On November 14,2022, Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Company Limited (stock code: 3692.HK) ("Hansoh Pharma" or the "Company"), a leading innovation-driven pharmaceutical company in China, and Biotheus Biotechnology (Zhuhai) Co., Ltd. ("Biotheus"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of national Class 1 innovative biologics in the areas of malignancies and autoimmune diseases, announced that they have entered into an exclusive collaboration and licensing agreement (the "Agreement") for the development and commercialization of Biotheus' lead investigational drug PM1080 in Greater China (including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan).
Pursuant to the Agreement, Hansoh Pharma will obtain an exclusive license from Biotheus to develop and commercialize PM1080 in Greater China and pay an upfront payment of RMB 50 million and potential payments upon reaching development, regulatory and sales-based commercial milestones of up to RMB 1,418 million, plus tiered royalties on future net sales.
PM1080 is an EGFR/cMet bispecific antibody drug. EGFR mutation is an important driver in many cancers, especially non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and the proportion of EGFR mutation in Chinese and Asian NSCLC patients is as high as 30% to 40%, far higher than in European and American patients, making clinical studies on EGFR targets particularly important.
c-Met amplification is an important mechanism of EGFR-TKI resistance. Based on the good biological properties, excellent pharmacodynamics and PK profile observed in preclinical studies, PM1080 has great therapeutic potential to block both EGFR and c-Met signaling, inhibit tumor growth and survival, etc. The introduction of PM1080 by Hansoh Pharma aims to further develop its clinical value as a single agent or in combination with aumolertinib, China's first original third-generation EGFR-TKI independently developed by the Company, so as to bring a new therapeutic direction and prolong survival for lung cancer patients worldwide.
Ms. Sun Yuan, Executive Director of Hansoh Pharma, remarked,
"We are pleased to partner with Biotheus. EGFR/cMet bispecific antibody has shown good clinical benefit in the treatment of NSCLC and other cancers. We believe that our extensive expertise in clinical development and commercialization in China can help bring this differentiated product to cancer patients in China and around the world as soon as possible."
Mr. Liu Xiaolin, Chairman of Biotheus, remarked,
"We are very grateful to Hansoh Pharma for recognizing the R&D results and future potential of PM1080. Biotheus has built a global technology platform for antibody construction and development with global intellectual property rights, and has been looking forward to working with excellent partners to advance the development of new antibody drugs. Hansoh Pharma is a leading innovation-driven pharmaceutical company in China with strong R&D, manufacturing, and commercialization capabilities. We believe that this collaboration will accelerate the development and marketing process of PM1080 so as to benefit cancer patients sooner."
About Biotheus
Incorporated in 2018, Biotheus has been upholding the mission to inspire innovation for people's health and devoting itself to the R&D and industrialization of national Class 1 innovative biologics in the areas of malignancies and autoimmune disease. With a proven track record in R&D, drug administration strategy, industrialization and commercialization of innovative biologics at home and abroad, its core R&D team is advancing more than 20 new Class 1 biologics projects, with 10 new drug projects currently in clinical research stage. Biotheus has established new drug R&D centers in Zhuhai, Suzhou and Hong Kong, clinical research centers in Shanghai and Beijing, and an industrialized manufacturing base in Nantong. By virtue of its high-value product chain, strong innovation capability and experienced core team, Biotheus is expected to move into the first echelon of biopharmaceutical companies in China soon.
