China-based HutchMed (China) Ltd (NASDAQ: HCM; HKG: 0013) is poised to receive a USD 20 million milestone payment from its Japanese partner Takeda (TYO: 4502; NYSE: TAK), following the achievement of over USD 200 million in sales of Fruzaqla (fruquintinib) for metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC).
Fruquintinib, a selective oral inhibitor of all three VEGF receptors (VEGFR-1, -2, and -3), plays a crucial role in inhibiting tumor angiogenesis. The drug’s design features enhanced selectivity that limits off-target kinase activity, enabling sustained target inhibition and the potential for combination therapy. With a manageable safety profile, fruquintinib is under investigation in combination with other anti-cancer treatments.
Takeda holds the rights to market fruquintinib outside of China under the trade name Fruzqala, while Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) co-markets the drug with HutchMed in China under the brand name Elunate. Approved to treat previously treated mCRC in the US in November 2023, the drug is also registered in the European Union (EU), Switzerland, Canada, Japan, the UK, Argentina, Australia, and Singapore.- Flcube.com
