China clinical trials are attracting international drugmakers seeking faster patient recruitment and lower costs, while raising questions about safety oversight and transparency. China accounted for 45% of new clinical trials for innovative medicines in 2025, according to pharmaceutical data provider Norstella. Its share stood below 5% in 2008. Meanwhile, McKinsey estimates that Phase 1 costs per patient in China are…
Tag: Biotechnology
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Moderna Merck Melanoma Vaccine Shows Late-Stage Success
Moderna and Merck have announced that late-stage trials of a personalised mRNA cancer vaccine for the treatment of melanoma have yielded positive results. The companies stated that the treatment reduced the risk of melanoma recurrence or spread when used in conjunction with Merck’s immunotherapy drug Keytruda. Notably, Keytruda is already widely used to treat melanoma and several other cancers. This…
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Afrigen Business Rescue: Cape Town Biotech Firm Seeks Investors
The Cape Town-based biotechnology firm, Afrigen Biologics, has officially entered business rescue. This move follows the financial collapse of the Avacare group, which holds a 51% majority stake in the company. The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) holds the remaining 49% share. Afrigen gained international acclaim in 2022. It successfully developed an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine using publicly available data from Moderna.…