Sino Biopharmaceutical Limited (the “Company”) announced that its subsidiary, Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (“CTTQ”), entered into an exclusive global license agreement with a fully owned subsidiary of Sanofi S.A. (“Sanofi”). Under this agreement, Sanofi will develop, manufacture, and commercialize the Company’s JAK/ROCK inhibitor, rovadicitinib.
The agreement stipulates an upfront payment of US$135 million to the Company, along with development, regulatory, and sales milestone payments totaling up to US$1.40 billion. The Company is also eligible for double-digit tiered royalties tied to annual net sales. The completion of the agreement is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory clearances.
Rovadicitinib is described as a global first-in-class, potent oral small-molecule JAK/ROCK inhibitor. It combines anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects by targeting both the JAK/STAT and ROCK pathways. In February 2026, it was approved in China for the first-line treatment of adult patients with intermediate-2 or high-risk primary myelofibrosis, post-polycythemia vera myelofibrosis, or post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis.
It has also advanced significantly in clinical studies for chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD), reaching Phase III clinical trials in China and receiving Breakthrough Therapy Designation there in August 2025. In the United States, rovadicitinib has been approved for Phase II clinical studies, with published data showing potential benefits in fibrosis-dominated organs and overcoming ruxolitinib resistance.
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