A Life Sciences Business Consultancy
We are a business consulting firm specialized on corporate strategy, business and corporate development, portfolio analysis and asset and deal valuation services for life sciences companies.
Our clients include publicly-traded and privately-held biotech companies, a not-for-profit research foundation, contract research organisations as well as international investors seeking to invest in life sciences companies.
Mar 18, 2024: Linear Dreams is pleased to announce that its long term client KeChow Pharma has just received approval of tunlametinib (HL-085) in China. This is the first targeted therapy approved for patients with NRAS-mutated advanced melanoma previously treated with PD-1/PD-L1immune checkpoint inhibitors. PR Newswire Press Release
Feb 20, 2024: Supported Immune-Onc Therapeutics to enter into a collaboration with Roche to evaluate IO-108 in a randomized global Phase 1b/2 study for first-line treatment of advanced liver cancer.
Jan 16, 2024: Linear Dreams represented Accurus Biosciences to enter into an exclusive global license agreement for a potential best-in-class CLDN18.2 antibody with ImmPACT Bio USA, Inc.
Oct 23, 2023: Dr. Cheni Kwok will moderate a panel on “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Drug Discovery and Development: Opportunities and Challenges” at the 24th annual conference of the Chinese American Biopharmaceutical Society (CABS 2023 BioPacific Conference).
June 2, 2023: Representing Immune-Onc at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting 2023 in Chicago on June 2-6, 2023.
April 14, 2023: Linear Dreams will be representing Immune-Onc at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023 in Orlando on April 14-19, 2023.
Jan 11, 2023: Dr. Cheni Kwok will participate in the panel discussion at the 2023 CABS Investor Forum.
Nov 12, 2022: Dr. Cheni Kwok will speak at a panel discussion on healthcare investment trends and strategy at the 2022 BioPacific Conference.
Oct 28, 2022: Dr. Cheni Kwok is invited to speak at the pre-conference symposium of the 23rd annual conference of CABS on “Navigating Turbulent Waters for Life Sciences Companies Across the Pacific Ocean”.
Oct 17, 2022: Represented Immune-Onc Therapeutics to enter into clinical supply agreement with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to evaluate combination of Immune-Onc product in combination with Regeneron’s anti-PD-1 therapy, Libtayo® (cemiplimab).
Oct 10, 2022: Immune-Onc Therapeutics announced clinical collaboration with BeiGene in China. Linear Dreams represented Immune-Onc to establish clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with BeiGene to evaluate Immune-Onc’s products in combination with BeiGene’s anti-PD-1 antibody, tislelizumab.
April 20, 2022: Linear Dreams supported NightHawk Biosciences in the acquisition of Elusys Therapeutics, including ANTHIM® for the treatment of inhalation anthrax.
Oct 30, 2021: Dr. Cheni Kwok will be moderating a panel discussion titled "Strategic Partnerships & Financing Trends for the Biotech Industry" at the CABS 2021 BioPacific Conference.
Oct 21, 2021: Supported Atreca in the license agreement with Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute to develop a monoclonal antibody for the prevention of malaria.
July 13, 2021: Linear Dreams represented Heat Biologics to establish a research license agreement with ProBioGen to utilize ProBioGen’s proprietary technologies.
June 22, 2019: Dr. Cheni Kwok will be moderating a featured panel discussion titled "Innovative therapy in oncology, what is next?" at the 2019 Biopacific Conference (21st Annual Conference of CABS).
April 1, 2019: Linear Dreams is retained by Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RIGL) to support its business development efforts. The company will be representing Rigel Pharmaceuticals at the BIO International Convention 2019 in Philadephia on June 3-6, 2019.
November 27, 2018: Shanghai Henlius Biotech announced two new alliances with Biosidus S.A. and Cipla Ltd.. Linear Dreams represented Shanghai Henlius to initiate, structure and negotiate both partnerships. Biosidus S.A. is granted an exclusive license to develop and commercialize HLX01, a proprietary rituximab biosimilar of Shanghai Henlius in certain countries in Latin America. Cipla Ltd. shall have the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize HLX02, a proprietary trastuzumab biosimilar of Shanghai Henlius, in certain countries in Asia Pacific and Latin America. Shanghai Henlius shall be the commercial manufacturer and supplier of HLX01 and HLX02 for Biosidus and Cipla respectively. A New Drug Application for HLX01 is currently under review by the National Medical Products Administration of China. HLX02 is currently in a global, multi-center, double-blind, randomized Phase III trial.
November 1, 2018: Represented Shanghai Henlius Biotech to expand the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize AC101 (now HLX 22) licensed from AbClon, Inc. from Greater China to worldwide. The IND application of HLX22 has been accepted by the National Medical Products Administration of China on November 26, 2018.
June 21, 2018: Represented Shanghai Henlius Biotech to initiate, structure and negotiate an exclusive license agreement with Accord Healthcare to develop and market HLX02, a proprietary trastuzumab biosimilar product of Shanghai Henlius in 53 countries from Europe, 17 countries in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and certain countries in Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Shanghai Henlius shall be the commercial manufacturer and supplier of HLX02 for Accord. HLX02 is currently in a global, multi-center, double-blind, randomized Phase III trial.
February 14, 2018: Represented Shanghai Henlius Biotech to structure and negotiate an exclusive license agreement with Galaxy Biotech, LLC., in USA for the development and commercialization rights of novel monoclonal antibodies targeting the Death Receptor pathway (“Products”) in Greater China, including an option to expand to worldwide rights. The Products have first-in-class potential and target a broad range of solid and hematologic tumors.
December 20, 2017: Represented Shanghai Henlius Biotech to structure, negotiate and execute a licensing framework agreement whereby Jacobson Medical will be granted an exclusive right to develop and market HLX02, a proprietary trastuzumab biosimilar product of Shanghai Henlius in Hong Kong and Macau, and a right of first negotiation for certain emerging markets within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). HLX02 is currently in a global, multi-center, double-blind, randomized Phase III study.
April 6, 2017: Represented Immune-Onc Therapeutics Inc. to establish a worldwide exclusive license and collaboration agreement with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
March 28, 2017: Represented Immune-Onc Therapeutics Inc. to structure and negotiate an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
November 2, 2016: Represented Shanghai Henlius Biotech to initiate, structure and negotiate an exclusive license agreement with Kolltan Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in USA for the development and commercialization rights of KTN0216 in Greater China and 15 countries in Asia Pacific region. KTN0216 is a novel antibody targeting c-MET discovered by Kolltan in preclinical development.
October 29, 2016: Represented Shanghai Henlius Biotech to structure and negotiate an exclusive license agreement with AbClon Inc., based in Korea for the development and commercialization rights of AC101 in Greater China, including an option to expand to worldwide rights. AC101 is an innovative antibody developed by AbClon targeting gastric cancer and breast cancer in preclinical development.
August 16, 2016: Represented Shanghai Henlius Biotech in the negotiation of an exclusive license agreement with Shanghai Jing Ze Biotech for the development and commercialization rights of HLX-05 in China. HLX-05, a cetuximab biosimilar developed by Shanghai Henlius Biotech, received IND approval for two indications by the China FDA.
May 14, 2016: Linear Dreams supports GF Xinde to close a Life Sciences Fund with Bay City Capital.
Founder and Managing Partner
Dr. Kwok is a senior biopharmaceutical executive with broad operational expertise who has executed over 150 transactions including M&A, strategic partnerships, licensing, divestitures, spin-offs and project financing. Dr. Kwok is the Managing Partner and Founder of Linear Dreams LLC, a management consultancy for the life sciences industry. The firm’s engagements include a broad range of business and corporate development activities including managing business development teams, product and technology licensing, search & evaluation of products and technology platforms, merger & acquisitions, corporate strategy, portfolio planning, market and competitive intelligence, due diligence support for financing as well as valuation services for 45 biopharmaceuticals companies, contract research & non-profit organizations, research institutes and investors in USA, Europe, China, Taiwan and Singapore.
As Senior Vice President, Corporate Development at Poniard Pharmaceuticals Inc., Dr. Kwok established corporate and business development, strategic and commercial planning, new product planning, competitive intelligence and forecasting functions. Previously, she was Director of Business Development at Celera Genomics Inc., where she led the business development efforts for Celera's small molecule therapeutics, including the divestiture of the oncology pipeline (including Imbruvica® (ibrutinib)) to Pharmacyclics Inc. (now an AbbVie Company). Dr. Kwok held business development positions of increasing responsibility at Exelixis Inc., where she initiated multiple partnerships and served as the alliance manager for the GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) collaboration. Prior to joining Exelixis Inc., she held various research management, technology assessment and alliance management roles at SmithKline Beecham PLC (now GSK).
Dr. Kwok received a bachelor's degree with first class honors in biotechnology from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of London, UK, a Ph.D. in human molecular genetics from the University of Cambridge, UK and has earned the Certified Licensing Professional (CLP) credential. At present, Dr. Kwok is serving as the Board of Directors of Chinese-American Biopharmaceutical Society (CABS) and serves on the Standards, Admissions & Recertification committee of Certified Licensing Professionals, Inc..
Linear Dreams is a modern interpretation of "Direct Dreams" 直梦 or "Dreams of Direct Fulfillment," as cited in the Lunheng 论衡 or "Critical Essays" by Wang Chong 王充, a Chinese philosopher who lived during the Han Dynasty (27 AD to about 97 AD). "Direct Dreams," according to the philosopher, are those that show future events.
In "Critical Essays," Wang Chong demonstrated that his intellect was far ahead of his time. His essays exhibit his methodology of logical deduction and his courage to criticize the widely accepted beliefs of his peers.
Wang Chong was a strong supporter of naturalistic explanations and uncompromising rationality. Despite the lack of empirical science in his time, he called for evidence-based reasoning and decision making.
The modern world has proven Wang Chong right. Greatest success in science and business are achieved by application of rational intellectual principles that were already known to philosophers in East and West some 2000 years ago.
We strongly believe that in business, just as in science, empirical data provides the foundation to rational decision-making processes.
