China-based Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co., Ltd (SHA: 600276) has entered into a licensing agreement with India-headquartered Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, granting the latter exclusive development and commercialization rights for its HER1/HER2/HER4 inhibitor, pyrotinib, in India.
Financial Terms of the Agreement
Under the terms of the agreement, Hengrui will receive an upfront payment of USD 3 million and is eligible for up to USD 152.5 million in sales milestones. Additionally, Hengrui will earn double-digit royalties on annual net sales of pyrotinib.
Pyrotinib’s Market Approval and Indications
Pyrotinib is an innovative EGFR/HER2 inhibitor developed in-house by Hengrui, which was included in the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) in 2019. The drug received its first market approval in China in August 2018 for the treatment of HER2-positive advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination with capecitabine. It later gained additional indication approvals in 2022 and 2023 for use as neoadjuvant therapy in HER2-positive early or locally advanced breast cancer and for treating recurrent or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer in patients not previously treated with anti-HER2 therapies.
Prior to this agreement, Hengrui out-licensed pyrotinib to South Korean firm HLB-LS in a deal valued at USD 105.7 million in September 2020.-Fineline Info & Tech
