Health Hope Pharma Limited announced a global licensing and collaboration agreement with Gilead Sciences for encequidar, a first-in-class P-glycoprotein inhibitor, marking a significant strategic partnership in the virology field. Under the agreement, Health Hope Pharma and Hanmi Pharm will grant Gilead exclusive global rights to encequidar within virology applications.
Strategic Partnership Details
The comprehensive licensing agreement establishes Gilead as the exclusive global partner for encequidar in virology, while Health Hope Pharma and Hanmi Pharm will provide drug supply, share technical know-how, and participate as key project partners. Both companies will receive upfront payments and are eligible for development, regulatory and sales milestones, in addition to low single-digit royalties on net sales.
"We are pleased to announce the licensing agreement with Gilead and Hanmi. This demonstrates the potential of encequidar as a first-in-class P-gp inhibitor to create more oral formulations in multiple fields," said Prof. Dennis Lam, founder of Health Hope Pharma. "This agreement is also a milestone of successful innovation for both the Hong Kong biotech industry and HHP as a biotech company headquartered in Hong Kong."
Oncology Program Advancement
Health Hope Pharma is currently exploring encequidar's potential to develop oral drug formulations across multiple therapeutic areas. The company's most advanced program combines oral paclitaxel with encequidar in oncology, specifically targeting the replacement of intravenous paclitaxel in chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer treatment.
The company targets recruiting the first patients for its global Phase III clinical study in the United States and Hong Kong SAR by the fourth quarter of 2025. Health Hope Pharma is preparing for the commencement of global clinical trials of oral paclitaxel combined with encequidar across multiple regions, including the U.S., Hong Kong SAR, and New Zealand, with plans to launch the product in Europe, Asia, and the United States.
Technology Validation and Future Prospects
Jae-Hyun Park, CEO of Hanmi, emphasized the significance of the partnership: "This agreement validates Hanmi's formulation technology and R&D capabilities, while also opening the door to new growth opportunities through collaboration with a leading global partner. We will continue to expand strategic partnerships that can accelerate innovation and patient access worldwide."
Health Hope Pharma, a clinical-stage oncology biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Hong Kong SAR with operations in the U.S. and U.K., is dedicated to developing novel oral anti-cancer drugs as safer and more convenient alternatives to conventional intravenous therapy. The company's flagship oral paclitaxel combined with encequidar aims to replace the widely used intravenous paclitaxel with its oral equivalent and improve patient quality of life.
The licensing agreement represents a validation of encequidar's potential as a first-in-class P-glycoprotein inhibitor to enable oral formulations across multiple therapeutic fields, while establishing a foundation for accelerated development and global patient access through strategic partnerships.
