By Fineline Cube 
Novartis (NYSE: NVS) announced on October 27, 2025, the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement with CMS Vision, the ophthalmology business of China Medical System (CMS; HKG: 0867, SGX: 8A8). Effective November 1, 2025, the exclusive import, commercial promotion, and distribution rights for Lucentis (Ranibizumab) and Beovu (Brolucizumab) in China will be transferred to CMS Vision for a five-year period.
Lucentis (Ranibizumab)
Lucentis, originally developed by Novartis, is a recombinant anti-VEGF humanized monoclonal antibody Fab fragment targeting VEGF-A. It was the first globally approved anti-VEGF drug for ophthalmology. Since its launch in China in 2011, it has been approved for several major ophthalmic diseases, including wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO), and choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Ranibizumab was included in China’s National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) in 2019. In 2024, Qilu Pharmaceutical received approval for the first ranibizumab biosimilar.
Beovu (Brolucizumab)
Beovu is the world’s first humanized single-chain antibody (scFv) drug for ophthalmology. Approved for launch in China in May 2025, it is indicated for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). Thanks to its ultra-small molecule size (26 kDa) and high concentration, Beovu precisely targets and inhibits Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A (VEGF-A), offering therapeutic advantages such as superior fluid control and extended treatment intervals compared to previous-generation products.-Fineline Info & Tech