Oral COVID-19 Drugs - the Last Piece of the Puzzle

The COVID-19 pandemic, characterized by the high and quick variability of its causative virus (SARS-CoV-2), is still prevalent worldwide. Several variants of the virus have appeared and spread across the world in waves of new outbreaks, causing concern and attracting wide attention. Although vaccination can give a certain degree of protection, it cannot completely prevent the spread of the virus nor effectively treat infected people. This is where the R&D for therapeutic drugs against the disease becomes imperative. Fortunately, several oral anti-COVID-19 drugs have been granted Marketing Authorization or Emergency Use Authorization overseas, while progress has also been made in the field in China.

Kexing Biopharm Joins in the Development of Oral Antiviral Drugs for COVID-19

On February 20, 2022, Kexing Biopharm Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Kexing Biopharm) announced that Shenzhen Kexing Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Shenzhen Kexing"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kexing Biopharm, signed the “SHEN 26 Project Cooperation Agreement” (hereinafter referred to as "Cooperation Agreement) with Shenzhen ANTIV pharma Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "ANTIV") on February 18, 2022. Globally, ANTIV exclusively licenses the intellectual property rights of SHEN 26 obtained or held by it to Shenzhen Kexing, and transfers the subsequent research and development rights, as well as the commercialization rights, to Shenzhen Kexing.

The signing of this Cooperation Agreement marks the acceleration of the Company's layout in innovator drugs, allowing the Company diversified product reserves, enhanced core competitiveness and enriched antiviral pipelines. All these will not only continuously improve the pharmaceutical R&D, manufacturing and sales system, but also promote the sustainable, rapid and sound development of the Company's business.

About SHEN 26

SHEN26 is a SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) inhibitor, which can achieve antiviral effects by inhibiting viral nucleic acid synthesis. The laboratory development has already been completed and preclinical pharmaceutical and process development are undergoing. Meanwhile, relevant patent applications have been submitted to China National Intellectual Property Administration.  The SHEN 26 Project has been included in the 2021 Guangdong Provincial Emergency Response Projects for the Prevention and Control of COVID-19 Infection and has become one of the key special projects of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China for Public Safety Risk Prevention and Control and Emergency Technology Equipment.

About Kexing BIOPHARM

Kexing Biopharm is an innovative biopharmaceutical enterprise mainly engaged in the R&D, production and sales of recombinant protein therapeutics and microecological agents. We focus on pharmaceutical research in the therapeutic fields of antiviral, oncology, immunology, hematology, digestion and degenerative diseases.which will benefit patients all over the world and help us turn into a leader in high-quality biologicals.

In recent years, we have achieved continued and rapid growth in its business, becoming a leader in the recombinant protein therapeutics industry. Our core products, remained at the forefront of similar varieties in China, have been adopted by over 18,000 sales terminals, including over 6500 hospitals in the provinces, municipalities and regions across China, and accessed into and sold in over 30 countries, including Brazil, Philippinesand Indonesia.

About ANTIV

Shenzhen ANTIV pharma Co., Ltd. is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on the R&D and sales of antiviral drugs, mainly focusing its research on diseases caused by viruses including coronaviruses, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and liver viruses, such as COVID-19, AIDS and hepatitis B.

ANTIV has two core members: Prof. Zhang Xumu, the dean of SUSTech Medi-X Pingshan, with main research interests in pharmaceutical chemistry, antitumor and antiviral small-molecule drugs, and green synthesis of chiral drugs; Prof. Guo Deyin, a professor of Zhongshan School of Medicine of Sun Yat-sen University and the president of Virology Division of Chinese Society for Microbiology, with main research interests in the pathogenesis of coronavirus infections and the mechanism of immune responses thereof, viral-vector gene therapy and antiviral drug screening.