By Fineline Cube US-based rare disease specialist Quoin Pharmaceuticals Ltd (NASDAQ: QNRX) announced a licensing and distribution agreement with Hong Kong WinHealth Pharma Group Ltd. The deal grants WinHealth rights to Quoin’s pipeline candidates QRX003 and QRX004 for Netherton syndrome and epidermolysis bullosa (EB) in the Greater China territory, including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
Drug Details and Mechanism
QRX003 is a potential treatment for Netherton syndrome, a rare hereditary disorder characterized by scaling skin, hair anomalies, and elevated IgE levels. QRX004 is under development for epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a group of rare inherited skin disorders causing fragile skin and painful blisters. QRX003 is a once-daily topical lotion with a broad-spectrum serine protease inhibitor, while QRX004 is a topical lotion with two active ingredients that promote sustained type VII collagen production.
WinHealth’s Role and Capabilities
WinHealth Pharma is building significant capabilities in China’s rare disease space. The firm operates the Bo’ao Winhealth Rare Disease Medical Center in Hainan, enabling pre-approval application of rare disease drugs. WinHealth has signed nine in-licensing deals over the past two years, including candidates from Immedica Pharma AB, TWi Biotechnology Inc., and Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH. The company also formed a five-year collaboration with the China Alliance for Rare Diseases (CARD) in October last year, focused on rare disease R&D.-Fineline Info & Tech