Pharmaceuticals
Co-Stone leads $28m Series B for Chinese gene sequencer
Gene+ Technology, a Chinese provider of gene sequencing services used to support cancer diagnoses, has raised RMB200 million ($28 million) in a Series B round led by Co-Stone Asset Management.
China healthcare AI: A learning process
Most healthcare-focused artificial intelligence start-ups in China focus on image-based diagnosis assistance, but deep learning-based drug discovery might be the key application
Qiming leads $37m round for Hong Kong biotech player
Qiming Venture Partners has led a $37 million Series B round for Insilico Medicine, a Hong Kong-based drug development company that uses artificial intelligence (AI).
PAG buys control of China biotech player for $532m
PAG has agreed to pay RMB3.8 billion ($532 million) for a 58% stake in a biotech unit of Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical. It is being called the largest PE investment in China’s biotech space to date.
Korea start-ups: The graduates
Korea’s start-ups are internationalizing and becoming more technically advanced as the ecosystem matures. A rapidly multiplying flock of local VCs will have to do the same to keep up with them
HiFiBiO Therapeutics receives $67m in Series C funding
HiFiBiO Therapeutics, a drug developer led by the former head of Asian cancer research at Sanofi, has completed a $67 million Series C funding round.
Korean biotech player gets $137m Series B
D&D Pharmatech, a South Korean biotechnology company, has raised a $137 million Series B round from a group of Korean and US investors.
Women entrepreneurs: Tales from the coalface
Women remain underrepresented in start-up ecosystems across Asia, but for those who have taken the plunge, there is potential to make a social impact that transcends their respective target markets
Korea's Orum Therapeutics secures $30m Series B
Orum Therapeutics, a Korean biotechnology developer targeting cancer and rare diseases, has secured a $30 million Series B round from a group including IMM Investment and InterVest.
Catalys seeks $100m for Japan healthcare VC fund
Newly established Japanese venture capital firm Catalys Pacific has launched its debut fund with a view to raise $100 million for investments in early-stage life science start-ups globally.
Vivo raises $1.28b for China-US healthcare fund
US and China-focused healthcare investor Vivo Capital has raised $1.28 billion for its ninth private equity fund. The predecessor vehicle closed at $750 million in 2015.
SDIC, Sherpa lead $74m round for China's EpimAb
Shanghai-based biopharmaceutical company EpimAb Biotherapeutics has raised a $74 million Series B round led by SDIC Fund Management and healthcare specialist Sherpa Healthcare Partners.
PE-backed Mabpharm trades down after $157m HK IPO
Mabpharm, a China-based biopharmaceutical company backed by CDH Investments, saw its stock drop almost 20% on debut following a HK$1.23 billion ($157 million) IPO in Hong Kong.
Portfolio: Mekong and Pharmacity
Mekong Capital has spent the last two years helping Pharmacity bring Vietnam’s outdated retail pharmacy market into the modern age. Now the company is preparing to fend off a wave of copycats
China's Alphamab Oncology gets $60m Series B
Chinese biopharmaceutical developer Alphamab Oncology has completed a $60 million Series B round led by US and UK-based investor Hudson Bay Capital Management.
Bain-Piramal fund invests $144m in India's Panacea
India Resurgence Fund (India RF), a joint venture between Bain Capital Credit and Piramal Enterprises to invest in distressed assets in India, has agreed to invest up to INR9.9 billion ($144 million) in Indian pharmaceutical developer Panacea Biotec.
Everstone exits India's Rubicon to General Atlantic
General Atlantic has acquired Indian pharmaceutical developer Rubicon Research. Everstone Group, the company's controlling shareholder, will realize a 4.5x return on the deal.
Korea's Standigm raises $11.5m Series B
Mirae Asset Capital has led a $11.5 million Series B round for Standigm, a Korean drug discovery and development company that uses artificial intelligence (AI).
Qiming leads $42m Series B for China cancer drug developer
Qiming Venture Partners has led a $42 million Series B round for Chinese cancer drug developer Abbisko.
Unison to exit Japan's Ayumi to Blackstone
The Blackstone Group has made its first transaction in Japan, agreeing to acquire Ayumi Pharmaceutical Corporation from Unison Capital and medical information site operator M3.
C-Bridge helps Korea's Samsung Bioepis with China expansion
C-Bridge Capital has announced a licensing agreement with Samsung Bioepis that is intended to help the Korean biopharmaceutical specialist expand into the China market.
TPG Growth invests $30m in Indian pharma player
TPG Growth, the mid-market investment platform of TPG Capital, has invested $30 million in Indian pharmaceutical ingredient maker Solara Active Pharma.
Invascent closes India healthcare fund at $250m hard cap - update
Invascent Capital, an Indian healthcare-focused GP, has closed its third vehicle at the hard cap of $250 million.
Eight Roads leads $6.3m round for India pharma player
Ashish Life Science, an Indian producer of generic pharmaceuticals for the international veterinary market, has raised a INR450 million ($6.3 million) Series A round led by Eight Roads Ventures India.