News on China's scientific and technological development.

Janssen Enters Worldwide Collaboration and License Agreement with Chinese Company Legend Biotech to Develop Investigational CAR-T Anti-Cancer Therapy
CAR-T BCMA in Development for Patients with Multiple Myeloma

HORSHAM, Pa., Dec. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Janssen Biotech, Inc. ("Janssen"), a Janssen Pharmaceutical Company of Johnson & Johnson, announced today that it has entered into a worldwide collaboration and license agreement with Legend Biotech USA Inc. and Legend Biotech Ireland Limited ("Legend"), subsidiaries of Genscript Biotech Corporation, to develop, manufacture and commercialize a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell drug candidate, LCAR-B38M, which specifically targets the B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA). LCAR-B38M is currently accepted for review by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) and in the planning phase of clinical studies in the United States for multiple myeloma.

"Despite significant advances, multiple myeloma remains an incurable disease for most patients, creating the need for additional, highly active options. LCAR-B38M provides an innovative approach with the potential to transform the treatment of myeloma," said Peter F. Lebowitz, M.D., Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head, Oncology, Janssen Research & Development, LLC. "We look forward to collaborating with the pioneering scientific team at Legend and applying our expertise to the development of this cell therapy, with the goal of building regimens aiming for a cure."

LCAR-B38M is the first CAR-T therapy accepted for review by the CFDA. Under terms of the agreement, Legend will grant Janssen a worldwide license to jointly develop and commercialize LCAR-B38M in multiple myeloma with the Legend team of experts. Janssen will record worldwide net trade sales, except for sales made in Greater China. The companies have entered into a 50/50 percent cost-sharing/profit-split arrangement, except in Greater China, where Janssen and Legend have a 30/70 percent cost-sharing/profit-split arrangement. Janssen will make an upfront payment of $350 million that will be recorded in the fourth quarter and additional payments based upon the achievement of certain development, regulatory and sales milestones.

Johnson & Johnson reaffirms its previously announced adjusted earnings guidance for full-year 2017 of $7.25 - $7.30 per share.

"We are pleased to enter into a partnership with Legend to gain access to their CAR-T platform, an important future therapeutic modality for Janssen," says Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., Global Head, Science & Development, Janssen Research & Development, LLC. "Legend is an innovative biotech company that has developed a differentiated CAR-T therapy, which has shown promising results in early stage multiple myeloma trials conducted in China. We are excited to bring Janssen's global expertise in drug development to advance this innovation into potential new treatment options for patients around the world."

About CAR-T and BCMA
CAR T-cells are an innovative approach to eradicate cancer cells by harnessing the power of a patient's own immune system. BCMA is a protein that is highly expressed on myeloma cells. By targeting BCMA via a CAR-T approach, CAR-T therapies may have the potential to redefine the treatment paradigm for multiple myeloma and potentially advance towards cures for patients with the disease.

About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is an incurable blood cancer that occurs when malignant plasma cells grow uncontrollably in the bone marrow.1,2 While some patients with myeloma have no symptoms at all, most patients are diagnosed due to symptoms, which can include bone fracture or pain, low red blood counts, fatigue, calcium elevation, kidney problems or infections.3 Despite significant treatment advances in the past 10 years, many myeloma patients relapse after initial or secondary treatment and/or become resistant to therapies. There is a significant unmet medical need for more efficacious treatments that can overcome resistance associated with standard of care based on an immunomodulatory agent and/or a proteasome inhibitor to induce deeper and durable responses.1,4 Globally, it is estimated that 124,225 people were diagnosed and 87,084 died from multiple myeloma in 2015.5,6

Janssen in Oncology
In oncology, our goal is to fundamentally alter the way cancer is understood, diagnosed and managed, reinforcing our commitment to the patients who inspire us. In looking to find innovative ways to address the cancer challenge, our primary efforts focus on several treatment and prevention solutions. These include a focus on hematologic malignancies, prostate cancer and lung cancer; cancer interception with the goal of developing products that interrupt the carcinogenic process; biomarkers that may help guide targeted, individualized use of our therapies; as well as safe and effective identification and treatment of early changes in the tumor microenvironment. Please visit .

About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
At the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, we are working to create a world without disease. Transforming lives by finding new and better ways to prevent, intercept, treat and cure disease inspires us. We bring together the best minds and pursue the most promising science. We are Janssen. We collaborate with the world for the health of everyone in it. Learn more at . Follow us at and .







SOURCE Janssen Biotech, Inc.

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A well known western company recognized an achievement by a Chinese company in biotechnology

A research paper from Zhejiang University about the design of an ultra-fast, all-climate, and fold-able aluminum-graphene battery with a quarter-million cycle life, which offers unbelievable advantages over all previous batteries:

Abstract

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Rechargeable aluminum-ion batteries are promising in high-power density but still face critical challenges of limited lifetime, rate capability, and cathodic capacity. We design a “trihigh tricontinuous” (3H3C) graphene film cathode with features of high quality, orientation, and channeling for local structures (3H) and continuous electron-conducting matrix, ion-diffusion highway, and electroactive mass for the whole electrode (3C). Such a cathode retains high specific capacity of around 120 mAh g−1 at ultrahigh current density of 400 A g−1 (charged in 1.1 s) with 91.7% retention after 250,000 cycles, surpassing all the previous batteries in terms of rate capability and cycle life. The assembled aluminum-graphene battery works well within a wide temperature range of −40 to 120°C with remarkable flexibility bearing 10,000 times of folding, promising for all-climate wearable energy devices. This design opens an avenue for a future super-batteries.

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supercat said:

A research paper from Zhejiang University about the design of an ultra-fast, all-climate, and fold-able aluminum-graphene battery with a quarter-million cycle life, which offers unbelievable advantages over all previous batteries:


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I think the energy density is lower than lithium-ion batteries

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Chinese start-up tests rocket engine
Xinhua| 2017-12-23 21:00:27

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A Chinese start up successfully tested an engine for its light rocket, which is set to be launched by June 2018.

The test was conducted in a test ground in east China's Jiangxi Province on Friday, said Shu Chang, chief executive officer of Beijing-based One Space, on Saturday.

The engine uses solid propellants and will power the company's X-series light rockets, Shu said, adding that engineers have finished designing the rocket's main body and electrical system.

The engine can not only drive light carrier rockets but also sub-orbital spacecraft, he said.

Founded in 2015, One Space focuses on developing light rockets that can carry small satellites at affordable prices.

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China Successfully Launches Rocket With Remote Sensing Satellites




XICHANG, Sichuan, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- China launched remote sensing satellites at 3:44 a.m.(Beijing Time) Tuesday on a Long March-2C carrier rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
The satellites have entered its preset orbit and the launch was proclaimed a success.
As the third batch of the Yaogan-30 project, the satellites will conduct electromagnetic environmental probes and other experiments.
The launch is the 260th mission of the Long March rocket family.

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China developing first smart oil carrier
2017-12-27 20:44 GMT+8

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Engineers with Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co. (DSIC) are working on China's first smart crude oil carrier, which will incorporate technology to help the captain operate the ship.

The company is undertaking a special project named "smart ship 1.0 R&D," assigned by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, according to Guan Yinghua, deputy chief engineer of DSIC.

"The very large intelligent crude carrier will be the most important result of the project," said Guan, adding that smart vessels represent the future.

"We must seize the chance to innovate and upgrade our products. Unmanned vessels will be built as automation and intelligence keep improving and auxiliary decision-making becomes more effective," she said.

DSIC, based in Dalian, Liaoning Province, built the country's first domestically developed aircraft carrier. It is a subsidiary of state-owned shipbuilding giant China Shipbuilding Industry Corp.

This year, the shipyard has delivered 24 high-end vessels, including large container ships capable of carrying 20,000 standard 20-foot containers, advanced deep-water semi-submersible drilling platforms, China's biggest ship for transporting live animals and a very large chemical tanker.

DSIC's annual revenue is expected to exceed 20 billion yuan (3.05 billion US dollars). The company is pushing China's shipbuilding industry to shift from conventional shipbuilding to high-end vessels.

In July, the shipyard delivered a 319,000-ton crude carrier to China Merchants Energy Shipping Co.

It is among the new generation of energy-saving and environmentally friendly ships classified as very large crude carriers and independently developed by Guan and her fellow engineers.

DSIC is the nation's first shipyard that can design and manufacture 300,000-ton crude carriers.

It has delivered more than 70 very large crude carriers (VLCCs) and has eight orders, accounting for more than 10 percent of the total number of such carriers in operation worldwide.

As a delegate to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Guan said she was excited to hear Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, call innovation the "primary driving force behind development" and "the strategic underpinning for building a modernized economy."

Guan said, "Large-scale state-owned enterprises must unswervingly implement the national strategy, and the pace of scientific and technological innovation cannot be stopped."

Since the international financial crisis in 2008, the shipbuilding industry and the offshore industry have been in a downturn. Despite that, DSIC has delivered more than 380 high-performance civilian ships to owners around the world since 2006.

DSIC's service spans the entire life cycle of a ship, including research and development, construction, repair and scrapping.

Guo Ping, a professor at Dalian Maritime University, said that with a growing technical level and competitive prices, Chinese shipyards are winning more orders.

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Beijing to launch driverless subway
Xinhua| 2017-12-29 21:17:28

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Beijing will launch three rail lines, including a driverless subway, on Saturday, the municipal transport commission announced Friday.

Located in Beijing's southwest suburbs, the Yanfang Line is China's first fully domestically developed automated subway. It has nine stations on its 14.4-km main line, linking the areas of Yanshan and Fangshan. The line is expected to carry 70,000 passengers daily.

Also to start operating Saturday is the 10.2-km Line S1, Beijing's first medium-low speed maglev line. It connects the western suburban districts of Mentougou and Shijingshan.

The third is the 9-km West Suburb Line connecting tourist spots such as the Summer Palace and the Fragrant Hills in northwest Beijing.

After the launch, Beijing will have 22 metro rail lines spanning 608 km.

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ZTE makes global push in 5G technology

By the end of 2017, it will have deployed over 110 Pre5G networks in more than 60 countries around the world

Yin Yimin, the chairman of ZTE, one of China’s leading multinational telecommunications companies, said the firm will continue to expand its investment in 5G, with the aim of maintaining their advantage in 5G wireless, core networks and chips,

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reported.

So far, the company has formed a team more than 4,500 people and invested three billion yuan (US$460 million) every year to promote the R&D of 5G.

ZTE has been preparing the global expansion of its 5G technology. It has also been working with foreign telecom operators, including Japan’s SoftBank, Spain’s Telefónica, S.A., Italy’s Wind Tre, France’s Orange S.A., Belgium’s Telenet and South Korea’s KT, to carry out a full range of technical and industrial cooperation.

Among them, it will build up the first pre-commercial 5G network in Europe with Italian operators Wind Tre and Open Fiber.

By the end of 2017, ZTE will have deployed over 110 Pre5G networks in more than 60 countries around the world.

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China High Speed Rail - Railway Corporation: In 2018, 3500 km of high speed railways will be put into construction

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Hendrik_2000 said:

China High Speed Rail - Railway Corporation: In 2018, 3500 km of high speed railways will be put into construction

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is
China's high-speed rail tracks to hit 38,000 km by 2025
Xinhua| 2018-01-02 17:32:25

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China's high-speed rail tracks will hit 38,000 km by 2025, higher than 25,000 km registered by the end of 2017, the railway operator said.

The country's operating high-speed rail tracks accounted for 66.3 percent of the world's total by the end of 2017, said Lu Dongfu, general manager of China Railway Corporation.

The operator is aiming to build 4,000 km of new rail lines this year, 3,500 km of which will be high-speed rail tracks.

China's railway network will hit 175,000 km (about 108,740 miles) in length by 2025, compared with 127,000 km of operating tracks by the end of last year.

In 2017, a total of 3.04 billion passenger trips were made on railways, up 9.6 percent year on year. More than 56 percent of those trips were made on high-speed railways.

About 70 percent of rail tickets were sold online, while more than 70 percent of freight business were transacted online.

The maximum speed of China's bullet trains rises to 350 kilometers per hour, when Fuxing (Rejuvenation) bullet trains started operation between Beijing and Shanghai on September 21, 2017.

The Fuxing trains are a substantial upgrade on the previous bullet trains known as Hexie (Harmony). Entirely designed and manufactured in China, the Fuxing is more spacious and energy-efficient, with a longer service life and better reliability.

Last year, 3,600 cargo train trips were made between China and European cities, surpassing the previous six years combined, Lu said.

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