BEIJING, June 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascletis BioScience Co., Ltd.("Ascletis") and CR Pharmaceutical Commercial Group Co., Ltd. jointly announced today that the two parties signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Beijing. The two parties will work closely in distribution networks and end-user services, to prepare for the launch of Ganovo®(danoprevir).
Ganovo®, Ascletis' first innovative drug and the first direct-acting anti-viral agent developed by a domestic company in China, was approved by the China Food and Drug Administration on June 8, 2018. In the phase III clinical trial conducted in Mainland China, Ganovo regimen (Ganovo® in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin) demonstrated a cure rate of 97% (SVR12) in genotype 1 non-cirrhotic patients, in a 12-week treatment duration.
CR Pharmaceutical Commercial Group Co., Ltd., a subsidiary and grade-1 profit center of China Resources Pharmaceutical Group Limited (CR Pharma) (stock code: 3320.HK), is the second largest distributor in Chinese pharmaceutical market for sales and distribution services including marketing & sales, distribution and logistics, academic seminars and supply chain value added services. CR Pharmaceutical Commercial Group Co., Ltd. directly distributes products to hospitals and other medical institutions in 31 provinces in China.
"HCV is one of the major public health issues in China. We need to work closely with all parties of the China community to prevent and eliminate HCV ultimately. Meanwhile, due to the large number of the Chinese HCV patients population distributed widely in various parts of China, it can create a huge challenge to us to deliver Ganovo® to the patients rapidly and timely." said Jinzi J. Wu, Ph.D., Ascletis' founder, President and CEO. "CR Pharmaceutical Commercial Group Co., Ltd. is a leading pharmaceutical supply chain solution provider in China. The collaboration with CR is an important strategic move for both of us to prevent and eliminate HCV. I sincerely hope that we can leverage the comparative advantages of both parties and make a unique and significant contribution to China goal to the elimination of HCV disease in China in 2030."
Mr. Li Xiangming, General Manager of CR Pharmaceutical Commercial Group Co., Ltd., said, "As a leading innovative drug company in China, Ascletis has demonstrated strong social responsibility shared by CR Pharmaceutical Commercial Group Co., Ltd. as well. We will take full advantage of our nationwide distribution network, to provide value added services in the areas of marketing and sales, distribution and logistics, and supply chain to Ascletis, in order to benefit more Chinese patients with the 1st HCV drug in innovative category ever developed by a domestic company and create more social value."