Innovent Biologics and Eli Lilly and Company have signed a distribution and promotion agreement for Verzenios® (abemaciclib) in mainland China.

Under the agreement, Innovent will be responsible for the import, marketing, distribution and promotion of Verzenios in mainland China. Lilly will continue to manufacture, supply and develop the medicine while retaining its role as the Marketing Authorisation Holder (MAH).

Verzenios is Lilly's CDK4/6 inhibitor approved in China for multiple breast cancer indications. These include adjuvant treatment of adults with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative, node-positive early breast cancer at high risk of recurrence when used with endocrine therapy. It is also approved for HR-positive, HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination with an aromatase inhibitor as first-line endocrine therapy, with fulvestrant following disease progression after endocrine therapy, and with imlunestrant for adults with ER-positive, HER2-negative, ESR1-mutated locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with endocrine therapy.

The medicine was added to China's National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) Class B in 2021, becoming the first CDK4/6 inhibitor included under the national reimbursement programme. In 2025, its NRDL listing was renewed, extending reimbursement coverage to both early and advanced breast cancer indications.

As part of the agreement, Innovent will hold exclusive commercialisation rights for Verzenios in mainland China. The companies said the partnership combines Innovent's oncology commercial network and market presence in China with Lilly's expertise in drug development and lifecycle management to improve patient access to the therapy.

The agreement is the eighth collaboration between Innovent and Lilly and expands Innovent's oncology portfolio in China with an additional commercialised product for breast cancer treatment.

 

Source: prnewswire.com

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