GSK pursues China-centric growth after successful Hansoh licensing deals show promise

GSK says it is following a "balance West and East" strategy, increasingly looking to China for drug licensing opportunities.

In 2023 the company paid a combined $270 million upfront to Hansoh Pharma for the ex‑China rights to two antibody‑drug conjugates targeting B7‑H3 and B7‑H4.

One of those ADCs, named ris‑rez, achieved a median overall survival of 18.5 months in a phase 3 lung cancer trial, positioning it as a potential competitor to Amgen and Merck therapies.

GSK subsequently bought Aiolos Bio for $1 billion upfront for its long‑acting anti‑TSLP monoclonal antibody AIO‑001, which had been sourced from Hengrui Pharmaceuticals.

These transactions underscore GSK's confidence in the speed, scale and quality of Chinese drug development and its intent to deepen its presence in the market.