Glenmark Pharma inks cancer drug licensing deal with Hengrui Pharma; check details

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals on Wednesday, September 24, said that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Glenmark Specialty SA, inked an exclusive licence and collaboration pact with China’s Hengrui Pharma.

The deal was signed for the development and commercialisation of Trastuzumab Rezetecan, which is a drug aimed at treating different types of cancer. It is a next-generation antibody drug conjugate (ADC), Glenmark Pharma said in a regulatory filing.

Glenmark will pay an upfront payment of $18 million. Furthermore, Hengrui will be eligible to receive regulatory and commercial milestone payments of up to $1.093 billion, it said, adding that based on the net sales of Trastuzumab Rezetecan within the licensed territory, the company will pay corresponding royalties to Hengrui.

Under the agreement, Glenmark obtained the exclusive rights to develop and commercialise Trastuzumab Rezetecan worldwide, excluding Mainland China, the Hong Kong SAR, the Macao SAR, Taiwan Region, USA, Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, it added.

Glenmark said that currently, Trastuzumab Rezetecan is actively advancing multiple clinical trials. In August 2025, Trastuzumab Rezetecan in combination with adebrelimab and chemotherapy obtained Orphan Drug Designation from the USFDA for gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

This collaboration marks a significant step forward in Glenmark's focused oncology strategy, particularly in complex biologics, the company said.

Commenting on the development, Glenn Saldanha, Chairman and Managing Director, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, said: “This partnership aligns strongly with our strategy to bring differentiated, high-value therapies to patients and reinforces our commitment to advancing innovation in areas of significant unmet need.”

Trastuzumab Rezetecan is Hengrui's self-developed HER2-targeted ADC. In May 2025, it was approved in China for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have received at least one prior systemic therapy.

In September 2025, the new indication for Trastuzumab Rezetecan in breast cancer was accepted by China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for review and was included in the priority review programme, the statement added.

"This collaboration with Glenmark is a significant step in Hengrui's ongoing strategy to deepen its presence in emerging markets. We look forward to working together to enhance the accessibility of innovative therapies and to bring new hope to patients in more countries and regions," said Jo Feng, President of Hengrui Pharma.

Shares of Glenmark Pharma closed 0.16% higher at ₹2,020.10 apiece on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday.