In a strategic move to bolster its oncology portfolio, Roche has secured global rights to an investigational antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) from Chinese biotech firm Hansoh Pharma, targeting colorectal cancer and other solid tumors. The deal, announced this week, includes an upfront payment of $80 million to Hansoh’s subsidiaries, Shanghai Hansoh Biomedical and Changzhou Hansoh Pharmaceutical, with potential milestone payments reaching up to $1.45 billion based on development and commercialization successes.
The asset in question, HS-20110, is an early-stage ADC designed to selectively target the CDH17 protein, which is overexpressed in colorectal cancers and certain other gastrointestinal malignancies. CDH17, a cadherin family member involved in cell adhesion, has emerged as a promising therapeutic target due to its limited expression in healthy tissues, potentially reducing off-target toxicities common in earlier ADC generations. HS-20110 leverages this specificity to deliver cytotoxic payloads directly to tumor cells, aiming to improve efficacy and safety profiles over traditional chemotherapies.
This partnership excludes rights in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, where Hansoh retains full control for development and commercialization. Roche, through its subsidiary F. Hoffmann-La Roche, will handle global manufacturing, clinical trials, and market entry outside these regions, tapping into its extensive expertise in ADC technology and oncology. The Swiss pharmaceutical giant has been aggressively expanding its ADC pipeline, having previously inked similar high-value deals, such as a $1.08 billion agreement with Innovent Biologics earlier this year for another oncology ADC candidate.
For Hansoh Pharma, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (3692.HK), the collaboration marks a significant validation of its R&D capabilities in the burgeoning ADC space. The company’s shares surged over 5% following the announcement, reflecting investor optimism about its growing international footprint. Hansoh, founded in 2001, has positioned itself as a leader in innovative drug discovery, with a focus on oncology and metabolic diseases, and this deal underscores the increasing appeal of Chinese biotechs to Western majors amid rising global demand for precision cancer therapies.
Colorectal cancer remains one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, with over 1.9 million new cases annually according to the World Health Organization. Current treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies like anti-EGFR agents, often fall short for advanced or metastatic disease, where five-year survival rates hover around 14%. ADCs like HS-20110 represent a next-generation approach, combining monoclonal antibodies for tumor targeting with potent chemotherapy drugs, and have shown transformative results in other cancers—evidenced by Roche’s own approved ADC, Polivy, for lymphoma.
Analysts view this transaction as part of a broader trend in biopharma, where ADCs continue to dominate dealmaking despite manufacturing challenges and toxicity concerns. The global ADC market is projected to exceed $20 billion by 2030, driven by advancements in linker technologies and payload optimization. Roche’s commitment here signals confidence in HS-20110’s potential to advance into Phase I trials soon, potentially filling unmet needs in colorectal cancer treatment.
As regulatory scrutiny intensifies on drug pricing and access, this cross-border alliance could accelerate HS-20110’s path to patients while fostering knowledge exchange between Eastern and Western innovators. Hansoh and Roche have not disclosed further clinical timelines, but the deal paves the way for expanded research collaborations, possibly including combination therapies with Roche’s existing immuno-oncology assets like Tecentriq.
