Youjia Biopharma and Livzon Pharmaceutical Announce Exclusive Licensing Agreement for Metabolic Disease siRNA Therapeutic

Recently, Youjia (Hangzhou) Biomedical Technology Co., Ltd. ("YOUJIA BIO") and Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Inc. ("Livzon Pharmaceutical") jointly announced that they have reached an exclusive licensing transfer cooperation for a small nucleic acid (siRNA) innovative product in the metabolic field independently developed by YOUJIA BIO.

Thus far, YOUJIA BIO has successively partnered with Buchang Pharmaceutical, Yiling Pharmaceutical, and Livzon Pharmaceutical to reach multiple significant collaborations within half a year. This not only demonstrates the high recognition from all parties of YOUJIA BIO's SEQUAD nucleic acid drug development platform technology but also reflects the highly anticipated development prospects in the siRNA drug field.

According to the transfer agreement signed by both parties, YOUJIA BIO will receive an upfront payment and is entitled to development milestone payments and sales royalties. Livzon Pharmaceutical will obtain the global exclusive rights for the development, production, and commercialization of the product’s active pharmaceutical ingredients, formulations, and all indications.

The content of this cooperation is a small nucleic acid innovative drug independently developed by YOUJIA BIO, which uses siRNA interference technology to inhibit the synthesis of target genes. This drug is a Class 1 new chemical drug with independent intellectual property rights. The product features long-acting and low toxicity, with a long-lasting efficacy, low dosing frequency, and a single injection can achieve therapeutic effects. Moreover, preclinical research data have also demonstrated good safety.

The treatment cycle for metabolic diseases is generally long, but oral medications are usually taken more frequently, leading to poor long-term medication adherence among patients. siRNA drugs inhibit the synthesis of target genes at the source, enabling long-term, stable control of target product levels, effectively improving medication adherence for these patients, and providing a novel approach for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of related diseases.

Mr. Tang Yanggang, Executive Director and President of Livzon PharmaceuticalStated: "This collaboration with YOUJIA BIO marks an important step for Livzon Pharmaceutical in the field of small nucleic acid drugs, accelerating the construction of the company’s small nucleic acid drug platform, which aligns with our mid-to-long-term innovative development strategy. We are optimistic about the market potential of the product and will expedite clinical development to achieve commercialization as soon as possible."

Dr. Cui Wenhao, Chairman of YOUJIA BIO"We are delighted to reach a strategic cooperation with Livzon Pharmaceutical. siRNA-based drugs have global competitiveness and enormous commercial potential in the metabolic field. We believe that, under Livzon Pharmaceutical’s leadership, the clinical trial development process of the cooperative product will be accelerated, achieving commercial sales as soon as possible, and contributing to the advancement of China's innovative drugs for the benefit of patients' treatment and overall health."

Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Inc. (000513.SZ, 01513.HK) was founded in 1985, with a registered capital of 928 million yuan. It is a comprehensive pharmaceutical group company integrating pharmaceutical research and development, production, and sales, employing nearly 9,000 staff. Livzon is committed to the R&D, production, and sales of active pharmaceutical ingredients, small molecule drugs, large molecule drugs, and diagnostic reagents. Its key therapeutic areas cover cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, metabolism, assisted reproduction, gastrointestinal, anti-infective, psychiatric/neurological, and more.

YOUJIA BIO is a leader in the development of innovative nucleic acid technologies in China, co-founded in 2019 by returned overseas postdoctoral researchers and seasoned industry experts. The company is located in the Xiaoshan Economic and Technological Development Zone, Hangzhou, with nearly 1,500 square meters of R&D laboratories. Committed to the vision of ensuring that diseases have effective treatments, the company strives to provide innovative therapeutic solutions driven by clinical needs.

YOUJIA BIO has established the SEQUAD nucleic acid drug full-process development platform, which can rapidly advance the development of nucleic acid drugs and the industrialization of nucleic acid technology products. YOUJIA BIO is a 5213 Talent Project in Xiaoshan District, and has been approved as a Hangzhou-level research and development center, as well as a Zhejiang Province specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative small and medium-sized enterprise.