Collaboration will leverage HUYA’s growing Chinese bioscience network
San Diego, CA – April 21, 2009 — HUYA Bioscience International, a leader in US/China pharmaceutical co-development, today announced an agreement with Abbott to identify and pursue proprietary preclinical and clinical drug candidates that originate in China.
Abbott will gain access to HUYA’s growing Chinese bioscience network comprising premier companies, universities, government research institutions and bioparks throughout the country. HUYA has agreements in place with many of these organizations whereby HUYA has ongoing exclusive access to compounds and biologics in a variety of indications. HUYA is currently evaluating and following the progress of more than 600 lead, preclinical and clinical drug candidates.
“China has an extremely rich pool of drug candidates, which we are able to tap through our extensive network of partners,” said Mireille Gingras, PhD, President and CEO of HUYA. “We’ve been effective in leveraging those relationships to the mutual benefit of our partners in the West and in China, and we’re looking forward to a productive collaboration with Abbott.”
HUYA’s model is based on long-term relationships with its Chinese partners and this provides a continuous source of compounds, unlike a single compound strategy. Once a compound is licensed, the ongoing exchange of expertise and data lowers risk and facilitates rapid and efficient clinical development in both China and the West.
HUYA currently has two clinical stage drugs licensed from China in the therapeutic areas of Cardiovascular and Oncology for development in the West.
HUYA’S Innovative Model Benefits Partners in the West and China
HUYA was one of the first companies to recognize China’s potential to help meet the global need for pre-clinical and clinical stage compounds for the drug development process. HUYA identifies and licenses highly promising pre-clinical and clinical stage compounds in China and provides access to those compounds to partners in the West. Likewise, HUYA provides a valuable bridge to Western development for its partners in China. HUYA’s Chinese partners retain development and marketing rights in China with the expectation that both parties will benefit from the research and development collaboration.
One of the key differentiators of HUYA’s approach is the assembly of a high-level team of scientific and clinical advisors for each new compound. The team collaborates with its Chinese partners to discuss and design pre-clinical tests and clinical trials as the compounds enter the U.S. development process, speeding the process and mitigating risk. HUYA’s global team of advisors includes Benedict Lucchesi, MD, PhD, Peter R. Kowey, MD, Dennis Roy, MD, Jefferson L. Anderson, MD, Eric J. Topol, MD, Stanley Nattel, MD, Anthony Tolcher, MD, Alex Adjei, MD, PhD, Patricia LoRusso, DO and Michael Robertson, MD.
“HUYA has forged highly productive relationships with its Chinese partners, which sets up the potential for clinical development and new treatment options in several diseases,” said Eric Topol, Chief Academic Officer, Scripps Health, San Diego, CA.
About HUYA
HUYA is a leader in U.S./China pharmaceutical co-development with four strategic offices in China, a broad Chinese compound portfolio, and a significant number of exclusive agreements with premier Chinese biotech centers. HUYA has joint headquarter offices in San Diego, CA, and Shanghai. Additional information about the company is available at www.huyabio.com.
Contact
USA:
Jan Tuttleman, PhD
Vice President, Marketing
HUYA Bioscience International, LLC
(858) 798-8800
jtuttleman@huyabio.com
China:
Li Zhu, PhD
VP China Operations
HUYA Bioscience International, LLC
86 (21) 51323312
lzhu@huyabio.com
Media Contact:
Juliet Travis
(510) 452-3771
juliet@travispr.com