 (888) 685-2885 [email protected] SOURCE Biotia, Inc. WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED