Recent Advances in China's Oncology Sector: Promising Clinical Approvals, Strategic Collaborations, and Commercialization Progress

　　【Pharmaceutical Network Industry Dynamics】Currently, anti-tumor drugs have become the largest and fastest-growing therapeutic area in the global pharmaceutical market, including China's pharmaceutical market. Data shows that the global anti-tumor drug market sales reached 187 billion US dollars in 2021, with a stable growth rate of over 10%. Meanwhile, in China, the sales of anti-tumor drugs are now comparable to the size of the anti-infective drug market. Notably, with the continuous expansion of the anti-tumor drug market, numerous domestic pharmaceutical companies and research institutions are accelerating their efforts to enter this market. As a result, there has been a surge of positive news in cancer drug development recently.
 

　Clinical
 

Recently, TR115 and TR64, two Class 1 new drugs independently developed by the pharmaceutical team of Liu Qingsong from the Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, were approved by the Center for Drug Evaluation of the National Medical Products Administration to conduct clinical trials for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and advanced malignant solid tumors on the same day.
 

Among them, TR64 is a dual-target kinase inhibitor that exerts a dual effect by directly inhibiting tumor growth and modulating the tumor microenvironment. It has demonstrated strong anti-tumor effects in various malignant solid tumor models, including liver cancer, breast cancer, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and is expected to become a new generation of targeted therapeutic drugs for the treatment of colorectal cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, and more.
 

TR115 is a novel small molecule inhibitor with high activity and high selectivity for epigenetic targets. Preclinical study results show that TR115 can significantly inhibit the proliferation of related tumor cells, while demonstrating favorable pharmacokinetic properties and a safe therapeutic window. It also inhibits tumor growth in a dose-dependent manner, showing potential to become a next-generation targeted therapeutic drug for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, ovarian cancer, and more.
 

　Cooperation
 

On November 6, AstraZeneca and Dunfu Healthcare Group held a strategic cooperation plaque ceremony at the AstraZeneca booth during the CIIE. Both parties will leverage their respective advantages in platforms and resources to carry out multiple innovative collaborations in the pharmaceuticals and healthcare field. Notably, the two sides will also work together to accelerate the availability and application of new anti-cancer drugs in China. Through this collaboration, AstraZeneca and Dunfu Healthcare will further expedite the introduction and use of innovative drugs in China, jointly promoting oncology specialty drug management services and providing innovative patient service solutions.
 

On the same day, at the 5th China International Import Expo, Burning Rock Biotech and Eli Lilly reached an intent for companion diagnostic cooperation. The two parties will integrate their respective advantageous resources in the field of oncology diagnosis and treatment, focus on the full-course management needs of patients, jointly promote the popularization of innovative oncology drugs, and contribute to the new development of precision oncology diagnosis and treatment in China.
 

　Commercialization
 

Hansoh Pharma announced that on November 14, 2022, its wholly-owned subsidiary Hansoh (Shanghai) Health Technology Co., Ltd. (the "Licensee") entered into a licensing agreement with Biotheus Inc. Under the licensing agreement, the Licensee obtained an exclusive license from Biotheus to develop and commercialize PM1080 in China (including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan). PM1080 is a bispecific antibody drug targeting EGFR/cMet, which has significant therapeutic potential due to its ability to simultaneously block EGFR and c-Met signaling pathways, inhibiting tumor growth and survival. It is currently in the preclinical research stage.
 

Biotheus Inc. will receive an upfront payment of RMB 50 million and is eligible to receive milestone payments of up to RMB 1.418 billion upon the commercialization of the specified indications under the licensing agreement, as well as tiered royalties based on future net sales in China.
 

Disclaimer: In no event shall the information or opinions expressed in this article constitute investment advice to any person.