On June 9th, Zai Lab's first neurological product, Xanomelide Traxodium Chloride Capsules (Kagero® ) , was shipped from Suzhou and began supplying hospitals and pharmacies in multiple provinces and cities across China. On the same day, the drug was prescribed for the first time nationwide at Beijing Anding Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University, and subsequently reached schizophrenia patients in over 30 cities and nearly 50 hospitals across the country.

Ni Qian, member of the Party Working Committee and deputy director of the Management Committee of Suzhou Industrial Park, said:

Zai Lab is a key witness to and participant in the booming development of the biopharmaceutical industry in the park. Ten of its innovative products, including Xanomeprazole and Traxolium chloride capsules , have been approved for marketing in China, demonstrating strong resilience and innovation capabilities. We will continue to support companies like Zai Lab, encouraging them to deepen their presence in the park and grow stronger. We will provide a better business environment, more practical industrial policies, and more attentive business-friendly services to help companies focus on innovation and develop with peace of mind.

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness that often leads to disability. There are approximately 8 million adults with schizophrenia in China .¹ The core symptoms of the disease include positive symptoms (such as hallucinations and delusions), negative symptoms (such as loss of motivation and pleasure, and social withdrawal), and cognitive symptoms (such as deficits in memory, attention, and decision-making).

Dr. Wang Yizhe, Operating Partner of Zai Lab, stated:

The impact of schizophrenia on patients extends far beyond the obvious symptoms; the more fundamental challenge lies in the impairment of social functioning. Xanomelide troxetine capsules fill a gap in clinical treatment, giving patients the opportunity to return to life and reintegrate into society. The launch of this innovative drug also actively responds to the national call for mental health development, injecting new momentum into overcoming the treatment challenges.

Since Zai Lab settled in Suzhou Industrial Park in 2015, it has been deeply rooted in this fertile land for ten years. Suzhou has witnessed the launch and implementation of several of Zai Lab's products in multiple disease areas, including oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, and neuroscience, in China . Products from here have truly helped many patients and families.

Dr. Yan Shuizhong, Global Chief Operating Officer of Zai Lab, stated:

Suzhou is the only city in Zai Lab's global strategy that integrates production, R&D, and commercialization. The launch of Xanomelide Tricetyl Chloride Capsules today is the latest testament to our commitment to Suzhou and collaborative innovation. We will continue to leverage the industrial advantages of Suzhou Industrial Park to accelerate the transition of more innovative drugs from the laboratory to the production line and from the park to patients nationwide, continuously contributing to the park's goal of becoming a world-class innovation hub for the biopharmaceutical industry.

Currently, commonly used antipsychotic drugs in clinical practice mainly target dopamine receptors. Although they have a certain effect on controlling positive symptoms, they have limited effect on improving negative and cognitive symptoms and have significant side effects, including weight gain, hyperprolactinemia, and extrapyramidal symptoms such as muscle rigidity and tremors. These side effects affect patients' long-term treatment adherence and also place a heavy burden on caregivers.

Professor Wang Gang, President of Beijing Anding Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University and principal investigator of the Phase III clinical trial of Xanomelide Traxolium Chloride Capsules in China, stated:

Xanomeprazole (trismuth subcitrate) capsules are the first antipsychotic drug with a completely new mechanism of action in over 70 years, providing clinicians with a new option. With its nationwide availability, we look forward to more patients benefiting from it and returning to normal life.

Xanomeprazole Chloride Capsules were approved for marketing by the National Medical Products Administration in December 2025 for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults. Currently, the drug has been included in the "Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Schizophrenia in China (2025 Edition)" and the "Chinese Expert Consensus on the Management of Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia (2026)" published by the Chinese Medical Association.

References:

1. Kingwell, K. (2024). Muscarinic drugs breathe new life into schizophrenia pipeline. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 23(9), 647–649.

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