HENLIUS (02696.HK): enters global strategic partnership with Sandoz covering up to 10 biosimilar products, with upfront and milestone payments totaling up to USD 314 million

NewTimeSpace News: On 17 August 2026, Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Inc. (stock code: 02696) announced that on 16 August 2026 it entered into a cooperation framework agreement with Sandoz AG, together with product supplemental agreements for the first batch of cooperation products and an option arrangement for a potential cooperation product. The partnership spans CMC development, preclinical and clinical development, regulatory filings, manufacturing, launch, commercialization and lifecycle management, covering up to 10 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and/or antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) biosimilar products in territories excluding Mainland China and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions of China. The total invoiced amount expected to be achievable in 2026 does not exceed USD 100.5 million.

The first batch comprises three products: cetuximab biosimilar HLX05-N, evolocumab biosimilar HLX16 and a belimumab biosimilar. Sandoz will pay upfront payments totaling no more than USD 77 million, development milestone and development budget milestone payments totaling no more than USD 160 million, sales milestone payments totaling no more than USD 77 million, plus 40% of net sales or net profits in each country within the cooperation territory. In addition, Sandoz will pay a non-refundable option fee of USD 8 million for the potential collaboration on hyaluronidase HLXTE-HAase1001.

The Company stated that it had previously cooperated with Sandoz on ipilimumab biosimilar HLX13, and this cooperation leverages the Company's R&D and manufacturing strengths and Sandoz's global commercialization capabilities to improve patient access to biosimilars worldwide. Sandoz, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sandoz Group AG operating in more than 100 countries. Pursuant to Rule 18A.05 of the Listing Rules, the Company cannot guarantee successful development and commercialization of the cooperation products; shareholders and potential investors should exercise caution when dealing in the shares.

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