Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals (SHA: 600276), a leading China-based pharmaceutical company, has announced the receipt of another clinical trial approval for its drug candidate SHR0302, which is intended for the treatment of graft versus host disease (GVHD).
SHR0302: A Selective JAK1 Inhibitor with Oral Solution Potential
SHR0302 is recognized as a highly selective Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor, offering significant advantages such as large dispersity and rapid absorption. The drug’s oral solution form has the potential to enhance patient compliance. Currently, SHR0302 is undergoing multiple clinical studies for various indications, including vitiligo, ulcerative colitis, Krohn’s disease, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, alopecia areata, and moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in adolescents and adults aged 12 years and above, as well as active radial negative axial spondyloarthritis. Notably, SHR0302 has achieved primary endpoints in a Phase III study focused on atopic dermatitis.
Market Potential and Competition
Currently, there are no domestically produced JAK1 inhibitors available in the Chinese market. However, globally, several JAK1 inhibitors are commercially available, such as Pfizer’s abrocitinib, Novartis’s Jakavi (ruxolitinib), Eli Lilly’s Olumiant (baricitinib), and AbbVie’s upadacitinib. The approval of SHR0302’s clinical trial marks a significant step for Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals as it seeks to develop a homegrown alternative to these international drugs.-Fineline Info & Tech
