GSK Taps Local Giant SBP to Market Hepatitis B Drug in China

GSK has signed an exclusive deal with Sino Biopharmaceutical's (SBP) subsidiary, Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical (CTTQ), to bring its experimental chronic hepatitis B drug bepirovirsen to China. The therapy is currently under priority regulatory review in the country.

Mike Crichton, President International at GSK, said: “Chronic hepatitis B affects 75 million people in China and is a leading cause of liver cancer.”

Under the initial five-and-a-half-year agreement, CTTQ will import, distribute, and promote bepirovirsen in mainland China, tapping into more than 5,000 medical centers. GSK retains the marketing authorization and responsibility for regulatory and safety oversight. The deal also gives GSK a look at SBP's early-stage pipeline for potential global collaborations.

Bepirovirsen was granted Breakthrough Therapy designation in China in 2021 and accepted for Priority Review in April 2026, following positive phase 3 trial results showing significant functional cure rates.