Zai Lab Points up as Chinese Gov’t Okays Tumor Treatment

Zai Lab Limited (NASDAQ: ZLAB) shares gained ground Tuesday, on word that the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has granted Innovative Medical Device Designation for Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) for patients with pancreatic cancer based on the positive results from the Phase 3 PANOVA-3 trial. The Innovative Medical Device Designation allows Zai Lab to take advantage of an expedited approval procedure for TTFields that offers opportunities for the NMPA to prioritize the allocation of review resources to expedite the regulatory review and approval process.“We are excited that TTFields has been granted the Innovative Medical Device Designation, a status that offers expedited registration and priority review by the NMPA. This designation also allows us to submit the application in China before approval in the country of origin,” said Rafael Amado, M.D., President, Head of Global Research and Development at Zai Lab. “Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most challenging cancers to treat globally, with approximately 134,000 new cases diagnosed annually in China alone. We are on track to submit for regulatory approval in China in the second half of 2025 and look forward to collaborating closely with the NMPA throughout the review process.”The Phase 3 PANOVA-3 trial evaluated the use of TTFields therapy concomitantly with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel as a first-line treatment for unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma compared to gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel alone. ZLAB jumped 15 cents to $35.84.