Hengrui Pharma partners with GSK to develop 12 innovative medicines, enhancing COPD treatment and expanding global growth opportunities.
Hengrui Pharma announced it has entered into agreements with GSK to develop up to 12 medicines to complement GSK’s respiratory, immunology & inflammation, and oncology pipeline. This agreement significantly increases Hengrui’s value in global strategies while providing new growth opportunities to GSK beyond 2031.
Tony Wood, chief scientific officer at GSK, mentioned the implications of the agreement, saying, "We're delighted to announce these exciting agreements with Hengrui Pharma which complement our already-extensive pipeline. This deal reflects our strategic investment in programs that address validated targets, increasing the likelihood of success, and with the option to advance those assets with the greatest potential for patient impact." 1
Selected programs were assessed based on potential to be labeled as best- or first-in-class, with the agreement including an exclusive worldwide license for a potential best-in-class PDE3/4 inhibitor Hrs-9821.
Currently in clinical development for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Hrs-9821 acts as an add-on maintenance treatment irrespective of background therapy and was a driving force in the agreement. The inclusion of Hrs-9821 supports GSK’s goal of treating a broad spectrum of patients suffering from COPD, including those suffering from dyspnoea, and patients who are less likely to receive corticosteroids or biologics due to disease profiles.
Early clinical and preclinical studies show that Hrs-9821 exhibits potent PDE3 and PDE4 inhibition leading to increased bronchodilation and anti-inflammatory effects. Alongside early test results, Hrs-9821 yields the ability to formulate a dry-powder inhaler that aligns with GSK’s established inhaled portfolio.
Another crucial part of GSK’s and Hengrui’s agreement is the collaborative effort to generate upwards of 11 additional programs alongside Hrs-9821. Each individual program will have its own financial structure with Hengrui leading development until the completion of phase 1 trials including patients outside of China. Meanwhile, GSK will hold the exclusive option to continue the development and commercialization of each program worldwide, with exclusions in China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
The collaboration exemplifies GSKs:
GSK will blend these capabilities with Hengrui Pharma’s early discovery engine, platform technologies, speed of clinical evaluations, and extensive pre-clinical pipeline of valuable programs to make the most of the collaboration, while furthering developments for COPD treatments.
Agreed upon by both parties, GSK will pay an upfront fee of $500 million, including the license agreement for the Pde3/4 program, with the potential for the total value of the deal to reach an estimated $12 billion. For the deal to reach the estimated total, all programs must be optioned, and all milestones must be achieved. Hengrui Pharma will also be eligible for tiered royalties on global product net sales.
Frank Jiang, executive vice president and chief strategy officer of Hengrui Pharma noted the importance of the agreement saying, "This strategic collaboration with GSK marks yet another significant milestone in Hengrui's globalization journey and our mission to innovate and deliver higher-quality, cutting-edge therapies for patients worldwide. GSK brings additional R&D expertise, a robust global clinical network, and broad regulatory capabilities that will accelerate our PDE3/4 inhibitor as well as an array of other innovative therapy programs to overseas markets, potentially delivering breakthrough treatments to patients globally." 1
Hengrui Pharma and GSK enter agreements to develop up to 12 innovative medicines across Respiratory, Immunology & Inflammation and Oncology Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals July 27, 2025
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