CHONGQING– More than 400 projects worth over 54 billion U.S. dollars have been inked under the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity over the past seven years.
The projects included 218 government and business cooperation projects worth 25.26 billion U.S. dollars and 235 financial service projects worth 29.04 billion U.S. dollars. These projects have effectively improved the interconnection between the western region of China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said the initiative’s administrative bureau on Monday.
Zeng Jinghua, head of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Administrative Bureau, said cross-border financing projects amounted to about 18.59 billion U.S. dollars, covering ten provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in western China.
The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, a trade and logistics passage jointly built by Singapore and provincial-level western China regions, with Chongqing as its center of operations, has connected 335 ports in 113 countries.
Meanwhile, around 200 enterprises from western China and ASEAN countries have participated in the agricultural cooperation under the initiative.
Launched in November 2015, the initiative mainly targets financial services, air transportation, logistics, and information communication.
It is the third intergovernmental cooperation project between China and Singapore, following the Suzhou Industrial Park in east China’s Jiangsu Province and the Tianjin Eco-city in north China’s Tianjin Municipality.
Source: ASEAN-CHINA free Trade Area Business Portal
JAKARTA— ASEAN and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) have signed an agreement at the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) to support ASEAN Member States (AMS) in combating marine plastic pollution through the joint implementation of the World Bank’s US$20 million grant project: Southeast Asia Regional Program on Combating Marine Plastics (SEA-MaP).
The five-year project aims to reduce plastic consumption, increase recycling, and minimise leakages to prevent land and sea-based marine plastic pollution. Working across Southeast Asia, the project will provide holistic support to develop and harmonise regional policies, as well as create regional platforms for innovation, investments, knowledge, and partnerships.
The project activities will contribute to the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Action Plan on Combating Marine Debris and the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Blue Economy, to realise ASEAN’s commitment towards sustainable, resilient and inclusive use, management, conservation and governance of oceans, marine and coastal resources and ecosystems.
With support from the World Bank and UNOPS, ASEAN will advance cooperation at both regional and country levels to strengthen policies and regulatory frameworks governing the production and use of plastics in Southeast Asia.
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Ekkaphab Phanthavong welcomed the timely initiative. He highlighted that “the scale and magnitude of the challenge posed by the marine debris issue is indeed nearly impossible for any of us to tackle this alone. Without a doubt, the SEA-MaP will serve as a remarkable beginning for our joint venture in tackling this major challenge together. The Programme will add to ASEAN’s continuing efforts in addressing marine plastic debris and in promoting a transition to a circular economy. I call upon the World Bank, UNOPS and others to join and strengthen our cooperation, partnership and engagement for a concerted response to this major challenge of our time.”
Samina Kadwani, UNOPS Director for Thailand, Indonesia and the Pacific, said: “UNOPS is proud to support ASEC through a timely intervention which tackles a pressing issue that affects us all. Marine plastics pollution knows no borders, therefore, new partnerships and ambitious ideas are key to taking urgent action. The relationship formalised today, offers a path towards significant regional solutions, guided by mutual interests in promoting sustainable practices and protecting marine and coastal ecosystems across Southeast Asia.”
SEA-MaP will be implemented by ASEAN through ASEC with support from UNOPS, in close collaboration with AMS and partners, aligned with the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in ASEAN Region (2019) and the ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris (2021).
The SEA-MaP Project Implementation Preparation Workshop was also held this week at ASEC to ensures the timely initiation of project activities, supported by the commitment of each agency, towards the new partnership and flagship project.
The workshop was attended by Ekkaphab Phanthavong, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASCC; Samina Kadwani, UNOPS Director of Thailand, Indonesia and the Pacific, and Mona Sur, World Bank Practice Manager for Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy of South East Asia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.
Most of the leaders of the Group of 20 meeting in Indonesia are expected to strongly condemn the war in Ukraine in a summit declaration, according to a draft obtained by BenarNews.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine looms large over the two-day meeting, which began on the Indonesian island of Bali on Tuesday. The conflict that has now dragged into its ninth month has put heavy pressure on the world’s economy and led to soaring energy and food prices.
The war in Ukraine has also caused division among members of the G-20 – the world’s 20 largest economies – with countries like the U.S., the U.K. and other Western powers strongly criticizing Russia, and others, such as India, Saudi Arabia and China, refraining from doing so.
But summit attendees appeared to be coalescing around the declaration, a draft of which states: “Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy.”
The draft, which has yet to be signed, acknowledges different views among the G-20, noting that, “There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions.” The content of the draft, seen by BenarNews, a news organization affiliated with RFA, was confirmed by a European diplomat who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
But it remained unclear whether Russia would agree to the wording. While U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are in Bali, Russian President Vladimir Putin is not, and is represented instead by his top diplomat Sergey Lavrov.
Lavrov was due to address a news conference later Tuesday. In a video distributed by his ministry on Monday, he said: “We will adopt the final declaration tomorrow.” But he explained that negotiations on the final document were ongoing.
U.S. President Joe Biden, left, walks with Indonesia President Joko Widodo during the G-20 leaders summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, Pool)
As the summit kicked off, the host, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, urged leaders to bridge “very deep, very wide differences.”
“We have no other options. Paradigm of collaboration is badly needed to save the world,” he said.
The Indonesian president said that as leaders of the grouping that accounts for more than 60 percent of the world’s population, “we all have responsibility.”
“Being responsible here also means that we must end the war,” said Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, adding that the leaders “must not allow the world to fall into another Cold War.”
Zelenskyy’s address
Charles Michel, the EU Council’s president, said concerns over the war, economic recovery and major power rivalry, made the summit “one of the most difficult ones that there have ever been.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was invited by Jokowi to join the summit despite Ukraine not being a G-20 member.
Wearing his familiar army-green T-shirt, Zelenskyy addressed the gathering in Ukrainian language via video link for about 20 minutes. Lavrov was among those listening.
The president used the term “G-19,” apparently excluding Russia, three times during his address.
Zelenskyy presented “a set of solutions that need to be implemented,” including safeguarding nuclear facilities and the extension of a U.N.- and Turkey-brokered grain deal that expires in a few days to enable food exports from Ukraine, which is a major global food supplier. He also called for the release of all prisoners and deported persons.
“No one has the right to blackmail the world with a radioactive disaster,” he told the summit, urging: “Please use all your power to make Russia abandon nuclear threats.”
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office and posted on Facebook, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seen during his visit to Kherson, Ukraine, Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP, File)
Ukraine’s nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia – the largest in Europe – has been occupied by Russian forces since March and damaged by Russian shelling. Ukrainian workers there are essentially being held captive.
The implementation of his proposals “will save thousands of lives,” Zelenskyy said.
“It will restore the validity of international law,” he said. “It will return the global stability.”
Zelenskyy’s proposals “hopefully will help persuade countries which are still sitting on the fence,” said Yurii Poita, a political analyst at the Kyiv-based think-tank New Geopolitics Research Network.
India, China, Brazil and Saudi Arabia have not outright condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, to date.
“The Ukrainian leadership is thankful for the U.S.’s diplomatic efforts on behalf of Ukraine but I don’t think Ukraine expects too much from the summit,” said Poita.
“They are trying to use every opportunity to better other countries’ understanding of the war.”
“Zelenskyy wants to explain that to support Ukraine is to be on the right side of history,” the analyst said.
Xi-Biden meeting shows positive sign
The Russian foreign minister is scheduled to hold a press conference on the sidelines of the summit on Tuesday afternoon, where he’s expected to present Moscow’s viewpoint.
Lavrov had a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Tuesday, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. During the meeting, Wang told Lavrov that China opposed calls to exclude Russia from the G-20 and other international forums, RIA Novosti reported.
Lavrov also welcomed Xi’s reelection as the head of China’s Communist Party and hoped for continuity in its approaches to cooperation with Russia, RIA Novosti said.
There’s no publicly announced plan for a “family photo” of G-20 leaders, apparently to avoid potential uneasiness over the presence of the Russian representative.
Analysts say, however, that a fence-building meeting between Xi and Biden in Bali on Monday hinted at China’s opposition to the threat of a nuclear war from Russia.
“President Biden and President Xi reiterated their agreement that a nuclear war should never be fought and can never be won and underscored their opposition to the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine,” the White House said after the meeting between the two leaders.
Beijing is an ally of Moscow and has so far insisted on “neutrality” towards the war in Ukraine.
“While this particular line did not appear on the official Chinese readout, the fact that the White House readout clearly noted that both leaders affirmed this statement was significant and a critical communication of redlines to Putin,” said Patricia Kim of the John L. Thornton China Center and the Center for East Asia Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution.
The leading private aviation companyredefines gastronomy in flight with expert scientific and artistic findings, signature seasonal menus and Michelin-starred partners
London, November 15,2022: At a table at 45,000 feet — higher than Mount Everest — is probably the highest you will ever dine. This is the unique experience offered by VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, allowing passengers to embark on a curated voyage through the finest delicacies in the world — on board and at destination.
Even the greatest gourmand has to reset their senses when flying as the effects of altitude, lower humidity and increased noise and movement will have an effect, from metabolism to how we perceive different tastes. In particular, cabin air reduces the aroma that, together with taste, makes flavor — up to 80% of what people think is taste is, in fact, smell. Flying private, of course, does help to minimize the impact on the senses. At 45,000 feet, a VistaJet Global 7500 aircraft has an equivalent air pressure of only 4,500 feet and a controlled humidity level. But still, a difference can be noticeable.
Done well, food nourishes the heart and soul, body and mind. Why, then, is it so often the forgotten factor in the air — a necessity rather than a pleasure? Factors in flight are no reason to compromise.
VistaJet Private Dining
Preparing on board
“We have been on a journey to transform the private dining experience in the air — to make it something to savor”, says Diego Sabino, Vice President of Private Dining at VistaJet. “Simple things, big flavors and the best ingredients prepared and cooked to perfection will always travel well. We have explored the art and science of dining, so our Members can cherish time together on board, with the right taste, whatever the occasion.”
To ensure every passenger savors every bite, VistaJet’s expert eye to inspire the palate include:
Signature Seasonal Menus
VistaJet is focused on seasonality, health and wellbeing, continually evolving its menus for all — whether traveling for business, with family and friends, or celebrating a milestone — no matter where they are flying from.
VistaJet Private Dining
Welcome on board the VistaJet Global 7500
Perception of salt and sweetness reduces by 30%; while humidity in the home is typically around 45%, in an aircraft it can be 20% or less, desensitizing taste buds. That is why VistaJet works with more than 7,000 trusted suppliers around the world: the finest producers and purveyors to source the freshest and highest quality ingredients and dishes. Every dish is prepared for in-flight, high-altitude dining.
Renowned Partners
Even top chefs need to change the way they think about food that will be served on board a flight. Many of our award-winning partners have reformulated their iconic dishes and created exclusive meals to taste perfect in a VistaJet cabin.
Working with over 100 of the most sought-after private chefs and Michelin-starred restaurants for those special moments both in the sky and on the ground, our renowned Private World partners include a gateway to the most enlightening dishes — the revered Nobu Matsuhisa offering a new and exclusive dish onboard flights from the U.S.; Michelin-starred Alex Dilling from his eponymous restaurant at Hotel Café Royal in London; the inspired Nuhma Tuazon in New York; the delectable Tosca di Angelo at The Ritz Carlton in Hong Kong; the specialist Bon Soirée onboarding dishes from England; the legendary Zeffirino in Genoa, Italy; Chef Ivan Alvarez at the picturesque Ithaafushi — The Private Island, Maldives; the considered Origin Grill at the Shangri-La in Singapore; and a partnership with Taj Hotels around the world, including their Michelin-starred Chef Sriram of London’s Quilon, Varq at Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, The Palm Dubai, House of Ming at Taj Mahal Hotel New Delhi, Wasabi by Morimoto at Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai, and Thai Pavilion at the President, Mumbai.
The Little Book of Dining in the Sky
It is nearly impossible to recreate our favorite restaurant in the sky, and nor should we try — there are obvious limitations to space and cooking facilities, in addition to how food tastes, smells, looks and feels. But this is no reason to compromise.
The Little Book of Dining in the Skyexplores the art and science behind eating well with VistaJet. Tasting notes, jet chef secrets, travel wellness, the jet kitchen and service suggestions for whomever you are dining with. The musings and expert advice are all aimed at helping you discover the pleasures of the table, at altitude.
TheProcess and Unparalleled Service
The story behind how food gets from farm to fork in flight is one of attention to detail across the entire supply chain. It is impossible to recreate the environment of a world-class kitchen in the sky, but we aim to come as close as possible.
As soon as your flight is booked, VistaJet’s Private Dining team will propose bespoke menus for you to choose from.
Sourcing specific ingredients can take a full day, while up to six hours might be needed to take food from the kitchen to the aircraft. Menus are finalised at least 24 hours before departure to ensure sourcing and preparation standards.
The private chef or restaurant starts creating the dishes. At this point any allergies, intolerances or other dietary needs will have been checked several times.
Hot dishes are freshly prepared by hand and par-cooked. Ingredients are packed into over-ready containers, and then blast-chilled to lock in taste, texture and freshness.
The meals are couriered to the departure airport in refrigerated vehicles and loaded onto the jet around 90 minutes before departure. VistaJet flies from 1,900 airports in 187 countries — about 96% of the world.
In the air, the VistaJet Cabin Host will finish cooking the food before it is expertly presented and served to passengers. All VistaJet Cabin Hosts are trained by the British Butler Institute, certified up to Level 2 in wine and spirits training and are food-safety qualified. They have also received expert plating tutorials from chefs specializing in different cuisines.
About VistaJet
VistaJet is the first and only global business aviation company. On its fleet of silver and red business jets, VistaJet has flown corporations, governments and private clients to 187 countries, covering 96% of the world.
Founded in 2004, the company pioneered an innovative business model where customers have access to an entire fleet whilst paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership. VistaJet’s signature Program membership offers customers a bespoke subscription of flight hours on its fleet of mid and long-range jets, to fly them anytime, anywhere.
VistaJet is part of Vista — the world’s first private aviation ecosystem, integrating a unique portfolio of companies offering asset-light solutions to cover all key aspects of business aviation.
More VistaJet information and news at vistajet.com
VistaJet Limited is a European air carrier that operates 9H registered aircraft under its Maltese Air Operator Certificate No. MT-17 and is incorporated in Malta under Company Number C 55231. VistaJet US Inc. is an Air Charter Broker that does not operate aircraft. VistaJet and its subsidiaries are not U.S. direct carriers. VistaJet-owned and U.S. registered aircraft are operated by properly licensed U.S. air carriers, including XOJET Aviation LLC.
–The MAA was submitted in the EU for toripalimab seeking indications for the 1st line treatment of NPC and the 1st line treatment of ESCC
—The global commercialization plan for toripalimab has expanded from China to the US and now, the EU
SHANGHAI, China, Nov. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co., Ltd (“Junshi Biosciences”, HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180), a leading innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, announced today that the company has submitted a marketing authorization application (“MAA”) to the European Medicines Agency (“EMA”) for toripalimab. The indications requested in the MAA are:
Toripalimab combined with cisplatin and gemcitabine for the first-line treatment of patients with locally recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (“NPC”);
Toripalimab combined with paclitaxel and cisplatin for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable locally advanced/recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (“ESCC”)
“From China to the US, and now the EU, the international commercialization of toripalimab is progressing steadily,” said Dr. Patricia Keegan, Chief Medical Officer of Junshi/TopAlliance Biosciences, “This was made possible by the substantial efficacy observed in NPC and ESCC as well as the excellent safety profile of toripalimab exhibited across various cancers; these results are particularly impactful when it comes to currently unmet medical needs. For instance, in a randomized, confirmatory clinical study, toripalimab is the first immune checkpoint inhibitor (“ICI”) demonstrating a 13.2-month improvement in median progression-free survival and strong trend towards improved survival in patients with incurable NPC. Similarly, a randomized study has confirmed that toripalimab, in addition to taxane-based chemotherapy, significantly improves both survival and progression-free survival in patients with incurable ESCC. What is particularly notable is that efficacy was seen even patients with low PD-L1 tumor expression levels, for whom other ICI drugs do not appear efficacious. Going forward, we will continue to maintain close communication with the European regulatory agency and we look forward to making toripalimab available to patients in the EU as soon as possible.”
The MAA submission for NPC is based on the results from JUPITER-02 (an international randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded Phase III trial, NCT03581786) and POLARIS-02 (a multi-center, open label, pivotal Phase II clinical trial, NCT02915432). The JUPITER-02 results were first presented in June 2021 in a plenary session of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (“ASCO”) annual meeting (#LBA2) and subsequently published in detail as the cover article of the September 2021 issue of Nature Medicine. The POLARIS-02 results were published online in January 2021 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
In 2021, two indications for the treatment of NPC were approved by the National Medical Products Administration (“NMPA”) based on the results of POLARIS-02 and JUPITER-02, thereby making toripalimab the world’s first immune checkpoint inhibitor approved for the treatment of NPC. The FDA has accepted for review the resubmission of the Biologics License Application (“BLA”) for toripalimab for the treatment of NPC; the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (“PDUFA”) action date is set on December 23, 2022. If approved, toripalimab will be the first and only drug approved for the treatment of NPC in the U.S. In July 2022, toripalimab was designated as an orphan medicinal product by the European Commission (“EC”) for the treatment of NPC, and the designation will provide Junshi Biosciences with a number of incentives for research, development and marketing.
The MAA submission for ESCC is based on the results from JUPITER-06 (a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, multi-center Phase III trial, NCT03829969). The study results were first presented in a mini-oral session during the European Society for Medical Oncology (“ESMO”) Congress 2021, and later published in Cancer Cell with an editorial preview. In May 2022, the supplemental new drug application (“sNDA”) for toripalimab in combination with paclitaxel and cisplatin for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable locally advanced/recurrent or distant metastatic ESCC was approved by the NMPA in China. Additionally, US FDA has also granted an orphan drug designation to toripalimab for the treatment of patients with ESCC.
About Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
NPC is a malignant tumor that occurs in the nasopharyngeal mucosal epithelium and is one of the most common head and neck cancers in China. According to the World Health Organization, the number of newly diagnosed NPC cases in 2020 has exceeded 130,000 worldwide. Due to the location of the primary tumor, surgery is rarely an option, and patients with localized disease are treated primarily with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In the United States and Europe, there are presently no drugs approved for the treatment of NPC, for which recommendations for initial treatment (gemcitabine and cisplatin) are based on randomized trials conducted in China.
About Esophageal Cancer
Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in alimentary tract. According to data released by GLOBOCAN 2020, 604,100 new esophageal cancer cases and 544,076 deaths due to esophageal cancer occurred globally. The incidence and death rates of esophageal cancer ranked seventh and sixth among all domestic malignant tumors respectively. ESCC and esophageal adenocarcinoma are the two main histological subtypes of esophageal cancer. For patients with advanced ESCC, recently updated ESMO guidelines recommend a platinum-fluoropyrimidine doublet with a PD-1 blocking antibody for treatment of locally advanced or metastatic ESCC. Of note, the indications for those PD-1 inhibitors approved in Europe are restricted to a subset of patients with ESCC. Therefore, there is an urgent unmet need for new drugs and treatments to extend the survival of patients with ESCC, particularly those with low PD-1 tumor expression.
About Toripalimab
Toripalimab is an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody developed for its ability to block PD-1 interactions with its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, and for enhanced receptor internalization (endocytosis function). Blocking PD-1 interactions with PD-L1 and PD-L2 promotes the immune system’s ability to attack and kill tumor cells.
More than thirty company-sponsored toripalimab clinical studies covering more than fifteen indications have been conducted globally by Junshi Biosciences, including in China, the United States, Southeast Asia, and European countries. Ongoing or completed pivotal clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of toripalimab cover a broad range of tumor types including cancers of the lung, nasopharynx, esophagus, stomach, bladder, breast, liver, kidney and skin.
In China, toripalimab was the first domestic anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody approved for marketing (approved in China as TUOYI®). Currently, there are six approved indications for toripalimab in China:
unresectable or metastatic melanoma after failure of standard systemic therapy;
recurrent or metastatic NPC after failure of at least two lines of prior systemic therapy;
locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma that failed platinum-containing chemotherapy or progressed within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant platinum-containing chemotherapy;
in combination with cisplatin and gemcitabine as the first-line treatment for patients with locally recurrent or metastatic NPC;
in combination with paclitaxel and cisplatin in first-line treatment of patients with unresectable locally advanced/recurrent or distant metastatic ESCC;
in combination with pemetrexed and platinum as the first-line treatment in EGFR mutation-negative and ALK mutation-negative, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (“NSCLC”).
The first three indications have been included in the National Reimbursement Drug List (“NRDL”) (2021 Edition). Toripalimab is the only anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody included in the NRDL for melanoma and NPC.
In the United States, the FDA is reviewing the BLA resubmission for toripalimab in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin as first-line treatment for patients with advanced recurrent or metastatic NPC and for toripalimab monotherapy for the second-line or later treatment of recurrent or metastatic NPC after platinum-containing chemotherapy. The FDA has set a PDUFA action date for December 23, 2022. The FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy designations for toripalimab in combination with chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic NPC as well as for toripalimab monotherapy in the second or third-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic NPC. Additionally, the FDA has granted Fast Track designation for toripalimab for the treatment of mucosal melanoma and Orphan Drug designations for the treatment of esophageal cancer, NPC, mucosal melanoma, soft tissue sarcoma, and small cell lung cancer (“SCLC”).
In the European Union, toripalimab was also designated as an orphan medicinal product by the European Commission for the treatment of NPC. In November 2022, a MAA was submitted to the EMA for: 1)toripalimab combined with cisplatin and gemcitabine for the first-line treatment of patients with locally recurrent or metastatic NPC and 2) toripalimab combined with paclitaxel and cisplatin for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable locally advanced/recurrent or metastatic ESCC.
About Junshi Biosciences
Founded in December 2012, Junshi Biosciences (HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180) is an innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative therapeutics. The company has established a diversified R&D pipeline comprising over 50 drug candidates, with five therapeutic focus areas covering cancer, autoimmune, metabolic, neurological, and infectious diseases. Junshi Biosciences was the first Chinese pharmaceutical company that obtained marketing approval for anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody in China. Its first-in-human anti-BTLA monoclonal antibody for the treatment of various cancers was the first in the world to be approved for clinical trials by the FDA and NMPA and has since entered Phase Ib/II trials in both China and the US. Its anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibody was the first in China to be approved for clinical trials by the NMPA.
In the face of the pandemic, Junshi Biosciences’ response was strong and immediate, joining forces with Chinese and international scientific research institutions and enterprises to develop an arsenal of drug candidates to combat COVID-19, taking the initiative to shoulder the social responsibility of Chinese pharmaceutical companies by prioritizing and accelerating COVID-19 R&D. Among the many drug candidates is JS016 (etesevimab), China’s first neutralizing fully human monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV-2 and the result of the combined efforts of Junshi Biosciences, the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Science and Lilly. JS016 administered with bamlanivimab has been granted Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) in over 15 countries and regions worldwide. Meanwhile, VV116, a new oral nucleoside analog anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug designed to hinder virus replication, is in global Phase III clinical trials. The JS016 and VV116 programs are a part of the company’s continuous innovation for disease control and prevention of the global pandemic.
Junshi Biosciences has more than 3,100 employees in the United States (San Francisco and Maryland) and China (Shanghai, Suzhou, Beijing and Guangzhou). For more information, please visit: http://junshipharma.com.
Junshi Biosciences Contact Information
IR Team:
Junshi Biosciences info@junshipharma.com
+ 86 021-6105 8800
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has tested positive for COVID and decided to leave the Group of 20 Summit in Bali as a precaution.
Hun Sen arrived on the Indonesian island on Monday evening local time to attend the meeting of the world’s 20 largest economies and “woke up confirmed positive” for the virus despite having no symptoms, the 70-year-old prime minister announced in a Facebook post addressed to “dear fellow countrymen.”
“It was lucky as I arrived late and didn’t join the dinner with other heads of states hosted by the French President,” he wrote.
“For the safety of other delegates at the meeting, I decided that the Cambodian delegation will all go back to Cambodia.”
The Cambodian leader and his entourage will leave Bali in the evening. Plans to meet with the Chinese and French presidents on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Bangkok later this week will be scrapped.
The world’s longest-serving prime minister is committed to doing “business as usual” but won’t be receiving guests for the time being, he said.
Hun Sen hosted a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders last week as Cambodia completed its rotating chair of the ASEAN bloc and transferred the baton to Indonesia.
The ASEAN summit and the following East Asian Summit were attended by U.S. President Joe Biden, who praised Cambodia for a successful chairmanship amid “a challenging year” and Hun Sen for the organization efforts.
The two leaders were seen close together shaking hands at the gala dinner on Nov. 12, wearing similar Khmer silk shirts and smiling.
Responding to Hun Sen’s announcement, the White House said Biden had tested negative for the virus but suffered a cold on Monday evening.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also met with Hun Sen in Phnom Penh and subsequently with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bali.
US President Joe Biden is greeted by Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen as he arrives for a gala dinner during the ASEAN summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Nov. 12, 2022. Credit: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Lavrov visits hospital
In another development, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited a hospital upon arrival in Bali on Monday for a check-up but left soon afterwards.
Bali Governor I Wayan Koster told BenarNews, a sister news outlet of RFA, that Lavrov had his health examined at the island’s main Sanglah hospital, but did not stay there.
The Russian foreign ministry went to great lengths to reject media reports that Lavrov, who is attending the G-20 Summit instead of President Vladimir Putin, was hospitalized.
Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova published a video showing the minister sitting at a table wearing shorts in the Nusa Dua resort area in which a healthy-looking Lavrov urged Western journalists to report “more honestly.”
The Russian foreign minister was to host a press conference later Tuesday as news emerged that the final statement of the G-20 Summit may state that “most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine.”
A U.S. spokesman said “most members of G-20 come together around the consensus that the Russian war is seen as the core root cause of so much of instability.”
