GSK Expands Future Pipeline With Hengrui To Develop 12 Innovative Drugs For COPD And Oncology

GSK has announced a strategic agreement with Hengrui Pharma to develop up to 12 innovative medicines, positioning itself for substantial growth opportunities beyond 2031. The deal includes an upfront payment of $500 million and grants GSK global (ex-China) rights to a promising clinical-stage PDE3/4 inhibitor, HRS-9821, aimed at treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The compound is expected to offer a best-in-class profile and serves as a potential maintenance treatment regardless of a patient’s current therapy.

Tony Wood, Chief Scientific Officer, GSK, said, "We're delighted to announce these exciting agreements with Hengrui Pharma, which complement our already extensive pipeline. This deal reflects our strategic investment in programmes that address validated targets, increasing the likelihood of success, and with the option to advance those assets with the greatest potential for patient impact.” 

HRS-9821 has shown strong dual inhibition of PDE3 and PDE4 enzymes, delivering both bronchodilation and anti-inflammatory effects in early studies. Its potential dry-powder inhaler formulation makes it a natural fit within GSK’s respiratory product line. The drug’s profile may benefit COPD patients with persistent symptoms or those not suited for inhaled corticosteroids or biologics, thereby broadening GSK’s reach within the disease spectrum.

Frank Jiang, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Hengrui Pharma, said, "This strategic collaboration with GSK marks yet another significant milestone in Hengrui’s globalisation journey and our mission to innovate and deliver higher-quality, cutting-edge therapies for patients worldwide. GSK brings additional R&D expertise, a robust global clinical network, and broad regulatory capabilities that will accelerate our PDE3/4 inhibitor as well as an array of other innovative therapy programs to overseas markets, potentially delivering breakthrough treatments to patients globally." 

Beyond HRS-9821, the partnership sets up a scaled collaboration to develop up to 11 additional innovative drug candidates. Hengrui will lead early development through Phase I, with GSK holding exclusive worldwide rights (outside China) to advance and commercialise the candidates. The collaboration leverages Hengrui’s discovery platforms and rapid clinical evaluation expertise alongside GSK’s development scale, biological insights, and global commercial capabilities, accelerating the path from concept to proof-of-concept.