China Biopharmaceuticals: Subsidiary Zhengda Tianqing reaches an exclusive strategic partnership with GSK to accelerate the release of the new hepatitis B drug Bepirovirsen in China

On May 11, China Biological Pharmaceutical announced that its core subsidiary, Zhengda Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group, has reached an exclusive strategic partnership with GSK to accelerate the launch of Bepirovirsen in China.

According to the terms of the agreement, Zhengda Tianqing will be responsible for the import, distribution, hospital access, promotion, and non-promotion activities of Bepirovirsen in mainland China, and all sales revenue generated from the product will be recognized as Zhengda Tianqing’s operating income. GSK will continue to serve as the Marketing Authorization Holder (MAH), responsible for regulatory registration, quality control, pharmacovigilance, and global medical strategies.

Under the agreement, Zhengda Tianqing will purchase Bepirovirsen from GSK during the initial 5.5-year cooperation period according to the agreed supply terms. Afterwards, both parties may extend the cooperation period through mutual agreement.

The agreement also provides opportunities for further collaboration on R&D pipeline assets that are seeking partnership outside of China. This cooperation will support the establishment of a long-term partnership and lay a solid foundation for future expansion of innovative asset collaborations.

Bepirovirsen is a first-in-class antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) with a triple mechanism of action, developed for the treatment of adult chronic hepatitis B (CHB). It was included in the Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) in August 2021, and entered the Priority Review pathway in April 2026. Bepirovirsen demonstrated statistically and clinically significant functional cure rates in Phase 3 B-Well 1 and B-Well 2 clinical trials, supporting its submission for marketing approval.

Zhengda Tianqing is one of the earliest domestic pharmaceutical companies to focus on liver diseases, having built a comprehensive liver disease product matrix covering the entire treatment cycle. A series of liver disease medications, represented by Tianqing Gannmei and Runzhong®, have played an important role in promoting hepatitis B diagnosis, treatment concepts, and knowledge dissemination in China.

The announcement mentions that the strategic cooperation between Zhengda Tianqing and GSK will jointly enhance the accessibility of Bepirovirsen in China, allowing more patients to benefit earlier. Additionally, this partnership will further enrich Zhengda Tianqing’s product portfolio in the liver disease field and achieve complementary synergy with its ongoing pipeline.

(China Biological Pharmaceutical Announcement)

(Editors: Yang Yan, Lin Chen)

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                                                            Healthcare