Zhejiang JiuZhou Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. has been awarded the prestigious 25th China Patent Excellence Award for its groundbreaking invention patent "Asymmetric Hydrogenation Reaction of α-Keto Acid Compounds" (Patent No.: ZL201410468805.9). The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) announced the winners in June 2025, marking JiuZhou Pharma's second consecutive year receiving this honor.
The China Patent Award represents the highest recognition in Chinese intellectual property, jointly organized by the National Intellectual Property Administration and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It stands as the only government award in China that recognizes granted patent inventions and creations.
Revolutionary Synthesis Technology
The award-winning patent focuses on direct catalysis of asymmetric hydrogenation of α-keto acid compounds using metal iridium chiral helical ligand complexes. This technology successfully fills a critical technical gap in the asymmetric hydrogenation of α-keto acid compounds by metal-ligand complexes, offering significant advantages including reduced catalyst usage, excellent catalytic efficiency, and outstanding stereoselectivity.
The innovation opens new pathways for synthesizing drugs and natural products containing α-hydroxy acid chiral building blocks. The resulting chiral α-hydroxy acid compounds serve as key intermediates in natural products and pharmaceuticals, demonstrating enormous potential across pharmaceutical, chemical, and related industries.
Clinical Impact and Cost Reduction
The patented technology has provided crucial support for China's first domestically produced Class 1 anti-lung cancer drug throughout its journey from research and development to commercialization. Most significantly, the technology has reduced the cost of chiral intermediates by more than 50%, substantially improving the accessibility of anti-tumor drugs and enabling more patients worldwide to benefit from these treatments.
Beyond lung cancer applications, the technology plays a crucial role in designing and developing new molecules for innovative drugs targeting tumors and infections. This advancement effectively promotes high-quality development within the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry while generating significant social benefits.
Strong Intellectual Property Portfolio
JiuZhou Pharma has consistently positioned intellectual property as a core driving force for company development, continuously increasing research and development investments while focusing on independent innovation. As of 2024, the company has accumulated 310 international and domestic patents, forming a robust technological barrier and strong market competitiveness.
This latest recognition follows JiuZhou Pharma's previous success when its "Halogenated S-(Perfluoroalkyl)-Dibenzothiophene Salt and Its Preparation Method" received the 24th China Patent Excellence Award, demonstrating the company's sustained innovation capabilities.
Industry Leadership and Future Outlook
JiuZhou Pharma operates as an innovation-driven, industry-leading CDMO enterprise, providing comprehensive custom R&D and manufacturing services to global pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, and research institutions. The company's services span small molecule chemical drugs, peptide drugs, conjugated drugs, and small nucleic acid drugs.
The company has demonstrated outstanding performance in environmental, social, and governance areas, becoming a constituent of the FTSE4Good Index in 2024 and receiving the EcoVadis Gold Medal. JiuZhou Pharma continues to promote sustainable development in the pharmaceutical industry through the integration of green chemistry and advanced technologies.
Looking forward, JiuZhou Pharma plans to continue improving its intellectual property management system, constantly exploring and breaking through core technologies while cultivating high-value patents. The company aims to further strengthen intellectual property protection and conversion, driving toward high-quality, sustainable development and injecting continuous vitality into the innovative development of the pharmaceutical industry.
