EQRx Aims To Dent Saturated, But Still Expensive, PD-1 Market

Partner CStone Announces Positive NSCLC Results For Sugemalimab

May 28 2021

• By Alaric DeArment

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EQRx is one of several Western companies that have been looking to China for new PD-1 inhibitors at a lower cost.

Price drop — EQRx is aiming for the PD-1 inhibitor market with a cheaper contender from a Chinese company • Source: Shutterstock

EQRx, Inc. has scored a trophy in its hunt for me-too drugs that can enter the market at a lower price with positive results from a Phase III study of the PD-1 inhibitor sugemalimab, developed by China-based CStone Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.. It’s just the latest example of how firms in China are partnering with overseas counterparts to market homegrown checkpoint inhibitors in more lucrative Western markets.

CStone announced topline results from the Phase III GEMSTONE-301 study on 27 May, in patients with Stage III non-small cell...

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