BRIEF—CLL trial to test combination of cancer drugs in China

Chinese biotech companies Ascentage Pharma and Henlius have announced a collaboration to test a combination of their drugs in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

They will conduct Chinese clinical trials of the combination of APG-2575, an orally administered Bcl-2 selective inhibitor developed by Ascentage, and HLX01 (rituximab injection), the first product launched by Henlius.

HLX01 is also the first biosimilar approved in China, referencing Roche’s big-selling oncology drug Rituxan/MabThera.