Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Major Chinese biopharmaceutical company Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Company Limited (Hanmori Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Hanso Pharmaceutical) and AI ) Atomwise, Inc., a leader in the field, announced the collaboration. The purpose of the collaboration is to design and discover potential drug candidates for a total of 11 private target proteins in multiple therapeutic areas.
Atomwise and Hansoh Pharma scientific teams work closely together in each program. The combination of complementary expertise and technology has the potential to dramatically increase success rates and shorten schedules in drug discovery and clinical development.
Dr. Aifeng Lyu, President of Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Hansoh Pharma, said: “Atomwise is the best partner for Hansoh Pharma to use AI technology to innovate and create diverse small molecule pipelines in oncology and other therapeutic areas. I am very impressed with the team and I believe that working together will provide a special opportunity to develop first-in-class and best-in-class therapeutics. "
Dr. Abraham Heifets, CEO of Atomwise, said: “It is a great pleasure for us to partner with Chinese biopharmaceutical giant Hansoh Pharma. Hansoh Pharma shares our strong commitment to innovation and our mission to influence patient health globally.”
Atomwise's world-class AI platform for structure-based drug design leads the way in finding hit compounds, selecting lead compounds from hit compounds, and optimizing lead compounds. Hansoh Pharma will contribute in its capacity in biological assays and medicinal chemistry, and will lead the subsequent preclinical and clinical development.
Subject to the terms of the collaboration, Atomwise will receive revenue based on private technology fees, option exercise fees, royalties, and sublicenses and sales of assets created under the collaboration. Based on historical average sales of small molecule drugs, the overall potential value of this transaction for Atomwise may exceed the potential value of a hit drug if all projects succeed. Hansoh Pharma receives development and commercialization rights in all fields and regions.
