Companies should talk to FDA staff in between formal meetings if they need clarity on agency advice that is several years old or development programs hit a snag, Office of Therapeutic Products Director Nicole Verdun says.

Guest speaker Professor Guangzuo Luo joins Brian Yang and Dexter Yang to discuss orphan drug development and going global trends for Chinese bioventures, along with the latest business moves from Shanghai Fosun and Jiangsu Hengrui.

The EU is on track to get its first vaccine for preventing the disease caused by chikungunya virus. Thirteen other products have also been recommended for pan-EU approval. 

Chinese developers of innovative drugs for rare diseases are hoping to step into the global spotlight, helped by rapid clinical progress and low costs on their home turf.