Pretomanid

Accelerates Globalization of Innovative Products with Operating Cash Flow Surging 31.13% YoY SHANGHAI, March 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 25, 2025, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd. ("Fosun Pharma"or "the Group"; Stock Code: 600196.SH, 02196.HK), a leading global pharmaceutical and healthcare company driven by innovation, announced its annual results for the year ended 31 December 2024 ("the Reporting Period"). In 2024, Fosun Pharma further focused on the business development of innovative drugs and high-value devices, achieving operating revenue of RMB41.07 billion and net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB2.77 billion, representing an increase of 16.08% YoY. Fosun Pharma continuously optimize supply chain management to enhance operational efficiency, recording an operating cash flow of RMB4.48 billion with an increase of 31.13% YoY, surpassing the growth rate of operating profit. In addition, Fosun Pharma continues to advance lean management across quality enhancement, cost control, efficiency improvement, cycle management, and innovation R&D, driving operational efficiency and expanding profitability. During the Reporting Period, the gross margin minus the selling and distribution expense ratio improved by 2.45 percentage points YoY; and, excluding the impact of newly acquired enterprises during the Reporting Period and the same period last year, administrative expenses declined by RMB355 million. Fosun Pharma always takes innovation as a core driving force in its development. Fosun Pharma has established an open and globally integrated pharmaceutical R&D ecosystem, focusing on core therapeutic areas including oncology (solid tumors and hematologic malignancies) and Immune-inflammatory disorders. The company is strategically enhancing its technological leadership in antibody/ADC platforms, cell therapies, and small molecule development, while collaborating with industry funds to pioneer next-generation modalities such as radiopharmaceuticals, RNA therapeutics, gene editing, and AI-powered drug discovery. During the Reporting Period, Fosun Pharma continuously optimized its innovative R&D system while maintaining stable R&D investment, focusing on key pipeline strengths and enhancing efficiency through system integration. In 2024, Fosun Pharma's total R&D expenditure amounted to RMB5.55 billion, with R&D expenses totaling RMB3.64 billion. The R&D expenditure in the pharmaceutical manufacturing segment amounted to RMB4.91 billion, accounting for 16.98% of pharmaceutical business revenue. There are over 80 major pipeline projects on innovative drugs and biosimilars (calculated by indications). In addition, during the Reporting Period, the pharmaceutical manufacturing segment of Fosun Pharma submitted 220 patent applications, including 3 American patent applications, 18 PCT applications, and Fosun Pharma has obtained 66 licensed invention patents authorization. Accelerating Innovation Transformation and the Internationalization of Innovative Products Focusing on unmet clinical needs, Fosun Pharma continuous to push forward its innovation transformation and the development and commercialization of innovative products, expanding into regulatory markets such as the U.S. and the EU. During the Reporting Period, 7 innovative products/biosimilars with a total of 16 indications independently developed and licensed-in by Fosun Pharma were approved for launch, and 8 innovative products/biosimilars had entered the pre-launch approval/critical clinical stage. Fosun Pharma also had 18 innovative products/biosimilar projects (calculated by indications) initiated clinical trials. In the field of lung cancer, Fosun Pharma has developed a comprehensive layout in innovative drugs and precision diagnostics and treatment to benefit patients globally. Fosun Pharma's self-developed innovative anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, Han Si Zhuang (Serplulimab Injection), is the world's first anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) approved for the first-line treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC), and it remains the first and only anti-PD-1 mAb approved in the EU for the treatment of ES-SCLC. During the Reporting Period, Han Si Zhuang also received approval in Chinese mainland for the treatment of non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (nsNSCLC), and this also marked its third indication in the field of lung cancer, further expanding its reach. To date, Han Si Zhuang has been approved for marketing in over 30 countries and regions, including China, the European Union, and several Southeast Asian nations, benefiting more than 100,000 patients. In addition, to help more lung cancer patients obtain early diagnosis and treatment in a more minimally invasive way, the Ion Bronchial Navigation Operation Control System (Ion System) of Intuitive Fosun, Fosun Pharma's associated company, received NMPA approval in March 2024 and has been commercially deployed. In high-incidence cancers such as breast and gastric cancers, Fosun Pharma's self-developed monoclonal antibody(mAb) biosimilar Han Qu You (Trastuzumab Injection) has been approved for launch in over 50 countries and regions, including China, the European Union, the U.S., Canada and Australia, and has been included in the health insurance directories in countries such as China, UK, France, and Germany. To date, Han Qu You has benefited over 240,000 patients. The HER2-targeted innovative monoclonal antibody HLX22 for gastric cancer treatment and the novel endocrine therapy HLX78 (lasofoxifene) for breast cancer are currently under international multi-center Phase III clinical trials. Additionally, the biosimilar candidate HLX11 (pertuzumab) has had its new drug applications submitted and accepted in both China and the U.S., injecting new momentum into global expansion. In addition, Fosun Pharma is also advancing the development of rare disease drugs. Its self-developed MEK1/2 selective inhibitor Luvometinib tablets, (Project Code: FCN-159), has had its new drug applications for two indications—treatment of adult dendritic cell and histiocytic tumors, and treatment of plexiform neurofibromas (PN) associated with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) in children aged 2 years and older—accepted by the NMPA and placed in the priority review process . In the non-oncology field, during the Reporting Period, Fosun Pharma's self-developed and licensed-in rabies vaccine (Vero cell) for human use (freeze dried), Pu Rui Ni (Pretomanid Tablets), Han Da Yuan (Adalimumab Injection) received approval for four new indications, and Su ke Xin (Avatrombopag Malate Tablets) was approved for its second indication in China; meanwhile, the new drug applications for a biosimilar of denosumab HLX14 under development were accepted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Health Canada and the FDA, respectively. Continuously Enhancing Global Operations and Bilateral Licensing Cooperation Fosun Pharma continues to uphold the internationalization strategy in multiple dimensions, such as innovative R&D, licensing, manufacturing and operations as well as commercialization. In 2024, overseas revenue reached RMB11.30 billion, accounting for 27.51% of total revenue. During the reporting period, Fosun Pharma continues to promote the building of production system with international quality standard, laying a solid foundation for the overseas distribution of preparations. As of the end of 2024, all production lines of the domestic subsidiaries under the pharmaceutical manufacturing segment of Fosun Pharma obtained domestic GMP certifications and 10 production lines had passed GMP certification in major regulatory markets such as the U.S. and the EU. Fosun Pharma's pharmaceuticals and medical devices businesses now primarily cover major overseas markets, including the United States, Europe, Africa, India, and Southeast Asia, with an overseas commercialization team of over 1,000 employees. In the U.S., Fosun Pharma's in-house generic drug team has continued to grow, establishing partnerships with major distributors and group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to drive the sales of formulation products. Meanwhile, Fosun Pharma has established its innovative drug team in the U.S. and is preparing for the commercialization of its anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb), serplulimab injection. In Europe, Gland Pharma has built localized manufacturing capabilities through its subsidiary, Cenexi. Sisram Medical has expanded its global direct sales offices to 12, with its marketing network now covering over 110 countries and regions. The share of direct sales revenue has further increased to 87%. Meanwhile, Breas Medical's marketing network has expanded across key mature markets, including Europe, the United States, Japan, and Australia. In emerging markets, Fosun Pharma's sales network in Africa now covers over 40 countries and regions. The company continues to advance the Côte d'Ivoire park project to establish localized pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply in Africa. In February 2025, Fosun Pharma launched a new pharmaceutical and medical device sales platform in Nanning, gradually enhancing its registration and commercialization capabilities in Southeast Asia to expand its presence in the region. Fosun Pharma is also actively expanding into the Middle East market. During the reporting period, Henlius, a subsidiary of Fosun Pharma, entered into a strategic partnership with SVAX to establish a joint venture in Saudi Arabia. This collaboration aims to enhance the accessibility of innovative and high-value products in the MENAT region (Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey). Fosun Pharma continues to strengthen its global licensing collaboration, further enhancing its international influence and competitiveness. On the out-licensing front, Henlius, a subsidiary of Fosun Pharma has forged deep partnerships with over 20 leading global biopharmaceutical companies, including Accord, Abbott, Eurofarma, KGbio, Organon, and Dr. Reddy's, to jointly expand global markets. These collaborations comprehensively cover major biologics markets in Europe and the U.S., as well as numerous emerging markets. To date, its approved biologics have benefited more than 750,000 patients worldwide. Fosun Pharma continues to expand its product pipeline in core therapeutic areas through strategic global collaborations. Licensed-in products such as the antiemetic Akynzeo® (netupitant/palonosetron capsules), long-lasting recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor product (Pei Jin) and the drug for heart failure and hypertension treatment (Yi Xin Tan) have been included in the National Medical Insurance Drugs Catalogue, benefiting a wide range of patients. Fosun Pharma has obtained exclusive development and commercialization rights for Tenapanor Hydrochloride Tablets (Wan Ti Le), a first-in-class phosphate-lowering drug with a novel mechanism. In February 2025, the drug received approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in China for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in adult dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This approval marks a new era of multi-mechanism phosphate control, bringing new hope to dialysis patients with hyperphosphatemia. During the reporting period, Fosun Pharma's licensed product Daxxify® (DaxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm) became the first of its kind approved in China. The product received NMPA approval for the improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines associated with corrugator and/or procerus muscle activity in adult patients. Accelerating Localization of Innovative Products in China to Achieve High-quality Development As a global innovation-driven pharmaceutical and healthcare company, Fosun Pharma actively introduces internationally advanced technologies and products to the Chinese market, benefiting patients and customers. During the reporting period, Fosun-Insightec, a joint venture established with Insightec in China, successfully achieved sales of magneticresonance image guided focused ultrasound brain therapy system ("MRgFUS brain therapy system") for brain treatment. Additionally, the headquarters and industrial base of Intuitive Fosun, an associated company, was officially inaugurated in the Zhangjiang International Medical Park in Shanghai. This facility integrates R&D, manufacturing, and training, further accelerating the localization of the da Vinci Robotic surgical systems in China. To further enhance its leading position in tumor immunotherapy, Fosun Pharma increased its stake in its cell therapy platform, Fosun Kairos, to 100% during the reporting period. The company will continue to collaborate with Kite Pharma to advance the development and commercialization of its licensed products, Axi-Cel (marketed as Yi Kai Da ) and Brexu-Cel (investigational project FKC889), in Chinese mainland, Hong Kong S.A.R and Macao S.A.R. Yi Kai Da became the first in China to introduce an innovative outcome-based payment model. As of the end of 2024, Yi Kai Da has benefited over 800 lymphoma patients, been included in more than 110 provincial and municipal government-backed insurance programs and over 80 commercial insurance plans, and has been registered in more than 180 treatment centers across 28 provinces and municipalities nationwide. While maintaining steady operations, Fosun Pharma remains committed to its corporate social responsibilities. In 2024, the company received multiple domestic and international accolades for its significant progress in ESG, including recognition as one of China's ESG Listed Company Pioneer 100, Deloitte's China Best Managed Companies, Charity Star, and Forbes 2024 China ESG 50 list. Additionally, Fosun Pharma's MSCI ESG rating remained at A. "Fosun Pharma will continue to adhere to innovation-driven and global development strategies, actively embrace AI, concentrate resources on core businesses, and persistently advance lean management and enhance operational efficiency." Wu Yifang, Chairman of Fosun Pharma said, "We aim to grow in tandem with China's biopharmaceutical industry and stride into a new phase of high-quality development. Upholding our mission to 'create better health for families worldwide', we will maintain a patient-centric approach, address unmet clinical needs, deepen innovation transformation and global expansion, and strive to become a global leader in healthcare innovation and integration." About Fosun Pharma Founded in 1994, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd. ("Fosun Pharma"; SSE: 600196, HKEX: 02196) is a leading innovation-driven global healthcare company operating in the fields of pharmaceuticals, medical devices & diagnostics, and healthcare services. Through its strategic alliance with Sinopharm Group Co., Ltd., Fosun Pharma further extends its capabilities in pharmaceutical commerce. Over the past 30 years since its establishment, Fosun Pharma has maintained deep roots in China while strategically expanding its global presence. The company has been actively implementing its "4IN" strategy -Innovation, Internationalization, Intelligentization, and Integration, with core business operations now spanning major overseas markets including the United States, Europe, Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. At present, Fosun Pharma has established an open and globally integrated pharmaceutical R&D ecosystem, focusing on core therapeutic areas including oncology (solid tumors and hematologic malignancies) and Immune-inflammatory disorders. The company is strategically enhancing its technological leadership in antibody/ADC platforms, cell therapies, and small molecule development, while collaborating with industry funds to pioneer next-generation modalities such as radiopharmaceuticals, RNA therapeutics, gene editing, and AI-powered drug discovery. This multidimensional approach accelerates the translation of innovative therapies into clinical practice, systematically addressing critical unmet medical needs worldwide. Looking ahead, Fosun Pharma remains anchored in its core values of "Care for life, Continuous innovation, Pursuit of excellence and Sustainable partnership". By advancing its global innovation engine and operational excellence, the company strives to be a global leader to integrate pharmaceutical and healthcare innovations, creating better health for families worldwide. SOURCE Fosun Pharma WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

iStock, Orla Congress did not reauthorize the rare pediatric disease priority review program at the end of 2024. Advocates say the ripple effect is already being felt across biopharma. The FDA has never handed out more priority review vouchers than it did in 2024. Depending on who you ask, that’s a sign that the program is working or that pharma is reaping huge benefits in a quid pro quo situation of the government’s own making. But now rare disease biotechs have been left scrambling, as Congress did not renew the rare pediatric disease portion of the program at its end of year deadline despite bipartisan support. “The impact on the rare disease drug developers and the investment community [is] already being felt because of the destabilizing effect of the failure to reauthorize the program prior to its expiration,” Stacey Frisk, executive director of the Rare Disease Company Coalition, told BioSpace in an interview. Her group is lobbying for a renewal to be tacked on to congressional efforts to address a looming March 14 budget deadline. “So really, the timeline is as soon as possible.” The priority review voucher (PRV) rare disease program, which began in 2012, had unanimous renewal support from the 118th Congress, which ended on Jan. 3, according to Frisk. The program passed the House without issue and was listed among the priorities for the resolution to avoid a government shutdown. But the health programs that included the PRV program—which had already begun to sunset—were stripped from the continuing resolution at the last minute. Despite the bipartisan support, the PRV program “got caught” as Congress’ timelines and priorities changed at the last minute, Matthew Winton, chief operating officer of Inozyme Pharma and a rare disease advocate , told BioSpace . A bill called the Give Kids a Chance Act of 2024 has now been proposed to get the PRV program moving again, as Congress works to avoid the shutdown. “Time is . . . sort of running out,” Winton said. “We need action on this immediately to continue the program but also continue investment in these pediatric rare diseases.” The FDA notified drugmakers in the fall that, absent the renewal passing, the agency would have to stop handing out the coveted fast-pass vouchers, which expedite the drug review timeline from 12 months to about 6 . The vouchers can be bought and sold, which provides a valuable fundraising boost for tiny rare disease biotechs. The current going rate on the open market is $150 million, the price Zevra Therapeutics earned just last week for its voucher that was granted from the September 2024 approval of Miplyffa. According to Winton, the cost of PRVs has risen to this rate as companies foresee the end of the program. Without renewal, the FDA began sunsetting the program as of December 20, 2024. The agency cannot award any new vouchers unless the drug already had the rare pediatric disease designation. If Congress does not act, companies with existing designations will only have until September 30, 2026, to get their drugs approved in order to earn a voucher. Already, companies with the rare pediatric disease designation for drugs in development are reeling, with many starting to warn investors in Securities and Exchange Commission filings that they may never get their coveted vouchers despite working for years to position for one. Winton said that companies make decisions to develop a drug years in advance, so having the rug pulled out suddenly due to a policy change can halt external investment. “With that uncertainty, you’re going to get a slowdown in decision making. You’re going to get a slowdown in people investing in R&D programs,” Winton said. See BioSpace ’s full analysis here . Quid Pro Quo The industry has spent at least $513 million on buying vouchers that were earned in 2024, although more could have been sold without public disclosures. These non-dilutive proceeds are often used by smaller companies to bolster their overall clinical programs. In a recent case that underscores the stakes, bluebird bio fought hard to get one for its sickle cell disease gene therapy Lyfgenia, which was approved in December 2023 . Bluebird had already lined up a buyer before it even received the approval, according to SEC documents dated October 2023. Novartis agreed to pay $103 million for the voucher if it were granted. While bluebird was granted rare pediatric disease designation in May 2020 for the treatment, the FDA did not hand out the coveted voucher. Bluebird appealed and was ultimately rejected three times. The agency did, however, hand one out to Vertex Pharma for rival gene therapy Casgevy, which was developed with CRISPR Therapeutics and approved on the same day as Lyfgenia . This unsuccessful effort was cited in bluebird’s recent announcement that it would sell itself to private equity firms in a deal valuing the gene therapy maker at just $30 million. Bluebird did not have enough cash to operate past the first quarter but had spied positive revenue later in the year. Eleven of the valuable trading cards were handed out to biopharma companies over 2024, across the three different programs that offer the vouchers. For the rare disease program specifically, indications that benefitted include sickle cell, Niemann-Pick type C, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and glioma, among others. With the pediatric rare disease program sunset announced, the FDA has handed out two already this year to Novo Nordisk for hemophilia A therapy Alhemo and Neurocrine Biosciences for congenital adrenal hyperplasia drug Crenessity. There are two other ways to get one beyond the rare disease program: through the development of drugs for tropical disease or a biological threat, such as COVID-19. Four have been awarded since the pandemic began for COVID-19: to Moderna, BioNTech, Pfizer and Gilead for their vaccines and antivirals. Neither of these programs are impacted by Congress’ recent actions, and so far, the FDA has granted one voucher under the tropical disease program this year: to Bavarian Nordic for its chikungunya virus vaccine Vimkunya. Bavarian Nordic has already indicated plans to sell the voucher “when appropriate.” Opponents of the voucher programs say the fast passes are not doing their job to expedite the approval of drugs to help fill unmet needs in the rare and tropical disease communities. In a December 2024 paper , U.K. researchers Piero Olliaro and Els Torreele called the program “a misconceived quid pro quo, whereby much is given for little public health return, promoting and rewarding monopoly pricing of high-revenue products, with no strings attached—which indeed makes it attractive to pharmaceutical companies and investors.” Bigger companies that earn or buy the vouchers use them to skip the line at the FDA for any drug they want. These vouchers are hard to track, as the companies do not have to report exactly where they got the voucher from when they use them. The FDA in recent years has occasionally posted Federal Register documents noting that a voucher was used for a particular drug, but these documents do not indicate where the voucher came from. From various records, it’s clear that many major blockbuster drugs of recent years have used these hall passes, from Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, to AbbVie’s Rinvoq to Gilead’s portfolio of HIV meds and many more. In mid-February, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals cashed one in for a speedy review of Amvuttra in ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy, an indication that is one of the hottest market battles at the moment with offerings from Pfizer and BridgeBio now available. Vertex Pharmaceuticals did the same in July 2024 for cystic fibrosis triple med Alyftrek, receiving an FDA nod less than six months later, in December 2024. Novartis has by far been the most frequent patron of the fast passes, with as many as eight bought or earned over the years. The company has used the passes on Mayzent, Beovu, Kesimpta, Fabhalta and Kisqali, according to records. Gilead has spent as much as $621 million on known purchases of priority review vouchers. Olliaro and Torreele argue that the program does not actually encourage drug sponsors to ensure the availability of the medicines that get approved under the program, especially for tropical diseases. For instance, the makers of tuberculosis therapies Sirturo and Dovprela, a medicine that was approved under the tropical disease program as pretomanid, have been criticized for keeping the prices for the therapies too high to help in countries with a high tropical disease burden. Sirturo is manufactured by Johnson & Johnson while Dovprela (previously pretomanid) was developed by the TB Alliance . Frisk and Winton are aware of the criticisms but say that the rare disease program is working. You just have to look at the ramp up of drugs that have received a voucher over the years, with more handed out recently. That means that more companies are making these drugs and more rare diseases are getting new options for patients. As for the criticism of a handout for Big Pharma, Winton says this is a tax neutral program. No taxpayer funds are being given to these companies; it’s simply a market-based solution that ultimately helps smaller companies do what they do best: develop rare disease drugs for smaller populations. “Some of these drugs may not be developed or invented at all” without the voucher program, Winton said. “These [vouchers] are not necessarily going to the 17th, 18th statin—not that there’s anything wrong with that—but these are also going to feed the cycle of innovation and bringing drugs to patients in the U.S. who have no other options.” Planning Funerals One pediatric rare disease that has particularly benefitted is Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which has had seven drugs approved under the PRV program, including four from Sarepta Therapeutics. Each time, Sarepta sold its voucher and used the funds to continue its clinical programs. Another rare disease that now has multiple options is spinal muscular atrophy. Winton previously worked at Biogen as head of the SMA franchise, where he oversaw work on Spinraza, which received a PRV in March 2017. “That disease state has completely changed. You were used to planning funerals. And now you’re celebrating birthdays and you’re celebrating graduation into high school,” Winton said. “That’s an amazing success story.” These patients now have several different modalities to choose from, including Novartis’ gene therapy Zolgensma and Genentech’s Evrysdi, both of which received priority review and were granted vouchers at approval. These seminal approvals of complex technologies like gene therapy have also helped fuel other innovations in the modality, which is another legacy of the PRV program, Winton noted. Similarly, Biogen advanced its antisense oligonucleotide technology with Spinraza, which earned a voucher in March 2017 and was sold for $103 million last year . “When you talk to patients, when you talk to the rare disease community, the one thing they always say is ‘move faster.’ The one thing they don’t have is time,” Winton said. “The message we always take away when we talk to them is try to work hard or hurry up. This program does that. It speeds up our ability to get drugs to market. It speeds up our ability to do more research.” About the data: BioSpace compiled the list of priority review vouchers through dozens of sources, including the FDA, Federal Register, SEC, GAO, company reports, news articles and more. Still, the list may not be comprehensive, as some PRV transactions go unreported.