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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hengrui Pharma and GSK link across key therapeutic areas
Hengrui Pharma has signed an agreement with GSK for the development of up to 12 innovative medicines across several therapeutic areas, including respiratory, immunology and inflammation, and oncology. The collaboration is poised to enhance Hengrui's globalisation strategy and provide GSK with significant growth opportunities beyond 2031. GSK will pay an upfront fee of $500m, which includes licensing for the phosphodiesterase (PDE)3/4 programme. The potential value of future success-based payments to Hengrui Pharma could be close to $12bn, assuming all programmes are optioned and milestones met. Hengrui Pharma is also set to receive tiered royalties on worldwide product net sales, with certain regional exclusions. A highlight of the agreement is the worldwide licence for HRS-9821, a PDE3/4 inhibitor in clinical development for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). HRS-9821 aligns with GSK's goal to address a broad spectrum of COPD patients, including those with ongoing dyspnoea or those less likely to be prescribed inhaled corticosteroids or biologics. In early trials, this inhibitor showed positive anti-inflammatory and bronchodilation effects. Its potential for a dry-powder inhaler formulation could integrate well with GSK's existing inhaled portfolio. Hengrui Pharma executive vice-president and chief strategy officer Frank Jiang stated: 'GSK brings additional research and development expertise, a robust global clinical network and broad regulatory capabilities that will accelerate our PDE3/4 inhibitor as well as an array of other innovative therapy programmes to overseas markets, potentially delivering breakthrough treatments to patients globally." Beyond HRS-9821, the collaboration includes up to 11 additional programmes. Hengrui Pharma will spearhead the development up to Phase I trials, after which GSK may opt to develop further and commercialise the programmes globally, excluding mainland China, the Macau special administrative region (SAR), Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan. This scaled collaboration is designed to expedite the development of innovative medicines, leveraging GSK's expertise and global reach alongside Hengrui Pharma's discovery and clinical evaluation capabilities. The licensing of HRS-9821 is contingent upon customary regulatory clearances, including under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act in the US. In March 2025, MSD entered an exclusive licence agreement with Hengrui Pharma for the investigational oral small-molecule lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] inhibitor, HRS-5346. "Hengrui Pharma and GSK link across key therapeutic areas" was originally created and published by Pharmaceutical Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Merck Enters Exclusive License Agreement for HRS-5346, an Investigational Oral Lipoprotein(a) Inhibitor, for Cardiovascular Disease from Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
RAHWAY, N.J., March 25, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, and Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. ("Hengrui Pharma"), a global pharmaceutical company focused on scientific and technological innovation, today announced that the companies have entered into an exclusive license agreement for HRS-5346, an investigational oral small molecule Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), inhibitor currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial in China. "Elevated blood concentrations of Lp(a) provides a well-documented risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, affecting as many as 1 in 5 adults globally," said Dr. Dean Y. Li, president, Merck Research Laboratories. "HRS-5346, an investigational oral small molecule inhibitor of Lp(a) formation, is an important addition that expands and complements our cardio-metabolic pipeline." Under the agreement, Hengrui Pharma has granted Merck exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize HRS-5346 worldwide, excluding Greater China region. Hengrui Pharma will receive an upfront payment of $200 million and is eligible to receive milestone payments associated with certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones up to $1.77 billion, as well as royalties on net sales of HRS-5346, if approved. "We are pleased to partner with Merck, a global leader in cardiovascular care. We believe Merck's clinical expertise and global scale will help accelerate the development of HRS-5346 and potentially provide more patients with an additional option to reduce their risk of atherosclerosis," said Dr. Frank Jiang, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Hengrui Pharma. Closing of the proposed transaction is subject to approval under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and other customary conditions. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025. Merck expects to record a pre-tax charge of $200 million, or approximately $0.06 per share, to be included in GAAP and non-GAAP results in the quarter the transaction closes. About Lipoprotein(a)Produced in the liver, lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is a type of lipoprotein that carries cholesterol, fats and proteins in the blood. Lp(a) can accumulate in blood vessel walls, forming atherosclerotic plaques similar to LDL cholesterol. These plaques can limit blood flow to vital organs and result in conditions such as heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. Elevated Lp(a) is a genetically determined condition and an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Approximately 1.4 billion people worldwide have elevated levels of Lp(a). About Hengrui PharmaJiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (Hengrui Pharma) is an innovative, global pharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of high-quality medicines to address unmet clinical needs. With a global R&D team that includes 14 R&D centers and more than 5,500 professionals, Hengrui Pharma's therapeutic areas of focus include oncology, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, immunological and respiratory diseases, and neuroscience. To date, Hengrui has commercialized 19 new molecular entity drugs and 4 other innovative drugs in China. Founded in 1970 with the core principle of putting patients first, Hengrui Pharma remains committed to advancing human health by striving to conquer diseases, improve health, and extend lives through the power of science and technology. About MerckAt Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable and healthy future for all people and communities. For more information, visit and connect with us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USAThis news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (the "company") includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline candidates that the candidates will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's Internet site ( View source version on Contacts Merck Media Contacts: Robert Josephson(203) 914-2372 Justine Moore(347) 281-3754 Hengrui Media Contacts: Simona Kormanikova(332) 220-2797 Camilla White(332) 345-8318 Merck Investor Contacts: Peter Dannenbaum(732) 594-1579 Steven Graziano(732) 594-1583 Sign in to access your portfolio
