On January 4, 2026, Ascletis Pharma Inc. (HKEX: 1672), a Hong Kong-listed biotechnology company specializing in metabolic diseases, announced U.S. FDA clearance of its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for a Phase II clinical trial of ASC30 in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). ASC30 is an in-house discovered oral small molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) fully biased agonist, designed for once-daily oral administration or once-monthly to once-quarterly subcutaneous dosing, targeting obesity, diabetes, and related conditions.
On January 5, 2026, ScinoPharm Taiwan Ltd. (TWSE: 1789), based in Tainan, announced a significant milestone: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its Glatiramer Acetate Injection, a therapeutic equivalent to Teva’s Copaxone® for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). This approval positions ScinoPharm as the only Taiwanese pharmaceutical company to successfully navigate the stringent regulatory pathway for this product, underscoring Taiwan’s emerging role in the global complex generics sector.
Alpha- and beta-thalassemia are inherited hemoglobinopathies causing chronic hemolytic anemia, ineffective erythropoiesis, iron overload, and complications including fatigue and organ damage. Management has relied on supportive care such as transfusions and chelation, with no prior disease-modifying oral therapies approved for all subtypes. Mitapivat, a first-in-class oral pyruvate kinase activator, targets underlying red blood cell energy deficits to improve survival and function.
Patients with minor ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack (TIA) face elevated early recurrent vascular event risks, with guidelines recommending short-term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and clopidogrel initiated promptly. However, real-world data on the impact of initiation timing remain limited, particularly beyond the hyperacute phase.
On December 30, 2025, Vanda Pharmaceuticals announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved NEREUS™ (tradipitant), an oral neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor antagonist, for the prevention of vomiting induced by motion in adults. This approval represents a historic milestone, as it introduces the first new pharmacologic treatment for motion sickness in over 40 years, advancing beyond traditional antihistamines and antimuscarinics like scopolamine patches, which often carry limitations such as drowsiness or limited efficacy.
