A summary of some of the latest news from China’s pharma industry, including AbbVie’s blood cancer licensing option with Simcere; Lonza’s China manufacturing expansion; Merck’s obesity deal with Hansoh Pharma; Candid Therapeutics’ T-cell engager agreement with WuXi Biologics, and the DLL3-targeted antibody parternship between Innovent Biologics and Roche.
AbbVie secures option to license Simcere’s blood cancer drug candidate (Reuters)
Lonza Capsules expands capsule manufacturing capacity in India and China (European Pharmaceutical Manufacturer)
The expansions include additional hard gelatin capsule (HGC) lines to support the manufacture of high-quality hard gelatin capsules, including essential and specialised capsules for the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. The capacity expansion represents another step in the implementation of Lonza CHI’s hard empty capsules network strategy, focusing on long-term competitiveness and meeting the highest quality and sustainability standards.
HGCs represent highly functional and versatile capsules that can support various applications across the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical markets by encapsulating liquid or solid fills. With lines at Suzhou (CN) and Rewari (IN) sites operational since Q4 2024 and additional lines due to start operations in Q3 2025, the additional manufacturing capacity aims to enhance Lonza CHI’s offering to meet regional market demand and promote innovation.
In €500M deal, Merck buys Ireland vaccines plant from CDMO WuXi Biologics (Fierce Pharma)
With potential passage of the BIOSECURE Act looming and WuXi Biologics seeing its share price and profits decline, the Chinese biopharma contract manufacturing giant is responding with a sizable divestiture.
In Ireland, WuXi Biologics has sold a new vaccine plant to Merck & Co. for €500 million ($521 million). The New Jersey company was a natural buyer of the facility as it was the lone client WuXi Biologics served at the site in Dundalk, executing a 20-year contract to produce vaccines worth $150 million annually.
Candid Therapeutics Enters into Agreement with WuXi Biologics on Trispecific T-cell Engager (Business Wire)
BeiGene exercises option on DualityBio’s B7H4 ADC (The Pharma Letter)
China-based biotech Duality Biologics (DualityBio) yesterday revealed that Sino-American BeiGene (HKEX: 06160) has exercised its exclusive option for the B7H4 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) DB1312/BG-C9074 from DualityBio, securing global development, manufacturing, and commercialization rights for the investigational product.
In 2024, DualityBio received an option exercise fee and a milestone payment based on the Phase I dose-escalation advancement of the candidate.
Merck moves into obesity with deal for Hansoh’s GLP-1 pill (Biopharma Dive)
Merck & Co. has made its first big move in obesity treatment, announcing Wednesday it is paying Hansoh Pharma $112 million for rights outside China to a preclinical pill that works similarly to the popular injection Wegovy.
Per deal terms, China-based Hansoh could receive up to $1.9 billion in additional payouts based on reaching clinical, regulatory and commercial milestones. Hansoh has an option to co-promote or solely commercialize the pill, code-named HS-10535, in China.
Innovent Biologics & Roche Partner to Advance Development of IBI3009 (Contract Pharma)
Innovent Biologics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines, has entered a collaboration and exclusive license agreement with Roche to advance the development of IBI3009, a novel DLL3-targeted antibody drug conjugate (ADC) candidate.
IBI3009 has already obtained IND approvals in Australia, China, and the U.S., with the first patient for the Phase 1 study dosed in December 2024. This collaboration aims to bring innovative treatment options to patients with advanced small cell lung cancer.
Partnership in China to build new ecosystem for antibody-drug conjugates (BioSpectrum Asia)
Porton Pharma Solutions and Dragon Sail Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) have signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Guilin, southern of China. This collaboration aims to carry out in-depth cooperation in the research, development, production, and supply chain integration of antibody-drug conjugates (ADC).
As a leading end-to-end integrated contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), Porton Pharma Solutions boasts globally advanced technology platforms and extensive project delivery experience in small molecules, peptides and oligonucleotides, ADCs (including antibodies, payload-linkers, conjugation, and drug product filling), and Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products.
Vertex and Zai Lab enter into partnership to treat autoimmune diseases in China, Taiwan, Singapore (BioSpectrum Asia)
US-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals and China-based Zai Lab have announced an exclusive collaboration and license agreement for the development and commercialisation of Vertex’s povetacicept (pove) in mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Taiwan region and Singapore (the licensed territory).
Pove is a recombinant fusion protein therapeutic and dual antagonist of BAFF (B cell activating factor) and APRIL (a proliferation inducing ligand) with best-in-class potential being studied for the treatment of Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) and other B cell-mediated diseases.
