(Yicai) Dec. 20 -- Huadong Medicine, one of China’s most diversified makers of dermatosis medicines, plans to purchase exclusive rights to market a first-in-class cancer drug Senaparib developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Impact Therapeutics in the Chinese mainland for CNY290 million (USD41 million).

Huadong’s unit Sino-US Huadong Pharmaceutical will pay Impact CNY100 million as a down payment and up to CNY190 million milestone payments, the Hangzhou-based parent company announced today, citing the exclusive marketing service agreement the unit signed with Impact’s Shanghai-based subsidiary. Impact will pay marketing fees to Sino-US Huadong based on Senaparib’s expected net sales after the drug is regulatory approved, Huadong added.

While Sino-US Huadong will be responsible for the commercial marketing of Senaparib in the Chinese mainland, Impact will account for the registration, clinical development, manufacturing, supply, and distribution of the drug, Huadong said, noting that the cooperation will be valid for 15 years from the date of the first commercial sale of Senaparib.

Senaparib is a new type of high-efficiency poly adenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase inhibitor independently developed by Impact that, according to a clinical study, can significantly prolong the progression-free survival of people with advanced ovarian cancer, Huadong pointed out.

Senaparib is in Phase II/III trials for ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, small cell lung cancer, and other indications worldwide, including China. The preliminary clinical data demonstrated the drug’s superior tolerability and wider therapeutic window, according to Impact’s website.

China’s National Medical Products Administration accepted Senaparib’s marketing application in August.

Impact is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing targeted anti-cancer therapeutics based on synthetic lethality.

Huadong’s shares [SHE: 000963] were trading little changed, down 0.1 percent at CNY39.86 (USD5.63) as of 1.50 p.m. in Shenzhen today.

Editor: Futura Costaglione