Plus deals involving Shionogi/NEC, Ji Xing/LENZ, Kyowa Kirin/Ardelyx, CR Pharma/Everest Medicine and Dr Reddy’s/Novartis.

Billionaire philanthropist and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation signals efforts underway to support building mRNA capacity in India amid the new platform’s potential beyond COVID-19 vaccines. He also highlights the need to bring down sharply the cost of gene therapies.

Japan has added to its growing arsenal of COVID-19 treatments with the approval of the oral antiviral Paxlovid, while the US FDA has lifted a clinical hold on Bharat's vaccine, which has shown potential against Omicron. Also, Biological E's vaccine is approved for use in adolescents in India

Many industry leaders expect broad progress in the field of RNA technologies following the rapid and successful roll-out of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 last year. Genetic medicines of various types, emerging platforms for tackling previously “undruggable” targets and the microbiome were among other areas singled out as areas to watch in 2022.