Markets in Asia Pacific (APAC) are rapidly gaining ground as credible innovation hubs amid the reshaping of global biotech strategies, driven by geopolitical tensions and significant US research funding cuts, a new report revealed on Thursday. According to the report from Bain & Company, developed in partnership with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), J.P. Morgan and SG Growth Capital, several APAC governments have...

New data released by global verification provider Sumsub, revealed that healthtech and fintech sectors are the most exposed to the new wave of artificial intelligence (AI)- powered fraud in Asia Pacific (APAC). The firm said in a statement on Thursday that APAC digital ecosystems continue to undergo explosive growth, some of the fastest-growing sectors are becoming prime targets for increasingly sophisticated fraud. According to the statement, healthtech recorded the sharpest year-on-year...

ClavystBio, a life sciences investor and venture builder established by Temasek, and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore’s lead public sector research and development (R&D) agency, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to create and grow MedTech ventures in Singapore. ClavystBio said in a statement on Tuesday that this partnership will support venture creation, product development, and commercialization by bringing together ClavystBio and...

Allay Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced last Thursday the completion of a $57.5 million Series D financing round with leading global investors. The firm said in a statement that Lightstone Ventures and Temasek-backed ClavystBio co-led the Series D financing with participation by existing investors NEA, Arboretum Ventures, Vertex Growth, Vertex Ventures Healthcare, and Brandon Capital. New investors joining the round were IPD Capital, EDBI and SGInnovate, and...

Temasek-based investment firm SeaTown Holdings International announced Wednesday its investment via SeaTown Private Capital Master Fund (SeaTown PCap Fund) in AddVita, a Singapore headquartered healthcare and life sciences distribution company. With a capital commitment of up to S$115 million ($89.09 million) from SeaTown PCap Fund, this investment positions AddVita as an enduring home for small and medium-sized healthcare and life sciences distribution businesses across Asia, providing them...

PHASE Scientific International Limited, a Hong Kong-based biotechnology company, announced Tuesday the successful completion of a $34 million Series A funding round. The firm said in a statement that this represents the largest Series A raise in Asia’s diagnostic technology sector since 2019, reflecting robust investor conviction in PHASE Scientific’s innovative PHASIFY™ technology and ambitious growth strategy. The funding round is led by a private equity fund managed by...

Betamek Berhad, a Malaysia-based original design manufacturer (ODM), has partnered with SiGenex Global Holdings Pte. Ltd. (SiGenex), a Singapore-based technology firm, for artificial intelligence (AI) genomics diagnostic and sequencing solution. Betamek said in a statement that the firm, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Betamek Research Sdn. Bhd. (BRSB) has entered into a memorandum of collaboration (MoC) with SiGenex for the partnership. The collaboration aims to jointly explore a...

Southeast Asia’s biotech and healthtech sectors are gaining momentum, driven by government-led initiatives like Singapore’s National Precision Medicine Strategy and Thailand’s “Thailand 4.0” plan. These efforts aim to drive R&D and deliver more personalized, data-driven healthcare solutions. Artificial intelligence sits at the heart of this transformation, promising faster drug discovery, improved diagnostics, and more targeted treatments. Yet despite its...

Telehealth services are seeing a major shift in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with artificial intelligence playing a central role. From automated patient monitoring to real-time diagnostics, AI addresses critical healthcare challenges across clinical practices. But how instrumental is AI in helping improve patient outcomes in the region, and where do APAC countries stand in its implementation? The state of telehealth in APAC With the APAC telehealth industry reaching $8.07 billion in 2024...

Nuevocor, a Singapore-headquartered IND-stage biotechnology company developing cures for cardiomyopathies driven by aberrant mechanobiology, has announced the successful completion of $45 million Series B financing. The round was co-led by Kurma Partners and Angelini Ventures, with significant participation from existing investors EDBI, ClavystBio and Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, alongside Highlight Capital and SEEDS Capital, Nuevocor said in a statement on Tuesday. Nuevocor also...

Creador, a Malaysia-based private equity firm in South and Southeast Asia, has announced the acquisition of up to 13 percent in FPT Long Chau Investment JSC (Long Chau), one of Vietnam’s leading pharmacy chains. This marks the first ever fundraise by Long Chau and the second investment made in Vietnam by Creador, Creador said in a statement on last Friday. Long Chau has grown from four stores in 2017 to over 2,000 pharmacies and over 140 vaccination centers in Vietnam today. It is...

By the time you finish reading this article, somewhere in the world, a robot will have helped a stroke survivor move an arm, reminded an elderly patient to take their medication, or encouraged a toddler to get active. Physical artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t just testing our technological capability. It is testing our values. Across aged care, education, and hospitals, physical AI – robots that move, sense, and interact in the real world – is emerging as a powerful and...