Recap | ‘Promising’ steps to HIV vaccine, Trump tariffs threaten Chinese profits: 5 biotech stories
Discover breakthroughs in the biotech world, from a potential HIV cure to China’s booming drug market and innovative coronavirus treatments, in some of our latest stories
![A Hong Kong biotech start-up says its first-phase trial of a therapeutic HIV vaccine has shown promising results. Photo: dpa](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1020x680/public/d8/images/canvas/2024/11/22/7d33af7b-dfaf-4149-93c0-e21c895a5b44_681a4883.jpg?itok=YPlA-q4q&v=1732260420)
1. HIV cure on horizon? Hong Kong firm Immuno Cure unveils promising vaccine, ICVAX
“We may be on the brink of a breakthrough,” the company advisory board chairman said as the biotech start-up reported promising results from clinical trials. The vaccine, designed to be administered after infection, could offer a potential cure for HIV, the virus that causes Aids.
2. Trump tariffs threaten Chinese biotech profits, medical device makers brace for impact
Chinese biotech firms are facing a double whammy of US funding restrictions and tariffs after Trump proposed import duties of 60 to 100 per cent on Chinese goods. Efforts to expand high-value product sales within China and alternative overseas markets outside the US may mitigate the impact.
3. China’s pharmaceutical boom sees market surge past US$13 billion with 113 new drugs since 2021
China’s pharmaceutical industry is booming, with 113 innovative drugs approved since its 14th five-year plan began in 2021, exceeding the previous five-year plan by nearly three times. This surge in innovation has driven the market scale to US$13.8 billion, making China a global leader in drug development.
![Virologist Shi Zhengli is best known for her research into coronaviruses in Wuhan. Photo: AP Virologist Shi Zhengli is best known for her research into coronaviruses in Wuhan. Photo: AP](https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/11/22/daf85520-9dc7-454e-bcaf-3bb35c518920_abb36fd4.jpg)
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