Everest Medicines (HKEX 1952.HK) announced that Everest Medicines and Hainan Herui have entered into a commercialization collaboration relating to Hainan Herui’s budesonide enteric capsules, which were approved by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in December 2025.
Pursuant to this collaboration, Hainan Herui’s budesonide enteric capsules will be permitted to be launched in the Chinese mainland market, with Everest Medicines responsible for their commercialization. Everest Medicines will provide rigorous technical guidance and quality audits over Hainan Herui’s manufacturing and supply processes. This collaboration is expected to enhance patient access to the combined franchise of NEFECON(R) and Hainan Herui’s budesonide enteric capsules. This collaboration is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
As the world’s first approved etiological treatment for IgA nephropathy (IgAN), NEFECON(R) targets the Peyer’s patches in the terminal ileum to address the root cause of the disease, providing patients with an innovative therapeutic solution distinct from traditional supportive care.
In recent years, with the continuous accumulation of global and Chinese real-world studies, the clinical value of NEFECON(R) across multiple critical dimensions, including etiological treatment, early intervention, long-term treatment, management across different chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages, and refractory IgAN, has been validated. At the 63rd European Renal Association (ERA) Congress, Everest Medicines presented 23 abstracts, including 21 real-world studies conducted in China. These findings further validate the efficacy and safety of NEFECON(R) in clinical practice, providing patients with more robust evidence-based support.
Market data shows that China currently has approximately 5 million IgAN patients, with more than 120,000 new cases diagnosed annually. Furthermore, Chinese IgAN patients experience rapid disease progression and poor prognosis, representing a massive unmet clinical need. Against the backdrop of a large IgAN patient base and rising demand for long-term disease management, improving access to early etiological treatment and expanding the coverage of standardized treatment have become pivotal pathways to driving overall patient benefits. Accordingly, this commercialization collaboration between Everest Medicines and Hainan Herui leverages Everest Medicines’ established commercialization system and quality management capabilities. It will enhance the accessibility of relevant products in the Chinese market and is expected to further accelerate the clinical landing of standardized treatments, ultimately benefiting a broader population of IgAN patients.