Recently, Hengrui Pharmaceuticals announced a strategic cooperation agreement with Qiyu Biotechnology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Qiyu Bio") to develop Hengrui Medicine's Apatinib and Qiyu's Q-1802 (claudin 18.2/PD-L1 double-antibody) in clinical trials for advanced gastric cancer.
Apatinib mesylate tablets (Apatinib) is an innovative drug with independent intellectual property rights developed by Hengrui Pharmaceutical for ten years. It is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor that selectively inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFR-2) by blocking its downstream signal transduction and inhibits tumor angiogenesis. It was approved for marketing by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) in December 2014. The product name is Aitan®. The approved indication for this product is as a single drug suitable for advanced or recurring advanced cancer in patients who have already received at least two systemic chemotherapies. Patients with gastric adenocarcinoma or gastric-esophageal junction adenocarcinoma were approved at the beginning of this year. The second indication is as a single agent for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that has failed or is inoperable after receiving at least first-line systemic treatment in the past. Apatinib is the world's first small-molecule anti-angiogenesis targeted drug that has been proven to be safe and effective in advanced gastric cancer, and it is also the only oral formulation among targeted drugs for gastric cancer. At present, the phase III clinical study of carrelizumab combined with apatinib for the first-line treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma is being carried out simultaneously in more than 100 centers.
Qiyu Bio is determined to build an excellent biological drug pipeline with a first-in-class antibody technology platform. It takes the development of biological drugs that meet the unmet needs of patients at home and abroad. The product "Q-1802" is an innovative drug for the treatment of tumors developed by Qiyu Biotech. It is a double antibody that simultaneously targets Claudin 18.2 and PD-L1. Due o its innovative mechanism and pre-clinical trial results, Q-1802 has great advantages and potential. It can be combined with the targeting effect of antibodies and to reduce toxicity for treating gastrointestinal tumors. The product is currently undergoing Phase I clinical research in China.
The cooperation between Hengrui Medicine and Qiyu Biotechnology in the field of gastric cancer has laid a solid foundation for the continuous and comprehensive development and cooperation for innovative products in the future. In addition, it will help to set a model for similar research, further strengthen and expand the scope of indications of both drugs, and provide important clinical treatments for combating these serious diseases that endanger the lives and health of patients around the world.
