South Africa's health minister announced the introduction of lenacapavir, the world's first twice-yearly HIV prevention injection, with an initial limited supply of nearly half a million doses starting in April 2026, amid concerns over funding cuts and licensing issues affecting local manufacturing and access.
The Trump administration is considering strict new restrictions on licensing Chinese investigational drugs, including enhanced scrutiny and security reviews, amid concerns over China's growing influence in biotech and medicine, with proposals also to boost US domestic drug production and speed up FDA review processes.
Chinese biotech shares have surged this year, driven by optimism over innovative cancer treatments being licensed to Western pharma companies, with notable deals like 3SBio's with Pfizer and Akeso's competitive PD-1 treatments, amidst a broader industry rebound and lower research costs, despite geopolitical uncertainties.