On October 7, 2024, Shiyao Group and AstraZeneca reached a heavyweight cooperation agreement, which caused quite a stir in the pharmaceutical industry. So, let's explore together in what aspects the cooperation between Shiyao Group and AstraZeneca can spark.

Lung cancer product Axitinib

In the field of lung cancer treatment, Shiyao Group has achieved outstanding results in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations (EGFR ex20ins) by combining humanized EGFR monoclonal antibodies with AstraZeneca's heavyweight product, Axitinib. The relevant research data was published in Nature Communication and has been widely recognized by the international academic community. At present, the key phase II single arm study for this indication is also being carried out smoothly, and good clinical research data has been obtained. It will be applied for market as soon as possible.

Based on this good cooperation result, representatives from both parties signed a cooperation agreement in order to continue the collaboration in the Phase III confirmatory study of this indication. Chen Kangwei, General Manager of AstraZeneca China Oncology Division, stated that the strategic cooperation between the two parties is through a strong alliance in research and development. This cooperation model will help promote more innovative drugs to be launched and meet the unmet medical needs of patients. Xiang Anbo, President of the Clinical Division of Shiyao Group, also hopes that successful experiences can be replicated in different product pipelines to jointly solve medical problems worldwide, including but not limited to lung cancer and other fields. In addition, the two sides also signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement, agreeing to gradually explore comprehensive cooperation in the field of cancer treatment and contribute to human health.

Development of cardiovascular small molecule drugs

In the cardiovascular field, AstraZeneca and Shiyao Group have reached an exclusive licensing agreement to advance the development of a preclinical innovative small molecule lipoprotein (a) (Lp (a)) inhibitor. AstraZeneca will acquire the preclinical candidate small molecule drug YS2302018 from Shiyao Group, an oral lipoprotein (a) inhibitor, for the development of novel lipid-lowering therapies and monotherapy or combination therapy for various cardiovascular diseases, including in combination with the oral small molecule PCSK9 inhibitor AZD0780.

According to the relevant terms of the agreement, Shiyao Group can receive a down payment of $100 million. Not only that, in the future, Shiyao Group will also be eligible to receive milestone payments of up to 1.92 billion US dollars for development and commercialization, as well as enjoy tiered royalties. This drug has the potential to bring more benefits to patients with dyslipidemia and further strengthen AstraZeneca's cardiovascular product pipeline. Elevated levels of lipoprotein (a) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma are key risk factors for cardiovascular disease, estimated to cause 2.6 million deaths worldwide annually. Although there are many treatment options at present, the burden of dyslipidemia in the world is still rising. More than 70% of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) still fail to reach their LDL cholesterol goal, so there is a huge unmet demand among high-risk patients. The cooperation between the two parties is expected to provide more effective treatment options for cardiovascular disease patients and open up broad prospects for future cooperation.

Exploration of Potential Cooperation Areas and Mechanisms

In addition to the existing cooperation achievements and further plans in the field of lung cancer, the two sides have also signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement, agreeing to gradually explore comprehensive cooperation in the field of tumor treatment. This means that they will not be limited to just lung cancer as a tumor type, but will extend their collaboration to other areas of cancer. In the field of digestive tract tumors, such as gastric cancer and colorectal cancer, both parties may utilize their respective technological advantages and research and development resources to develop drugs targeting specific targets of tumor cells. For the HER2 positive patient population in gastric cancer, it may be explored to develop more effective targeted therapeutic drugs; In the field of colorectal cancer, targeted treatment plans may be developed for common gene mutations such as KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, etc. In the field of hematological tumors such as leukemia and lymphoma, cooperation may focus on developing novel drugs targeting specific markers of tumor cells, or exploring new immunotherapy methods. For example, for specific antigens on the surface of leukemia cells, more specific antibody drugs can be developed; In the treatment of lymphoma, optimization and improvement of CAR-T cell therapy may be explored to enhance treatment efficacy and reduce side effects.

Strong alliance, remarkable achievements

The most obvious effect is to promote the launch of innovative drugs, and the cooperation between Shiyao Group and AstraZeneca undoubtedly injects strong impetus into promoting the launch of innovative drugs. The in-depth cooperation between the two sides in the fields of lung cancer and cardiovascular disease has brought together their respective technological advantages and research and development resources. Taking the treatment of lung cancer as an example, the excellent results achieved through joint research have laid a solid foundation for the development of innovative drugs in the future. In the field of cardiovascular disease, the development of new inhibitors has also brought new therapeutic hope to patients. This strong alliance helps accelerate the development process of innovative drugs, allowing more patients to benefit from advanced therapeutic drugs as soon as possible and meet their unmet medical needs.

In addition, cooperation between pharmaceutical companies can more efficiently solve medical problems. The cooperation between the two parties is not limited to a single disease field, but has broader goals. As expected by Xiang Anbo, President of the Clinical Business Unit of Shiyao Group, successful experiences are expected to be replicated in different product pipelines to jointly solve medical problems worldwide. The collaborative achievements in the field of lung cancer have been widely recognized by the international academic community, providing valuable experience for cooperation in other disease areas. At the same time, cooperation in the cardiovascular field has also brought new ideas for solving problems such as blood lipid abnormalities. Through continuous exploration and innovation, both parties are expected to achieve breakthroughs in more medical challenges and bring more benefits to patients worldwide. The last point, which I believe is quite important, is to deepen the development of the industry. This cooperation has a positive and far-reaching impact on the development of the pharmaceutical industry. On the one hand, the cooperation between two domestic and foreign leading pharmaceutical companies has set a model for industry cooperation, providing reference and inspiration for other enterprises. The comprehensive cooperation between the two sides in tumor treatment and cardiovascular fields has promoted the exchange and integration of different treatment fields and research and development pipelines, and promoted the innovative development of the pharmaceutical industry. On the other hand, cooperation has also accelerated the development and commercialization of innovative drugs, enhancing the overall competitiveness of the industry.

Conclusion and Inspiration

The cooperation between Shiyao Group and AstraZeneca in the field of lung cancer has been widely recognized by the international academic community. The relevant research data has been published in Nature Communication, which not only highly affirms the scientific research strength of both parties, but also lays a solid foundation for subsequent clinical research and drug development. At present, the key phase II single arm study on the indications for non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutation is also being carried out smoothly, and good clinical research data has been obtained, which brings new hope to patients. With the continuous deepening of research, both parties will apply for listing as soon as possible, so that more patients can benefit from this innovative therapy as soon as possible. On the other hand, the huge economic benefits between Shiyao Group and AstraZeneca not only reflect the enormous value of the cooperation project, but also provide broad space for the future development of Shiyao Group. From the perspective of future potential, the cooperation between the two parties in the fields of lung cancer and cardiovascular disease is expected to provide more effective treatment options for patients worldwide and open up vast markets. With the continuous development and launch of innovative drugs, the economic benefits of Shiyao Group will continue to increase, and it will also make greater contributions to the development of the global pharmaceutical industry.