GSK plc announced that it has entered into an exclusive strategic collaboration with Sino Biopharmaceutical, (SBP Group), through its subsidiary Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (CTTQ), to accelerate bepirovirsen in mainland China at launch. Bepirovirsen is a potential first-in-class treatment for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) under priority regulatory review in China.CTTQ is a market leader in hepatitis B in China withone of the country's most comprehensive liver disease portfoliosand a broad commercial footprint covering more than 5,000 medical centres across care settings. CTTQ has played a significant role in advancing the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B in China.
The collaboration combines GSK innovation with CTTQ's local scale and in-market execution to reach more patients, more quickly. Under the agreement, CTTQ will be responsible for importation, distribution, hospital access, and promotional and non-promotional activities for bepirovirsen in mainland China. GSK will remain the marketing authorisation holder and retain responsibility for regulatory, quality, pharmacovigilance and global medical strategy.
The agreement also grants GSK the ability to review certain early-stage pipeline assets of the SBP Group to evaluate the potential for collaboration opportunities outside China. Under the terms of the agreement, CTTQ will purchase bepirovirsen from GSK under agreed supply terms for an initial term of 5.5 years. The term may be extended thereafter by mutual agreement.
GSK will book sales of bepirovirsen supplied to CTTQ through the collaboration. GSK also has the ability to review certain early-stage pipeline assets of the SBP Group to evaluate potential collaboration opportunities outside China.
