China’s biotech scene has hit a historic milestone. On Jan. 23, the National Medical Products Administration approved Livzevtamab, the world’s first antibody‑based medicine for viral hepatitis and the first therapy for hepatitis D ever approved in the country. The drug was created by biotech firm Hua Hui An Jian, building on a 2012 discovery by Li Wenhui’s team at the Beijing Institute of Life Sciences that identified the liver‑cell receptor (NTCP) used by hepatitis B and its “satellite” virus, hepatitis D, to enter cells. By designing an antibody that locks onto the virus’s key, Livzevtamab blocks infection at its source. In clinical trials involving patients co‑infected with hepatitis B and D—who face double the risk of cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death—the drug showed impressive results: after 48 weeks, more than 44 % met comprehensive efficacy criteria, viral suppression reached 60 %, ALT liver‑enzyme levels normalized in 70 %, and liver stiffness improved markedly. Experts say this offers a lifeline to a group that previously had no curative options. The approval marks a major step toward the ultimate goal of curing hepatitis B, with further trials already underway.
Read moreResearchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences have announced a breakthrough in treating a tough form of lung cancer. In a study published in the prestigious journal *Lancet* (impact factor ≈ 89), they found that patients with non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who carry both an EGFR mutation and a MET gene amplification responded well to a combination of two oral medicines: savolitinib and osimertinib. The phase‑III trial, called SACHI, compared this dual‑target therapy against standard chemotherapy in advanced cases. Results showed a clear extension of progression‑free survival—the time patients lived without the disease getting worse—while side effects remained manageable. Importantly, the regimen offers an all‑oral alternative, sparing patients the discomfort of intravenous chemotherapy. For patients whose cancer has progressed after earlier EGFR‑targeted treatments, this combination could become a new standard of care, addressing a common resistance mechanism. The researchers emphasize that the findings are based on an interim analysis, but the data are encouraging enough to suggest a viable, less invasive option for a biomarker‑selected group of lung‑cancer patients.
Read more