Sino Biopharmaceutical has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Chinese compatriot Hygieia Pharmaceuticals, a siRNA therapeutics company, for a total consideration of RMB 1.2 billion (USD 167 million). This acquisition marks a significant strategic move by a major Chinese pharmaceutical company into the small nucleic acid drug space. Founded in 2018, Hygieia is a pioneer in siRNA development, with a seasoned R&D team and over 50 core patents. The company has built an integrated drug discovery platform and boasts a pipeline of more than 20 preclinical and 4 clinical-stage assets targeting metabolic, cardiovascular and neurological diseases.

Hygieia's key asset is Kylo-11, a potential best-in-class siRNA drug for lowering lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a). Developed using its proprietary MVIP liver-targeting platform, Kylo-11 is designed for once-yearly subcutaneous administration and is currently in Phase II trials in both China and the US. The acquisition will bolster Sino Biopharmaceutical's pipeline in next-generation cardiovascular and metabolic therapies, complementing its existing portfolio in respiratory, hepatic and autoimmune diseases.

PharmCube's NextBiopharm® database shows that this is Sino Biopharmaceutical's fourth acquisition in the decade. Click here to request a free trial for NextBiopharm®.