Global Creative and Business Leaders Converge in Hong Kong, the Super-Connector

HONG KONG, Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Amidst great anticipation from the global design community, the Business of Design Week (BODW) 2025 Summit, sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Asia’s premier design, innovation, and branding event, officially opened yesterday (3 Dec) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Under the theme “Curiosity Provokes Design Innovation”, and with Italy as the year-long Partner Country the Summit brings together leading designers and business visionaries from Italy and around the world for three days of in-depth dialogue and inspirational exchange.

Coinciding with the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union and the 55^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Italy, the BODW 2025 Summit highlights the wisdom of Italy’s design heritage. It explores how curiosity has long been served as a driving source of creativity, fueling cross-disciplinary innovation across diverse fields. The Summit also showcases Hong Kong’s design and creativity West and exemplifying the city’s role as a “Super Connector” and “Super Value-Adder” in bridging the East and West, and reinforcing its position as a hub for international cultural exchange.

The opening session yesterday was officiated by Miss Rosanna Law Shuk Pui, JP, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government; H.E. Massimo Ambrosetti, The Ambassador of Italy to the People’s Republic of China; Mr Joseph Lo, MH, Chairman of the Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC), the organizing body of BODW 2025; and Ms Sophia Chong, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the co-organizing body.

In her opening remarks, Miss Rosanna Law Shuk Pui, JP, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, stated: ‘[At BODW], masters from various design disciplines will guide us on a journey to rediscover how good design enhances our quality of life, and reimagine how it can help shape a better tomorrow. This year, we have the privilege to welcome Italy once again as our Partner Country. Building on our successful collaborations in 2007 and 2017, and as 2025 also marks the 55^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and Italy, this reunion at BODW is both timely and meaningful. It also reaffirms Hong Kong’s role as an East-West centre for international cultural exchange.’

H.E. Massimo Ambrosetti, Ambassador of Italy to the People’s Republic of China, stated, ‘BODW is a very important point of reference for the world of design in Asia. We would like to express our gratitude for the partnership between ourselves and the Hong Kong Design Centre. Today’s event underlines how Italy is not only an innovative country, but a country with a vision. And this vision is shared with an incredibly dynamic counterpart which is Hong Kong – it is really deeply rooted, because there is what I am glad to call a cultural friendship between the Chinese world and the Italian world.’ 

This year’s Summit boasts an impressive lineup of creative leaders from Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Czech Republic, Singapore, the Chinese Mainland, and Hong Kong. Nearly 50 thematic keynotes, creative dialogues, and forums will explore how design has shaped diverse sectors, from major sporting events and tech headquarters to future mobility trends and high end brands. Selected programming is specially presented by MGM China and M+ museum. To ensure global participants can fully engage in this international creative gathering, for the first time the three-day Summit offers real-time English captions and AI-powered live interpretation services in 10 languages, including Italian, English, Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Korean, Spanish, German, and Arabic.

Dr Carlo Ratti, the renowned Founding Partner of CRA – CARLO RATTI ASSOCIATI and curator of the Venice Biennale Architettura 2025, who also designed the torch for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic games, opened the Summit with a thought-provoking keynote that set the tone for the event’s thematic discussions.

Day one centred on the pillars of Urban Visions and Mobility Revolution. Architect Patricia Viel, Co-founder of ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, shared the architectural philosophy of the Milanese school, exploring how technology, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and architecture beyond a purely human-centric perspective can shape the smart cities of tomorrow. Brett Wightman, Senior Principal & Director of Populous APAC, shared his design philosophy through projects such as Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park, Tokyo’s Tsukiji district development, and Osaka’s Kansai International Airport. His work reflects local culture while aligning with the commercial visions of his clients. Other day one highlights included Ole Scheeren, Founder & Chief Designer of Büro Ole Scheeren, renowned for landmark projects such as the CCTV and TVCC Towers in Beijing; Michele De Lucchi, Founder of AMDL CIRCLE and designer of the Nordic Pavilion for Osaka World Expo 2025; and Dr. Walter Mariotti, Editorial Executive Director of Editoriale Domus.

Afternoon sessions emphasised the courage required to translate curiosity into practice. David Imai, Chief Designer of Arc and former Design Director of Tesla, discussed cultivating environments that encourage bold experimentation and collective curiosity to overcome industry roadblocks and innovate for breakthroughs and progress. Additional speakers included Matteo Fioravanti, Senior Vice President Design of Pininfarina; Luca Santella, Founder & Head of Product Strategy of Bluegame; Tony Ip, Partner of SIXECO TECHNOLOGY; and Ben Chen, Vice Chairman of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei New Energy Vehicle Collaborative Development Promotion Association, sharing their perspectives from diverse angles within the field of mobility technology.

Over the next two days, the Summit will unveil four further pillars: Crafted Living, Luxury Reimagined, Innovating with AI & Technology, and Cultural Innovation & Creativity. Prominent speakers include: Czech Architect Tereza Šváchová, who designed the Czech Pavilion at the Osaka World Expo 2025; Angelica Visconti, Vice Chairman of FERRAGAMO who drives the brand’s curiosity-led research into new materials and technologies; Nicolas François Luchsinger, CEO of Buccellati, steering the century-old jewellery brand to innovate while staying rooted in tradition; Will Shi, General Manager – Hong Kong & Macau of Baidu AI Cloud, who was formerly involved in the development of the military application for the BeiDou satellite system; Tim Marlow, Chief Executive & Director of the Design Museum, a world-class institution of design; Paola Antonelli, Senior Curator, Architecture & Design of The Museum of Modern Art in New York,  recognised by Time magazine as one of the world’s most influential design thinkers; and Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director of M+, leading the team in building one of the world’s foremost museums of contemporary visual culture.

A new highlight this year is the bodw Future Lab, introduced in partnership with INSTILL, the creative consultancy founded by internationally renowned designer and Professor Rama Gheerawo. Designed as a space for experimentation collaboration and creative exchange, the Future Lab brings together designers, technologists, business leaders and creative leaders from Hong Kong and the world to jointly explore forward-thinking concepts and emerging technologies, and foster inter-disciplinary dialogue across design, business, and innovation. Emphasising interactive participation, the bodw Future Lab encourages attendees for active contribution, collaborating to shape the future together.

The bodw Future Lab features a total of three sessions. The first was conducted in yesterday afternoon with the theme “Urban Visions: Designing the Future City”, highlighting urban planning and innovative building design. Participants collaborated to brainstorm how Hong Kong’s cultural and natural resources can be integrated to co-create a future-inclusive city that balances social cohesion with sustainability, developing actionable design principles that benefit both the community and the economy. The remaining two Future Lab sessions unfolded on day two of the Summit, guiding participants to explore how art and design can revitalise urban spaces; and learn to apply a creative leadership framework to navigate technology in the AI era for greater impact. 

The full Summit programme is streamed live on bodw+ and social media platforms, with curated highlights broadcast locally on ViuTVsix (channel 96) from 18 to 20 December, between 8:30 PM and 10:30 PM.

Beyond the Summit, BODW 2025 presents a rich calendar of concurrent programmes, including exhibitions, lectures and networking events. Other design  events this month include BODW In the City and the DFA Awards Presentation 2025 organised by HKDC; as well as the international creative design exhibition, DesignInspire*, and the Business of IP Asia Forum, hosted by HKTDC, and DesignInspire is Maison&Objet Intérieurs Hong Kong 2025 jointly presented by HKTDC and France’s Maison&Objet. Together, these events infuse Hong Kong’s winter with a creative atmosphere.

For live updates on BODW 2025,  follow bodw+ on the following social media channels: Facebook (bodw+), Instagram (@bodwplus), X (@bodwplus), LinkedIn (bodw+) and YouTube (bodw+).

About Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) (www.hkdesigncentre.org) 

Hong Kong Design Centre is a strategic partner of the HKSAR Government in leveraging the city’s East-meets-West advantage to create value from design.

The major programmes include Business of Design Week, DFA Awards, bodw+ Series, Fashion Asia Hong Kong and BODW In the City. Since 2024, we have also been operating the DX design hub in Sham Shui Po, dedicated to fostering emerging design talents and facilitating collaborations and exchanges in the design industry, as well as providing visitors an immersive experience through innovative exhibitions, fashion showcases and cultural events.

To achieve our goals, we:

• Cultivate a culture of design
• Bridge stakeholders to opportunities that unleash the power of design
• Promote excellence in various design disciplines 

About Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macao (conshongkong.esteri.it)  

The Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macao represents Italy and the Italian Government in the two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao. The activity of the Consulate General focuses on consular services provided to the Italian nationals formally resident in Hong Kong or in Macao as well as to the local and international community (mainly for visa services). The Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macao contribute to the implementation of the initiatives to promote Italy in Hong Kong and Macao, especially cultural activities, together with the Italian Cultural Institute, and business and trade promotion together with the Italian Trade Commission. From 1st of September 2022, the Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macao is Mr. Carmelo Ficarra. More information on the Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macao and its activities are available on the website https://conshongkong.esteri.it/it/ and on social profiles IG (@italyinhongkong), X (@italyinhongkong) and FB (@italyinhongkong).

About Business of Design Week (BODW) (https://2025.bodw.com/en)

Business of Design Week (BODW), Asia’s premier annual event on design, innovation and brands since 2002, is organised by Hong Kong Design Centre and gathers some of the world’s foremost design masters, brand leaders and entrepreneurs from Hong Kong as well as overseas, driving discourse on the value of design and innovation to inspire global audiences and explore new business opportunities. 

About DesignInspire (designinspire.hktdc.com)

DesignInspire, organised by Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), is a Business-to-All exchange and inspiring platform that gathers global design and creative elites, trend-setting brands, associations and institutes. Through a series of interactive exhibits, design masterpieces, award-winning projects and creative workshops, participants will explore the limitless potential of design and promote top-tier creativity. As a unique B2A platform for Hong Kong’s creative industry, DesignInspire aims to establish a gateway for connecting Hong Kong with the international design community, fostering interaction and collaboration.

About Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDAHK) (www.ccidahk.gov.hk) 

The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) established in June 2024, formerly known as Create Hong Kong (CreateHK), is a dedicated office set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau to provide one-stop services and support to the cultural and creative industries with a mission to foster a conducive environment in Hong Kong to facilitate the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries. Its strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, promoting cross-sectoral and cross-genre collaboration, promoting the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries under the industry-oriented principle, and promoting Hong Kong as Asia’s creative capital and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community to implement Hong Kong’s positioning as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange under the National 14th Five-Year Plan. 

Source

SINGAPORE, Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau (OCTB)‘s latest Kansai Airport Exit Survey 2025: Interim Report found that Klook is the most-used platform among international travelers booking paid tours and activities during their stay in Japan.

42.1% of respondents indicated that they booked via Klook, tripling the next player on the list.

The finding draws on data from 2,228 respondents collected over two survey waves conducted between May and September 2025. Interim results were published in October 2025.

This survey is part of OCTB’s ongoing efforts to understand inbound tourists’ behavior in Japan — including how and where they book their activities — in order to identify effective ways to market Osaka’s attractions to different types of visitors. It also explores key factors influencing satisfaction, repeat intention, and spending behavior.

“Understanding where visitors book their activities helps us connect this information with insights from our surveys, such as traveler profiles and motivations,” says Hiroki Makita, General Manager, Marketing Strategy Department, OCTB. “This enables us to better understand different customer segments and identify effective ways to promote Osaka’s attractions to a broader audience, supporting our wider-area tourism goals.”

The data serves as a foundational resource for tourism stakeholders in Osaka, including local governments and tourism-related businesses, providing an overview of the current state of tourism in the city and supporting future strategy development.

“Our latest results show that Klook has a particularly strong presence in activity ticket sales,” says Makita-san. “By working with Klook and other online travel agents, we aim to expand exposure for experiences across Osaka’s municipalities and inspire more visitors to explore the many sides of Osaka.”

And Klook has played a pivotal role in inspiring visitors to explore Osaka.

The city’s defining event this year, Expo 2025, runs from April to October 2025, coinciding with OCTB’s survey window.

During that period, Klook recorded close to 40% year-on-year increase in average daily gross bookings, indicating that travelers who came for Expo 2025 also booked additional experiences through Klook.

These travelers were also more likely to book JR Passes, Shinkansen trips, and regional attractions like Osaka e-pass and Have Fun in Kansai Pass to maximize their stay.

“We are honored that Klook is the leading platform among international travelers booking paid tours and activities in Japan, and outperforming other providers by a significant margin too,” says Wataru Masuda, General Manager at Klook Japan. “This recognition reaffirms our commitment to making it easy for everyone to enjoy the best of each destination. Working closely with partners, like the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau, definitely helps us design experiences that bring value to both travelers and local communities.”

In August 2025, Klook partnered with the Hiroshima Tourism Association (HIT) to bring 112 content creators from 20 markets to experience and showcase Hiroshima. The campaign achieved a sustained digital reach of over 59.5 million and 28.5 million social impressions, amplifying Hiroshima’s appeal to global travelers.

Klook is also one of only three online travel agencies partnering with the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) to drive tourism dispersal by promoting lesser-visited destinations of Japan to Asia-based travelers.

About Klook

Klook is a leading pan-regional experiences platform in Asia Pacific, purpose built to digitalize experiences and make them accessible to every traveler. Our mission is to build the digital infrastructure for the global experience economy — empowering merchants to share their passions and travelers to discover the heartbeat of each destination. We operate a mobile-first, curated platform featuring diverse experiences across global destinations.

Source

SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — With domestic and foreign airlines expanding flight options to Central Asia, the region is capturing the attention of South Korean travelers. Digital travel platform Agoda revealed that, based on accommodation searches made by South Korean travelers from January to October this year, search volume for four key Central Asian countries — Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan — has increased by 225% compared to the same period last year.

Uzbekistan

Famed as a central hub along the ancient Silk Road, Uzbekistan saw a 234% increase in searches by South Korean travelers this year. In particular, interest in Tashkent, the country’s capital, rose by 289% after T’way Air launched its direct Incheon–Tashkent route in May, marking it the first service to Uzbekistan by a Korean low-cost carrier. Meanwhile, the historic cities of Samarkand and Bukhara, both recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, have also gained traction, with search volumes increasing by 127% and 59%, respectively.

Kazakhstan

With a 295% year-on-year increase in search volume among South Korean travelers, Kazakhstan is emerging as a new favorite destination in Central Asia. The launch of Eastar Jet’s new Incheon–Almaty route, which operated from April to October this year, boosted Almaty’s popularity, with search interest rising by 348%. Meanwhile, Shymkent, Kazakhstan’s third-largest city, has also gained popularity following SCAT Airlines’ launch of a direct flight from Incheon in May, resulting in an 89% increase in travel interest by South Koreans.

Kyrgyzstan

Often called the “Alps of Central Asia,” Kyrgyzstan has become a must-visit destination for adventure seekers, with search volume among South Korean travelers rising by 61% this year. Karakol and Cholpon-Ata — both located by Lake Issyk-Kul and renowned for their trekking routes and stunning natural landscapes — recorded 127% and 83% increases in searches, respectively. Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, is also gaining popularity, with searches from South Korean travelers increasing by 46%.

Tajikistan

Tajikistan has seen a 43% rise in searches from South Korean travelers. In the capital city of Dushanbe, elegant European-style architecture lines the streets alongside bustling traditional bazaars, contributing to a 41% increase in search interest.

Jay Lee, Regional Director, North Asia at Agoda, said, “We’re seeing a clear rise in curiosity among South Korean travelers for destinations that combine adventure, culture, and authenticity, with Central Asia standing out as a region of growing interest. At Agoda, we’re excited to help travelers explore these emerging destinations and make planning their trips seamless with our wide range of flights, accommodations, and activities.”

Travelers looking for the perfect Central Asia trip can start their search on Agoda to select from over 6 million holiday properties, more than 130,000 flight routes, and over 300,000 activities, all easily combined in a single booking. Discover the best deals on Agoda’s mobile app and visit Agoda.com for more information.

Source

SHENZHEN, China, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — ONERugged launched the smallest yet the strongest 8-inch Windows rugged tablet, M82A. Built for professionals who need performance on the move, the M82A combines compact size and a 12^th Gen Intel® Core™ processor to support mission-critical work in the field, warehouse, or outdoors. With its lightweight design and robust features, the M82A redefines what a truly mobile rugged tablet can offer.

Need Both Performance & Portability? M82A Is the One.

Previously, most 12^th Gen Intel® Core™ rugged tablets ranged from 10.1 to 14 inches. Larger sizes allowed stronger performance, but left mobility-focused users wanting more. Many wondered: Can a smaller tablet handle high-performance processors?

Now, the M82A is the perfect answer. As the smallest member of the Alder Lake series, the M82A features Intel® Core™ i5-1235U/i7-1255U processors with up to 15W power, delivering smooth performance while handling complex software and multitasking. Its efficient cooling system ensures stable performance, the IP67 rating protects against heavy rain and dust, and its upgraded battery overcomes the usual endurance issues of small rugged tablets.

Just how powerful is the M82A in real use? Let’s take a closer look.

Only 8-Inch, But It Has All the Necessary Parts.

The M82A’s biggest internal upgrade lies in its motherboard design. For the first time in an 8-inch rugged tablet, ONERugged adopts an L-shaped motherboard. This layout significantly reduces the board’s footprint, freeing up more space for components such as the battery. It also creates the necessary room for integrating the fan module.

On the motherboard, the CPU, GPU, and RAM components are covered with a metal heat sink, with a copper heat pipe directing heat to the fan module. Surrounding the SoC are various functional components, including the 4G module, NFC module, fingerprint sensor, M.2 SATA SSD, SD/SIM card slots, camera module, barcode scanner module, and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chipset. On the far right, the board integrates Type-C, USB, RJ45, and DC power ports.

As you can see, the 8-inch rugged tablet M82A pushes internal space utilization to its limit, achieving a highly compact layout without compromising performance or functionality.

Top Performance, Super Cooling

The M82A is powered by Intel® Core™ i5-1235U/i7-1255U processors featuring a 10-core architecture, including 2 performance cores up to 4.4GHz/4.7GHz and 8 efficiency cores up to 3.3GHz/3.5GHz. It also integrates Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics with 80/96 EU execution units. In practical terms, this configuration reaches the performance level of a flagship rugged laptop, enabling the M82A to handle heavy workloads and demanding tasks with ease.

A more powerful processor inevitably brings higher power consumption and heat output. Thus, the M82A adopts a newly enhanced thermal design that combines active cooling, structural heat conduction, and chip-level optimization. This upgraded system efficiently dissipates heat, allowing the 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processor to deliver its full performance without causing thermal buildup.

IP67 Protection, Shrug off Drops and Water

As an industrial rugged tablet, the M82A naturally emphasizes durability. Many users who value both compact size and high performance are outdoor professionals. This raises an important question: with a built-in fan, can the M82A still withstand harsh outdoor environments?

The answer is absolutely yes. The industrial rugged tablet M82A upgrades its protection rating from IP65 to IP67. While IP65 only guards against rain and splashes, IP67 allows the device to be fully submerged in water for a short period and continue functioning normally.

The M82A’s waterproof capability relies on three key technologies.

• Physical sealing: rubber gaskets and plugs are applied around the housing, ports, and battery module to prevent water ingress.
• Independent fan chamber: the M82A isolates the fan in a separate compartment and uses an IP67-rated fan module to create a protective barrier for active cooling.
• Waterproof coating and materials: waterproof foam and membranes are applied to areas such as the fan chamber and speakers, while components such as the 2D scanner, heat pipe, and fan power cables use dispensing process to ensure overall integrity.

Enhanced Battery Power, New Endurance Standard

Battery life has long been a weakness for small rugged tablets, with many industry users forced to choose between endurance and performance.

The 8-inch rugged tablet M82A breaks this compromise. Despite limited internal space, it increases battery capacity by expanding the battery area and using an integrated design for the battery cover and battery body. As a result, the compact M82A achieves a capacity of 7.6V/5700mAh — about 35% higher than similar products. Its removable battery also adds flexibility for high-demand industries, allowing instant swaps to support long shifts or continuous multi-shift operations.

In our battery test at 300 nits brightness and 70 dB volume, the M82A delivered 6.8 hours of continuous 1080P video playback, nearly matching the endurance of 10.1-inch and larger rugged tablets.

Your Work Companion in All Scenarios

In steep mountainous terrain, the M82A’s compact 8-inch size allows geological surveyors to easily store it in a backpack or jacket pocket, keeping their hands free to focus on climbing and navigating challenging environments.

Powered by Intel® Core™ 12th Gen processors, the M82A enables production engineers to smoothly run and view complex 3D product models.

In data centers, IT personnel can connect the M82A directly to servers via its Ethernet port, easily performing system diagnostics and maintenance tasks.

In mountainous wind farms, engineers can view high-definition images of turbine blades transmitted by drones over 4G LTE, and mark issues in real time. If sudden rain occurs, its IP67 protection ensures stable operation even when the surface is wet, keeping work uninterrupted.

From rugged mountains to smart factories, the M82A empowers industries with exceptional adaptability and reliability. For those seeking both performance and portability, and who need a device that delivers reliable performance across diverse environments, ONERugged’s newly launched 8-inch Windows rugged tablet M82A is undoubtedly an ideal choice.

About ONERugged

ONERugged is a leading provider of rugged computing solutions for enterprise users worldwide. Focused on durability, performance, and versatility, ONERugged designs products that can withstand the harshest environments and deliver reliable performance across a wide range of industries, including rugged tablets, rugged notebooks, rugged handhelds, vehicle PCs, industrial panel PCs, and outdoor rugged series. Today, ONERugged serves clients in over 100 countries and regions, supporting sectors such as public safety, manufacturing, agriculture, automotive, and warehousing logistics.

For more information, visit www.onerugged.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook.

Source

– XPOVIO^® (selinexor) has received approvals for three indications in Hong Kong. These include its previous approval as the treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) when used together with dexamethasone (Xd), and its recent approvals as a monotherapy for relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/RDLBCL) and as a combination therapy when used together with bortezomib and dexamethasone (XVd) for MM patients who received at least one prior therapy.

– XPOVIO^® is the first approved XPO1 inhibitor in Hong Kong. With expanding indications in MM and DLBCL, XPOVIO^® is set to benefit more patients in Hong Kong.

– XPOVIO^® has already been approved in ten countries and regions in APAC, and has been included in the national insurance schemes in five of these markets (the mainland of China, Taiwan market, Australia, Singapore and South Korea).

SHANGHAI and HONG KONG, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Antengene Corporation Limited (“Antengene”, SEHK: 6996.HK), a leading innovative, commercial-stage global biotech company dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing first-in-class and/or best-in-class medicines for autoimmune disease, solid tumors and hematological malignancies indications, today announced that the Department of Health, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has approved two supplemental New Drug Applications (sNDA) for XPOVIO^® (selinexor): in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone (XVd) for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who have received at least one prior therapy; and XPOVIO^® as a monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL), not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma, after at least two lines of systemic therapy who are not eligible for haematopoietic cell transplant.

To date, XPOVIO^® has been approved in Hong Kong for three indications. Previously, the XPOVIO^® Xd regimen was approved in Hong Kong for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM) in adult patients. The approval of the two additional indications will further expand its coverage of a broader patient population and provide survival benefits to more patients in need.

With a novel mechanism of action, XPOVIO^® is the world’s first approved orally-available, selective XPO1 inhibitor, which has already been approved in ten countries and regions in APAC, and has been included in the national insurance schemes in five of these markets (the mainland of China, Taiwan market, Australia, Singapore and South Korea). Moving forward, XPOVIO^® is expected to receive public insurance coverage in more APAC markets.

About Antengene

Antengene Corporation Limited (“Antengene”, SEHK: 6996.HK) is a global, R&D-driven, commercial-stage biotech company focused on developing first-in-class/best-in-class therapeutics for diseases with significant unmet medical needs. Its pipeline spans from preclinical to commercial stages and includes several in-house discovered programs, including ATG-022 (CLDN18.2 ADC), ATG-037 (oral CD73 inhibitor), ATG-101 (PD-L1 × 4-1BB bispecific antibody), ATG-031 (CD24-targeting macrophage activator), and ATG-042 (oral PRMT5-MTA inhibitor).

Antengene has also developed AnTenGager™, a proprietary T cell engager 2.0 platform featuring “2+1” bivalent binding for low-expressing targets, steric hindrance masking, and proprietary CD3 sequences with fast on/off kinetics to minimize cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and enhance efficacy. These characteristics support the platform’s broad applicability across autoimmune disease, solid tumors and hematological malignancies indications.

To date, Antengene has obtained 32 investigational new drug (IND) approvals in the U.S. and Asia, and submitted new drug applications (NDAs) in 11 Asia Pacific markets. Its lead commercial asset, XPOVIO^® (selinexor), is approved in Mainland of China, Taiwan China, Hong Kong China, Macau China, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia, and has been included in the national insurance schemes in five of these markets (Mainland of China, Taiwan China, Australia, South Korea and Singapore).

Forward-looking statements

The forward-looking statements made in this article relate only to the events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this article. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this article completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or performance may be materially different from what we expect. In this article, statements of, or references to, our intentions or those of any of our Directors or our Company are made as of the date of this article. Any of these intentions may alter in light of future development. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could cause future results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement, please see the other risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2024, and the documents subsequently submitted to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

For more information, please contact:

Investor Contacts: 
Donald Lung
E-mail: donald.lung@antengene.com  

BD Contacts:
Ariel Guo
E-mail: ariel.guo@antengene.com 

Source