In ChinaBio® Today, we profiled two China biotechs last week. One, Shenogen Pharma Group, recently won one of the two “Most Promising Company” awards at the ChinaBio® Investor Forum, held in early July in Shanghai (see story). Shenogen combines facets of Western and Eastern pharmaceutical practices. It uses a molecule from traditional Chinese medicine to target a novel receptor that Shenogen has discovered, which the company expects will prove to play a significant role in breast cancer. The Shenogen compound could eventually become as important as tamoxifen. With this ambitious goal, and its novel target, Shenogen is a shining example of innovation in China, as the company aims at a new target to greatly improve medical treatment of a dread disease.

The other profiled company, Beike Biotechnology, is also at the leading edge of scientific inquiry, but Beike provokes much more controversy than Shenogen (see story). Beike was in the news because it hosted the first annual 2008 China Stem Cell Stem Cell Technology Forum, a gathering that was attended by over 300 of the world’s most renowned stem cell researchers. The company’s controversy derives from its practice of treating patients with injections of stem cells (usually a combination of umbilical cord cells and stem cells derived from each patient), even though its therapies have not undergone clinical trials. Beike responds by saying that out of more than 3,000 patients so far, 70% to 80% said they were satisfied with their treatments. 86% of them experienced some therapeutic effect, according to Beike. Because these patients have exhausted other alternatives and find help with Beike’s therapy, the company believes it is doing absolutely the right thing.

Bridge Laboratories announced plans to build a second preclinical facility in China, a 150,000 square foot facility that will be next to the company’s existing laboratory in the Zhongguancun Life Science Park in Beijing (see story). Like the present lab, the new facility will be built to meet FDA and worldwide standards. It will provide GLP toxicology, immunology, vaccine, and bioanalytical services. When Bridge completed a $35 million funding in early 2007, the company said it planned to build a second vivarium in China. Those plans seemed to have changed, however. Construction, which will begin in Q4 of 2008, is expected to be completed in approximately one year.

Lotus Pharmaceuticals (OTCBB: LTUS) also announced its intention to invest in new facilities. The company bought land rights to property in Inner Mongolia on which it will construct a manufacturing plant (see story).