Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd. have entered into a strategic partnership to accelerate the development of TEV-56278, an investigational anti-PD1-IL2 ATTENUKINE therapy currently in Phase 1 clinical trials for treating various forms of cancer, including melanoma.
The collaboration, announced on June 16, 2025, aims to expedite clinical data generation for TEV-56278, which utilizes Teva's internally developed ATTENUKINE technology. This novel mechanism of action potentially offers high efficacy and low toxicity across a broad array of oncology indications.
Partnership Structure and Geographic Rights
Under the licensing agreement, Fosun Pharma has been granted exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize TEV-56278 in Chinese mainland, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macau SAR, Taiwan region and select Southeast Asian countries. Teva retains all development, manufacturing and commercialization rights for the licensed molecule in the rest of the world.
The strategic partnership enables Teva to leverage clinical data generated by Fosun Pharma in other geographic markets, representing a significant step forward in the global development of TEV-56278.
"This partnership with Fosun Pharma in the development of our internally developed TEV-56278, an anti-PD1-IL2 ATTENUKINE therapy with the potential to treat devastating cancers, is the latest advance to ensuring acceleration of our pipeline," said Eric Hughes, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President, Teva Global R&D and Chief Medical Officer.
Novel Immunotherapy Mechanism
TEV-56278 is an anti-PD-1 antibody-cytokine fusion protein designed to selectively deliver interleukin-2 (IL-2) to PD-1-expressing T cells within the tumor microenvironment. This targeted approach aims to amplify anti-tumor T-cell activity while minimizing off-target systemic toxicities that are commonly associated with traditional IL-2 therapies.
Anti-PD1-IL2 fusion proteins like TEV-56278 represent a novel approach to cancer immunotherapy, holding promise for improving outcomes for patients with a variety of oncology diseases. The therapy is being evaluated both as a monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab.
Preclinical Evidence and Clinical Development
Preclinical data for TEV-56278 has demonstrated several promising outcomes, including tumor regression, enhanced T-cell infiltration into tumors, and the development of durable immune memory. These findings support the therapeutic potential of the ATTENUKINE platform technology.
"This collaboration brings together Teva's expertise in innovative drug development with Fosun Pharma's strong oncology development experience and commercial capabilities in the China market, creating a powerful synergy to accelerate the delivery of this important therapy to patients globally," said Xingli WANG, MD, PhD, Executive President of Fosun Pharma and CEO of the Global R&D Center.
Strategic Implications
The partnership aligns with Teva's Pivot to Growth strategy, which focuses on expanding the company's innovative and biosimilar medicines pipeline. For Fosun Pharma, the collaboration supports its "4IN" strategy encompassing Innovation, Internationalization, Intelligentization, and Integration.
Fosun Pharma has established a globally integrated pharmaceutical R&D ecosystem focusing on core therapeutic areas including oncology for both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, as well as immune-inflammatory disorders. The company is strategically enhancing its technological leadership in antibody/ADC platforms, cell therapies, and small molecule development.
TEV-56278 demonstrates the strength of Teva's innovative drug development capabilities and illustrates how strategic partnerships can play a pivotal role in advancing therapies for patients with cancer. The collaboration leverages both companies' complementary strengths to potentially accelerate the path from laboratory to clinic for this novel immunotherapy approach.
