On August 18 (Monday), Biotech stocks in Hong Kong saw an increase, with Brii Biosciences rising by over 14%. HeartCare Medical rose 10%, Sirnaomics rose 9%, Ascentage Pharma rose 7%, Luzhu Biotechnology rose 6%, Zylox-Tonbridge Medical rose 5%.

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In terms of news: Ascentage Pharma announced that the global registration Phase III clinical study (GLORA-4) of the Bcl-2 selective inhibitor Lisa-Tacra (product name: Lisa-Bio; research code: APG-2575), developed in-house and for frontline treatment of newly diagnosed high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (HR-MDS) patients, was approved for initiation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). As the second global Phase III study of Lisa-Bio approved by European and American regulators, GLORA-4 will be simultaneously enrolling across multiple countries and centers, accelerating the process for the new drug to enter the market.

Luzhu Biotechnology released an announcement revealing that a randomized, active-controlled, and non-inferiority trial comparing their core product LZ901 with the recombinant glycoprotein E(gE) subunit vaccine HZ/su vaccine (Shingrix®) has obtained positive immunogenicity and safety data among adults aged 50 and above. The study recruited 301 healthy adults aged 50 or older, with at least 291 receiving two doses of either the LZ901 or HZ/su vaccine. The results demonstrate that, compared to the HZ/su vaccine, LZ901 induced a stronger cell-mediated immune response and exhibited better safety profiles in adults aged 50 and above.