Taking Full Advantage of the Expertise of Both Side, Exploring the Application of Combination Immunotherapies
Sihuan Pharmaceutical Holdings Group Ltd. is pleased to announce that, Xuanzhu Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ( 軒竹生物科技有限公司 ) (“Xuanzhu Biopharm”) of the Group has entered into the cooperative agreement in relation to combination therapies with CTTQ-Akeso (Shanghai) Biomed. Tech. Co., Ltd. ( 正大天晴康方（上海）生物醫藥科技有限公司 ) (“CTTQ-Akeso”), both parties agreed to jointly carry out exploration and experiments on the AXL inhibitor of Xuanzhu Biopharm and the Penpulimab PD-1 monoclonal antibody of CTTQ-Akeso, with an aim of developing their application of combination therapies for solid tumors.
Previously, Xuanzhu Biopharm has successfully received investigational new drug (IND) approval from the National Medical Products Administration for its application of a highly active and selective AXL-targeted inhibitor capsule XZB-0004 (SLC-391) in clinical trial on advanced solid tumors and hematological malignancies. AXL inhibitor is a highly selective, oral, small molecule product. As a member of the TAM (Tyro3, AXL and Mer) family of tyrosine protein kinases, AXL, along with its ligand GAS6, is highly expressed and activated in many malignant tumors. The GAS6-AXL signaling pathway, as one of the crucial signaling pathways promoting tumor growth and metastasis, tumor immune escape and drug resistance, is considered to be a new target for cancer treatment. The product is currently in the phase I/II clinical studies in North America.
Dr. Che Fengsheng, Chairman and Executive Director of Sihuan Pharmaceutical Holding Group, said: “Xuanzhu Biopharm owns two first-class innovative drug R&D platforms for both small molecular and large molecular, and is dedicated to the development of category 1.1 innovative drugs for small molecular and bio-macromolecular, while the purpose of CTTQ-Akeso is to jointly develop the recombinant humanized anti PD-1 monoclonal antibody AK105 and strive to promote the registration, launch and commercialization of the drug. By taking full advantage of the expertise of Xuanzhu Biopharm in targeted therapies for tumors by small molecules and that of Akeso in immunotherapies for tumors by macromolecules, this cooperation will explore the application of combination immunotherapies in fields such as non-small cell lung cancer to benefit more cancer patients.”
About Xuanzhu Biopharm
Xuanzhu Biopharm is the innovative drug research subsidiary of Sihuan Pharmaceutical, a large
domestic pharmaceutical and medical aesthetic group. After nearly 10 years of construction
and development, the company has gathered an outstanding team of nearly 400 led by returned
scientists. The company owns the ability to research and develop innovative drugs independently,
forms a complete R&D system, with complete drug development and industrialization capabilities,
and does not rely on license-in and CRO, with the ability to innovate and produce continuously.
Xuanzhu Biopharm owns two first-class innovative drug R&D platforms for both small molecular
and large molecular, and is dedicated to the development of category 1.1 innovative drugs for small molecular and bio-macromolecular. It currently has more than 25 innovative drugs in pipeline under development, focusing on tumors, metabolism, digestion, and other fields. Among them, Xuanzhu Biopharm has a full coverage on major targets of breast cancer, and thus becomes one of the companies in China with the most comprehensive coverage in breast cancer therapeutic areas. The R&D of Xuanzhu Biopharm is progressing rapidly, with the NMPA accepting its NDA for Anaprazole Sodium for the treatment of duodenal ulcer. In addition, it has nearly 10 products in clinical stage. The pipeline layout is complete and balance in long, medium, and short terms, with strong capability to innovate continuously, in order to ensure that at least 1–2 products could apply for IND every year in the future. Riding on the commercialization capabilities of its parent company Sihuan Pharmaceutical, Xuanzhu Biopharm is now transforming from a Biotech company to a Biopharm company, and is gradually becoming a company with excellent R&D and industrialization capabilities.
About CTTQ-Akeso
CTTQ-Akeso is a joint venture company jointly established by Chia-Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. ( 正大天晴藥業集團股份有限公司 ), a subsidiary of Sino Biopharmaceutical Limited (stock code: 1177) (together with its subsidiaries, the “Sino Biopharmaceutical Group”), and Akeso Biopharma, Inc. (“Akeso Biopharma”), the purpose of which is to jointly develop 2 the recombinant humanized anti PD-1 monoclonal antibody AK105 and strive to promote the registration, launch and commercialization of the drug.
About AXL inhibitor
AXL inhibitor is a highly selective, oral, small molecule product. As a member of the TAM (Tyro3, AXL and Mer) family of tyrosine protein kinases, AXL, along with its ligand GAS6, is highly expressed and activated in many malignant tumors. The GAS6-AXL signaling pathway, as one of the crucial signaling pathways promoting tumor growth and metastasis, tumor immune escape and drug resistance, is considered to be a new target for cancer treatment. The product is currently in the phase I/II clinical studies in North America.
About Penpulimab PD-1 monoclonal antibody
Penpulimab PD-1 monoclonal antibody product is co-developed by the Sino Biopharmaceutical Group and Akeso Biopharma, and has been granted marketing approval by the National Medical Products Administration of China (the “NMPA”), for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin’s lymphoma after at least second-line systemic chemotherapy treatment.