Roche ties up again with Ascletis — this time on a commercial partnership for hep B drug

In the spring of 2013, Roche teamed up with a 2-year-old biotech to commercialize one of its hepatitis C drugs in China without making much of a ripple in the biotech news cycle. Five years later, that young partner — Ascletis — has secured approval in China for the drug and clinched a $400 million IPO in the Hong Kong stock exchange, making history in both regards.