Junshi Biosciences Enters Licensing Collaboration with Fosun Wanbang on Roconkibart (IL-17A)

SHANGHAI, July 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co., Ltd (Junshi Biosciences, HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180), a leading innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, announced that the company has recently entered into a license agreement with Fosun Wanbang Pharma Group (“Fosun Wanbang,” a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fosun Pharma (HKEX: 02196; SSE: 600196). The two parties will cooperate on the development, registration, manufacturing and commercialization of roconkibart (JS005, anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody) in the Greater China region, which includes the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region, and Taiwan.

Pursuant to the licensing agreement, Junshi Biosciences will grant Fosun Wanbang the right to develop, register, manufacture and commercialize roconkibart in the Greater China region. Junshi Biosciences will receive an upfront payment of RMB215 million, which shall be non-deductible and non-refundable, and will be eligible to receive milestone payments for product development and sales of up to RMB1.125 million, as well as double-digit tiered royalties based on net sales in the Greater China region.

Roconkibart is a specific anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody independently developed by Junshi Biosciences. IL (interleukin)-17A is a pleiotropic cytokine, and its disordered secretion is closely related to the occurrence and progression of autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. By binding to IL-17A homodimer and IL-17A/IL-17F heterodimer with high affinity and selectively blocking the binding of IL-17A with its receptor IL-17RA/IL-17RC, roconkibart blocks the activation of downstream signaling pathways and the release of inflammatory factors, thereby effectively alleviating the symptoms of autoimmune diseases.

The Phase 3 clinical study of roconkibart for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (PsO) in China has been completed, showing excellent efficacy and safety levels. In the 150 mg dosing group, the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index 90 (PASI 90) response rate at week 16 reached 91%; the PASI 100 response rate at week 52 reached 65%. In December 2025, the new drug application (NDA) for roconkibart in adult patients with moderate to severe PsO who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy was accepted by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). Now, the study follow-up for all subjects under the phase 2 clinical study of roconkibart for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has completed.

Dr. Jianjun ZOU, General Manager and CEO of Junshi Biosciences, said, “This strategic collaboration with Fosun Pharma signals a critical expansion of our autoimmune disease treatments. With years of extensive expertise in this domain, Fosun Pharma has established a professional commercialization team and a mature, efficient marketing system, which will inject momentum into roconkibart’s rapid advancement. This not only validates our company's innovative capabilities in the autoimmune sector, but also marks a milestone leap for both parties in meeting patient expectations through robust innovation. We anticipate that this in-depth synergy will accelerate the clinical development and commercialization of roconkibart in the Greater China region, bringing new hope to more patients in urgent need of effective treatments sooner and better.”

Jing LI, Co-President of Fosun Pharma and Chairman of Fosun Wanbang, said: “Autoimmune diseases present massive unmet clinical needs and represent a core therapeutic focus for Fosun Pharma. This strategic partnership with Junshi Biosciences is a vital step in continuously enriching our portfolio of high-value pipelines in the immunology and inflammation fields. Roconkibart has delivered outstanding efficacy data in its Phase 3 clinical trials, demonstrating rapid and durable disease control in the treatment of psoriasis and other indications. Fosun Pharma has established a mature clinical development and commercialization framework in this therapeutic area. Moving forward, we will leverage our respective strengths to accelerate the development and commercialization of roconkibart in Greater China, ensuring this breakthrough innovative therapy benefits patients as early as possible.”

About Junshi Biosciences

Founded in December 2012, Junshi Biosciences (HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180) is an innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics. With our outstanding capacity for innovative drug discovery, strong biotechnology R&D capability, and large-scale production capacity, we have successfully developed a drug candidate portfolio with global competitiveness and a well-structured research pipeline, which covers therapeutic areas including cancer, autoimmune, metabolic, and infectious diseases. Our innovative field spans cutting-edge therapeutic modalities, including mAbs, small-molecule drugs, ADCs, bsAb/msAb, fusion proteins, nucleic acid drugs and vaccines. Five of the company’s products have received marketing authorizations in China and international markets, one of which is toripalimab, China’s domestically developed anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody. Toripalimab has been approved in over 40 countries and regions including China, the US, and Europe.

With a mission of “providing patients with world-class, trustworthy, affordable, and innovative drugs,” Junshi Biosciences is “In China, For Global.” At present, the company boasts nearly 3,000 employees mainly in the United States (Maryland) and China (Shanghai, Suzhou, Beijing, Guangzhou). For more information, please visit: http://www.junshipharma.com.

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