– Investigational first-in-class glucokinase activator, with a novel mode of action, focused on fixing the glucose sensor and restoring glucose homeostasis for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (“T2DM”) patients, with sustained efficacy in phase III clinical trial in Chinese T2DM patients.
– 116 million T2DM patients in China, with an unsatisfied treatment and control rate.
– Agreement further strengthens Bayer’s diabetes management leadership in China.
Bayer and Hua Medicine, a leading innovative drug development company, today announced a commercialization agreement and strategic partnership for dorzagliatin, a novel diabetes treatment, in China. The agreement aims to provide Chinese diabetes patients with access to a new treatment option, building on Bayer’s existing strength and leadership in diabetes management in China and the innovation capabilities of Hua Medicine.
“Bayer has been long committed to Chinese patients living with diabetes and diabetic macular edema (DME) by offering innovative treatment options including Glucobay and Eylea,” said Wei Jiang, Executive Vice President and President of Bayer Pharmaceuticals Region China & APAC and President of Bayer Group Greater China. “In the face of significantly increasing challenges caused by diabetes to public health in China, our collaboration with Hua Medicine will further address unmet medical needs of Chinese patients living with diabetes. By leveraging Bayer’s well-established products as well as the upcoming continuous glucose monitoring system under the partnership with WaveForm, we will be able to provide integrated solutions ranging from prevention, diagnosis, treatment and complication management.”
Type 2 diabetes continues to be an important health challenge. According to the China Mainland National Cross Sectional Study in the British Medical Journal, the prevalence rate of T2DM for adults in China is 11.2%, but the proportion of patients who have their hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels controlled is 49.4%(1). Among patients taking oral anti-diabetic drugs, fasting plasma glucose and 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose level lower than or equal to target were only achieved by 51.3% and 53.4%, respectively. These observations from real-world data highlights the unmet medical needs in diabetes, and are the reasons why biotech companies continue to explore novel therapies to improve diabetes management. With a novel mechanism of action, dorzagliatin is an investigational first-in-class glucokinase activator (“GKA”) targeting the restoration of glucose homeostasis in T2DM patients by addressing the defect of the glucose sensor function in the pancreas. A recently completed phase III clinical study of dorzagliatin monotherapy by Hua Medicine showed positive 52-week efficacy data. In addition, 24-week topline results were announced recently: The phase III metformin combination clinical trial met the primary efficacy endpoint.
“We are very excited to have this great opportunity, joining forces with Bayer to bring a first-in-class diabetes medicine, dorzagliatin, to Chinese patients,” said Dr. Li Chen, CEO of Hua Medicine. “Bayer has been a leader in diabetes treatment for the past 10 years in China and will be a great partner for Hua Medicine to advance diabetes care. T2DM currently affects approximately 463 million patients worldwide, 116 million of which are in China(2). Over the last ten years, Hua Medicine has translated the novel concept of glucose homeostasis management into a breakthrough T2DM therapy that aspires to cure diabetes. For the first time, a drug has demonstrated, in clinical trials, the potential ability to improve glucose metabolism and Bata-cell function in T2DM patients. The partnership between Hua Medicine and Bayer will bring this medical innovation to a broader patient population in China even faster.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Hua Medicine as the market authorization holder shall be responsible for clinical development, registration, product supply and distribution, whilst Bayer as the promotion service provider shall be responsible for marketing, promotion and medical education activities in China. Hua Medicine will receive an upfront payment of RMB 300 million and additional payments could reach up to RMB 4.18 billion if certain milestones are met. Bayer receives the exclusive rights to commercialize the product in China and will receive tiered service fee based on the net sales. Initially, both parties will share equally in sales derived from China net sales, with adjusting sales percentages based on agreed China net sales thresholds.
“China is a key focus of Bayer’s partnering efforts and we are continuously looking for assets and health technologies to help address significant unmet medical needs of patients,” said Marianne De Backer, PhD, Member of the Executive Committee and Head of Strategy and Business Development & Licensing, Pharmaceuticals Division of Bayer AG. “Through this new partnership, we further expand treatment options for millions of Type 2 diabetes patients in China by leveraging our commercial expertise and diabetes leadership position in China and combining it with the external know-how of a strong partner.”
The Pharmaceuticals Business Development & Licensing team of Bayer facilitated this collaboration.
(1). British Medical Journal. Prevalence of diabetes recorded in China using 2018 diagnostic criteria from the American Diabetes Association: national cross sectional study. https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m997
(2). International Diabetes Federation. 9th Edition of IDF Diabetes Atlas. https://www.diabetesatlas.org/en/
About Dorzagliatin
Dorzagliatin is an investigational first-in-class, dual-acting glucokinase activator, designed to control the progressive degenerative nature of diabetes by restoring glucose homeostasis in patients with T2DM. By addressing the defect of the glucose sensor function of glucokinase, dorzagliatin has the potential to restore the impaired glucose homeostasis state of patients with T2DM and serve as a standard-of-care therapy for the treatment of the disease, or as a combination therapy with currently approved anti-diabetes drugs. For more information, please go to www.huamedicine.com
About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to benefit people by supporting efforts to overcome the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development, and the Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2019, the Group employed around 104,000 people and had sales of 43.5 billion euros. Capital expenditures amounted to 2.9 billion euros, R&D expenses to 5.3 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.
About Hua Medicine
Hua Medicine is a leading, clinical-stage innovative drug development company in China focused on developing novel therapies for the treatment of diabetes to satisfy unmet medical needs. Founded by an experienced group of entrepreneurs and international investment firms, Hua Medicine advanced a first-in-class oral drug for the treatment of T2DM into NDA-enabling stage and is currently evaluating the therapy in adults with diabetes in two Phase III trials in China and various earlier stage clinical trials in China and the United States. Dorzagliatin has achieved its primary endpoint in both of its Phase III monotherapy and combination trials in China over the 24-week trial period, and completed its 52-week Phase III monotherapy trial. The Company has initiated product life-cycle management studies of this novel diabetes therapy and advanced its use in personalized diabetes care. Hua Medicine is working closely with disease experts and regulatory agencies in China and across the world to advance diabetes care solutions for patients worldwide.
Contact Bayer:
Bayer China Communications – Pharmaceuticals
Tel No.: (86)10-5921-8499
Email: pharma.china.comm@bayer.com
Contact Hua Medicine
Investors: ir@huamedicine.com
Media: pr@huamedicine.com
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Hua Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain statements that constitute “forward-looking statements”, including, but not limited to, statements relating to the implementation of strategic initiatives, and other statements relating to Hua Medicine’s future business development and economic performance. While these forward-looking statements represent Hua Medicine’s judgments and future expectations concerning the development of business, a number of risks, uncertainties and other statutory requirements may render actual developments and results to differ materially from our expectations. For more information, go to www.huamedicine.com.