BioSpectrum Asia Magazine - March 2023

In this issue

HOW PLAUSIBLE IS ENDINGHOW PLAUSIBLE IS ENDING TB SCOURGE?
Tuberculosis (TB) has been the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, ranking above HIV/AIDS for a long time. And, presently, Asia Pacific is right in the thick of it. South-eastern Asia (SEA) is home to 26 per cent of the world’s population with a 43 per cent burden of TB incidence, according to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) global TB report 2021. Over the last three years, countries around the world, including in Asia and the Pacific, have faced double pandemics –COVID-19 and TB. Unfortunately, during this time, progress toward TB elimination stalled and, in some cases, reversed. COVID-19 made it harder for people to access TB diagnostics and care, eading to increases in cases and deaths since 2019. Four countries, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar accounted for most of the estimated increase in TB deaths, globally, in 2021. Not all is lost though. The countries in the region, especially India and Indonesia, have renewed their efforts to eliminate TB. India launched the TB Free India campaign – a plan to eliminate tuberculosis by 2025, five years ahead of the target set by the UN’s sustainable development goals. Indonesia received a $300 million loan from the World Bank to improve overage, quality and efficiency of TB response in the country. When observing World TB day this year on March 24, let’s take stock of the progress made by Asian countries in eliminating this dreaded disease and the way forward.

China approves AI software to assess symptoms of Parkinson's disease

Nervtex's MoDAS artificial intelligence (AI) system has become the first video-based, AI-powered medical device to win regulatory approval for assessing motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders, according to a company press release.

1 min

Gavi and India join hands to protect children with life-saving vaccines

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Government of India have established a new three-year partnership that aims to reach millions of children in the country with life-saving vaccines.

1 min

Daewoong inks $336M deal with CS Pharma for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis treatment

South Korea’s Daewoong Pharmaceutical has secured an exclusive licensing agreement with CS Pharmaceuticals,

1 min

Eli Lilly ensures patient access to high-quality affordable insulin in Bangladesh

American pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly and Company will supply its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for human insulin at a reduced price to International Agencies (Bangladesh) Ltd.

1 min

Formosa Pharma inks agreement with Eyenovia for new ophthalmic therapies

Taiwan-based Formosa Pharmaceuticals has entered into a collaboration agreement with US-based Eyenovia, for the development of novel ophthalmic therapeutics.

1 min

Global Fund provides $867M in additional funding for pandemic preparedness and response

Since December 2022, the Global Fund has awarded $547 million in additional funding to 40 countries through its COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM) and has now initiated the process to award a further $320 million, making a total of approximately $867 million.

1 min

CEPI collaborates to advance tools for Sudan ebolavirus vaccine research

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is supporting the development of an international antibody standard against Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV)

1 min

World Health Organisation releases new Global Breast Cancer Initiative Framework

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released a new Global Breast Cancer Initiative Framework providing a roadmap to attain the targets to save 2.5 million lives from breast cancer by 2040.

1 min

How Plausible Is Ending TB Scourge?

Despite countries making bold commitments to end TB by 2030, in the Sustainable Development Goals, the WHO End TB Strategy and the 2018 political declaration on the fight against TB, the epidemic shows no sign of slowing down.

10 mins

Can India Eliminate TB by 2025?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a severe public health issue in India, accounting for a quarter of the global TB burden.

5 mins

APAC Fem Tech Space Gains Momentum

Do you know what takes the blame for a woman’s bad health? Oestrogen, as it is the hormone that plays a central role in women’s health.

10+ mins

Can Med Tourism Industry Hit Goldmine With Robot-Assisted Surgery?

The quality of Healthcare is projected to become enhanced in the future, aided by new innovations in technology.

10+ mins

The New Pandemic Of Layoffs

Employees across various sectors have been hit hard due to various restructuring measures leading to layoffs.

6 mins

Scientists In New Zealand Identify Drug That Could Extend Lifespan

The age-old quest for immortality has taken a step forward with the results of a New Zealand study recently published by the researchers at the University of Auckland.

1 min

Korea designs smart contact lens for diagnosing and treating glaucoma

A research team at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea has developed a smart contact lens by combining an intraocular pressure (IOP) sensor and a flexible drug delivery system to manage IOP measurement and medication administration in glaucoma patients.

1 min

Sciex expands protein characterisation capabilities

Sciex, a US-based leader in life science analytical technologies, has announced the launch of the Fast Glycan Labeling and Analysis kit for quantitative glycan analysis  and an update for Biologics Explorer software to enhance critical protein therapeutic analysis workflows.

1 min

Read all stories from BioSpectrum Asia

BioSpectrum Asia Magazine Description:

BioSpectrum Asia Magazine is a monthly magazine published by MM Activ Sci-Tech Communication in India. It is a leading biotechnology magazine in Asia, covering a wide range of topics related to the biotechnology industry, including:

* Biotechnology news and trends: BioSpectrum Asia covers the latest biotechnology news and trends from India and around the world.
* Biotechnology company profiles and interviews: The magazine profiles leading biotechnology companies in Asia and interviews their CEOs and other top executives.
* Biotechnology research and development: BioSpectrum Asia covers the latest biotechnology research and development from academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies.
* Biotechnology product reviews: The magazine reviews the latest biotechnology products and services.
* Biotechnology industry events: BioSpectrum Asia covers biotechnology industry events from around the world.

BioSpectrum Asia Magazine is a must-read for anyone who wants to stay informed about the latest advances in biotechnology and their potential to impact the world around us.