Chengdu HitGen and Tasly Form Strategic Alliance for Innovative Drug Development

On the morning of September 16, 2020, HitGen Inc. (688222.SH, hereinafter referred to as “HitGen”) and Tasly Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (600535.SH, hereinafter referred to as “Tasly Pharmaceutical”) jointly signed an Innovative Drug Development Alliance Agreement in Chengdu and held a thematic seminar on “Focusing on Clinical Needs, Adhering to Technology Leadership, and Building an Innovation Cluster.”

HitGen Inc. and Tasly Pharmaceutical Sign Alliance Agreement for Innovative Drug Development

Li Jin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of HitGen Inc.

Deputy Director of the Biological Industry Development Bureau, High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee, Deng Hui

Yan Kaijing, Chairman of Tasly Pharmaceutical

Li Jin, Chairman and CEO of HitGen Inc., and Yan Kaijing, Chairman of Tasly Pharmaceutical, among other leaders, attended the signing ceremony. Wang Yongsheng, Director of the GCP Center at West China Hospital; Ma Jing, Chief Advisor for the Biopharmaceutical Industry at Shanghai Lingang Group; Zhou Zhengjun, Deputy General Manager of Chongqing Precision Biotechnology Co., Ltd.; and Zhou Shuiping, Executive Dean of Tasly Research Institute, also participated. Rao Yu, Professor at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, joined via remote video link. All delivered thematic presentations at the meeting.

Under the agreement, HitGen Inc., leveraging its established DNA-encoded library (DEL) platform for novel drug development, will focus on high-priority therapeutic areas such as oncology and immunology. By combining complementary R&D capabilities, the two parties will establish a multi-dimensional commercial collaboration model—including commissioned development and co-development—to forge a close-knit alliance based on co-creation and mutual benefit, jointly dedicated to advancing the research and development of innovative drugs in China.

At the signing ceremony, Chairman Li Jin delivered the opening remarks. HitGen Inc. is a rapidly growing biotechnology company engaged in new drug R&D, having established an internationally leading technology platform centered on the design, synthesis, and screening of DNA-encoded libraries (DELs) for small-molecule drug discovery. In response to the evolving landscape of the pharmaceutical industry both domestically and globally, the company actively explores and flexibly innovates, striving to build an integrated business model that empowers innovative drug R&D, services, and investment. While expressing strong endorsement and high expectations for the collaboration, Chairman Li also outlined HitGen’s current key strategic directions: “First, we will further expand our drug discovery technologies to become a leading enterprise in new molecule design, construction, and application, with DEL as the core and supported by multiple technologies. Second, we will extend our business advantages into the clinical candidate stage, evolving into a platform for pioneering novel drug discovery and incubation. Finally, we will accelerate the translation of our independently developed new drug projects through licensing or transfer.”

In his address, Chairman Yan Kaijing congratulated HitGen Inc. on its fruitful achievements and impressive performance over the years. He stated that in an era characterized by the interplay of crisis, transformation, and innovation, the pharmaceutical industry is ushering in a historic opportunity for leapfrog development. The strategy of “Two Transformations and One Upgrade,” which focuses on building “core competitiveness” through innovation, represents a crucial measure for Tasly Pharmaceutical’s transformation and upgrading to meet future challenges. The construction of an innovation system entails the improvement and enhancement of basic science, regulatory science, capital markets, and payment systems. At the foundational level, deepening collaboration among industry, academia, research, and application, while fully leveraging the advantages of biological samples and big data resources, will support original innovation. At the development level, promoting the systematic integration of the R&D chain—from drug discovery to formulation development—will accelerate breakthroughs from 0 to 1. At the product level, patient-centric personalized medical solutions should be created. At the corporate level, it is essential to adhere to open connectivity and integrate four key elements—talent, technology, capital, and ownership—to achieve systemic innovation. He pointed out that forming an alliance for innovative drug development with HitGen Inc. marks a significant step forward in Tasly Pharmaceutical’s journey of innovation.

At the signing ceremony and academic symposium, in-depth discussions were held on topics such as the starting points and challenges of innovative drug development, the application of innovative technologies, unmet clinical needs, and the transformation and upgrading of the pharmaceutical industry under new circumstances. The event fully explored new opportunities, technologies, and models for future innovative drug research and development. Focusing on oncology-related topics, experts attending the symposium conducted thorough discussions from multiple perspectives, including precision cancer therapy, clinical needs related to drug resistance, trends in innovative oncology drug development, and preclinical evaluation.

Dr. Li Jin, Chairman of HitGen Inc., and Dr. Zhou Shuiping, Executive Dean of Tasly Pharmaceutical’s Research Institute, shared their insights on the R&D and commercial prospects of innovative drugs, focusing respectively on how the “seed library” empowers new drug development and collaboration, and Tasly’s broader innovation strategy in biopharmaceuticals.

The successful signing marks the commencement of closer collaboration between HitGen Inc. and Tasly Pharmaceutical, leveraging their respective strengths to integrate resources, jointly accelerate the research and development of innovative drugs, and promote the clinical application of new medicines. Amidst the new landscape of policy reforms in the pharmaceutical industry, this innovative cooperation model sets a new benchmark for the transformation and upgrading of pharmaceutical enterprises, offering fresh insights for domestic pharmaceutical companies in seeking and establishing business models with sustainable long-term development capabilities.