Sino Biopharmaceutical (01177.HK) Rises Over 3% on Goldman Sachs Note Highlighting Bepirovirsen Deal to Enhance Hepatitis Portfolio

According to the Zhongtong Finance APP, Sino Biopharm (01177) rose more than 3%. As of the time of writing, it was up 2.65%, trading at HK$5.81, with a turnover of HK$357 million.

On the news front, Goldman Sachs' latest research report pointed out that Sino Biopharm has signed an agreement with GSK to obtain the exclusive commercial rights in China for bepirovirsen, a potential first-in-class functional cure for chronic hepatitis B using antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy. GSK submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) in China this March, with approval expected by 2027. Under the agreement, Sino Biopharm will leverage its leading hepatitis infrastructure to fully manage imports, distribution, hospital access, and promotion, and will record all sales of bepirovirsen in China.

The report points out that bepirovirsen, as the world's first therapy targeting functional cure for chronic hepatitis B, strategically aligns with the treatment priorities of China's 75 million chronic hepatitis B patients, and is expected to upgrade Sino Biopharm's hepatitis product portfolio. Goldman Sachs believes that with nearly four decades of experience and insights in China’s hepatitis market, a sales force of approximately 2,000 personnel, an extensive network of over 5,000 medical centers, and a proven track record of developing major hepatitis drugs such as Runzhong/Tianqing Ganmei, the company is an ideal commercial partner for bepirovirsen. The firm estimates that the potential peak sales of bepirovirsen could reach approximately 5 billion RMB.