On May 11, Sino Biopharm (1177.HK) officially announced that its core enterprise, Chia Tai Tianqing, has entered into an exclusive strategic partnership with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to accelerate the marketing process of the first-in-class (FIC) new drug Bepirovirsen in China. Earlier this year, a marketing application for Bepirovirsen was submitted to the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the National Medical Products Administration and was included in the priority review list. It is expected to become the first drug to achieve a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B, bringing a revolutionary breakthrough to the field of hepatitis B treatment in China. 

 

 

Welcome to the online conference call on the exclusive strategic partnership between Sino Biopharm and GSK

 

• Beijing Time: May 11, 16:15

 

• Join Online: https://zoom.us/j/93576394293

 

• Meeting ID: 93576394293

 

• Password: 051177

 

Special Reminder: Please ensure your name as a participant is changed to the "Name-Company" format to join the meeting smoothly. 

 

Deepening International MNC Cooperation to Accelerate the Entry of a Global Blockbuster Cornerstone Product for Hepatitis B into China

 

According to the terms of the agreement, Chia Tai Tianqing will be responsible for the import, distribution, hospital access, as well as promotional and non-promotional activities for Bepirovirsen in mainland China. All sales revenue generated by the product will be recognized as Chia Tai Tianqing's operating revenue. GSK will continue to act as the Marketing Authorization Holder (MAH), responsible for regulatory registration affairs, quality control, pharmacovigilance, and global medical strategy. Both parties will also have the opportunity to explore further collaboration on some of the Group's R&D pipeline assets that are seeking partnership opportunities in markets outside of China. This collaboration will support the establishment of a long-term partnership between the two parties and provide a solid foundation for further expanding cooperation on innovative assets in the future. 

 

Eric Tse

Chief Executive Officer of Sino Biopharma, Chairman of Chia Tai Tianqing

 

"The collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline will enrich Chia Tai Tianqing's product portfolio in the liver disease field, complementing our in-house pipeline. We look forward to bringing the latest innovations in the field of chronic hepatitis B to more patients, helping to achieve the goals of the Healthy China initiative for viral hepatitis prevention and control sooner."

 

Mike Crichton

President, GSK International

 

"China has approximately 75 million people infected with the hepatitis B virus, and chronic hepatitis B is also one of the main causes of hepatic cancer. By integrating GSK's innovation capabilities with Chia Tai Tianqing's local scale and market execution advantages, we will have the opportunity to help more patients and contribute to the high-quality development of China's hepatitis viral prevention and control efforts."

 

Bepirovirsen is a first-in-class antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) with a triple mechanism of action for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in adults. It was included in the Breakthrough Therapy Program by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China's National Medical Products Administration in August 2021 and was granted Priority Review in April 2026. Bepirovirsen has shown statistically significant and clinically meaningful rates of functional cure in the Phase III clinical studies B-Well 1 and B-Well 2, supporting the submission of the marketing application. 

 

Chia Tai Tianqing holds a leading market position in the field of hepatitis B in China, possessing one of the most comprehensive liver disease product portfolios in the country. It has established an extensive commercial network covering over 5,000 medical institutions at all levels and has played a significant role in advancing the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B in China. This strategic collaboration with GSK will jointly enhance the accessibility of Bepirovirsen in China, allowing more patients to benefit from it sooner. At the same time, this collaboration will further enrich Chia Tai Tianqing's product portfolio in the liver disease field, achieving complementary synergy with its R&D pipeline. 

 

Building the Strongest Innovative Pipeline for Liver Diseases to Address Unmet Clinical Needs Globally

 

Hepatitis B is a hepatic infection caused by a virus that can lead to acute or chronic liver disease. Chronic hepatitis B occurs when the immune system is unable to clear the virus, leading to a long-term infection. Many patients typically require lifelong antiviral therapy to suppress the virus, making functional cure a key goal in the management of this disease. It is estimated that there are approximately 75 million people with hepatitis B virus infection in China, with over 450,000 deaths related to hepatitis B virus infection annually^[1]. In China, approximately 84.4% of hepatic cancer cases are related to chronic hepatitis B infection^[2]. 

 

China places great emphasis on the prevention and control of hepatitis viral. The "Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Hepatitis Viral in China (2025-2030)" explicitly calls for the active development of innovative solutions for a functional cure for hepatitis B. Achieving a functional cure is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of long-term liver complications, including hepatic cancer^[3]. 

 

Sino Biopharm is one of the first pharmaceutical companies in China to strategically focus on the liver disease field, taking the lead in building a product matrix that covers the entire disease cycle. A series of liver disease medications, represented by Tianqing Ganmei^® and Runzhong^®, have played an important role in promoting the concepts and knowledge of hepatitis B diagnosis and treatment in China. Currently, the Group is focusing on areas such as metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), curative therapies for hepatitis B, hepatic cirrhosis, and acute liver injury. Several innovative pipelines have entered the clinical stage: Lanifibranor (pan-PPAR agonist) is undergoing global Phase III clinical trials; TQ-A3334 (TLR-7 agonist) and TQA3605 (HBV core protein allosteric modulator) are both in Phase II clinical trials; and Kylo-0603 (THR-β agonist) is in Phase I clinical trials. In the future, Sino Biopharm will continue to deepen its focus on the liver disease field, develop more cutting-edge innovative therapies, and commit to addressing unmet clinical needs globally. 

 

This strategic collaboration marks another instance of the Group receiving high recognition from a leading global multinational corporation (MNC) and successfully establishing a strategic partnership, following the strategic collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim in April 2024. By continuously deepening strategic collaborations with leading global pharmaceutical companies, Sino Biopharm has further consolidated its industry-leading position as the preferred partner for MNCs in China. 

 

About Bepirovirsen

 

Bepirovirsen is an investigational antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) with a triple mechanism of action that can suppress the replication of viral DNA in the body, reduce the level of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in the blood, and stimulate the immune system to increase the chance of a durable response. Thanks to its innovative mechanism and potential to address significant unmet needs in the field of hepatitis B, bepirovirsen has received recognition from global regulatory agencies, including Fast Track, Priority Review, and Breakthrough Therapy designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); inclusion in the Breakthrough Therapy and Priority Review programs by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China's National Medical Products Administration; and the SAKIGAKE (Pioneer) designation in Japan. 

 

About GlaxoSmithKline

 

GlaxoSmithKline (LSE/NYSE: GSK) is a global biopharmaceutical company with a mission to "unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together". For more information, please visit gsk.com. 

 

References:

[1] WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2024.Available at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240091672 (last accessed March 2026)

[2] Rumgay H et al .Global burden of primary liver cancer in 2020 and predictions to 2040.J Hepatol.2022;77:1598–1606.doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.08.021

[3] EASL, "Clinical Practice Guidelines on the management of hepatitis B virus infection" in Journal of Hepatology Volume 83, Issue 2, August 2025, Pages 502-583. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168827825001746 (last accessed March 2026)

Declaration:

1. This press release is intended to facilitate the communication and exchange of medical information and is for reference by healthcare professionals only. It is not for advertising purposes. 

2. The company does not recommend any drugs and/or indications. 

3. The information contained in this press release is for reference only and cannot replace professional medical guidance in any way, nor should it be considered as a diagnosis or treatment recommendation. If you wish to understand specific disease diagnosis and treatment information, please follow the advice or guidance of a physician or other healthcare professional.