Zion Pharma Announces Global Agreement with Roche to Develop and Commercialize a Blood Brain Barrier Penetrant Oral HER2 Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor
9.5.2023 09:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Zion Pharma Limited, a Chinese biotechnology company focused on the development of brain-penetrable compounds, today announced that Roche has acquired the global rights to Zion’s lead program, ZN-A-1041. ZN-A-1041 is an orally administered selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2). ZN-A-1041 was designed to be blood-brain-barrier-penetrant, and has the potential to treat or prevent the onset of brain metastases in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Up to 50% of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer will develop brain metastasis during the course of the disease.
"Our agreement with Roche is the culmination of a tremendous team effort to deliver a potentially best-in-class therapy for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, particularly in the field of brain metastasis by virtue of the high blood-brain barrier permeability of this asset,” stated Zack Cheng, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Zion Pharma Limited. “Within five years, we have gone from company formation to first-in-human, to finding a partner in Roche, who has the resources and expertise to bring ZN-A-1041 to patients with few other therapeutic options,” Dr. Cheng continued.
Dr. Ding Zhou, Ph.D., CSO and Co-Founder of Zion Pharma Limited added, “We are pleased that Roche recognizes the potential of our asset for advancing the standard of care with regards to brain penetrable compounds in HER2-positive breast cancer.”
“We are excited to enter this partnership with Zion to further develop this innovative treatment option for people with HER2-positive breast cancer. This partnership builds on Roche’s legacy and expertise in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer and supports our pursuit of advancing science by combining external innovation with our in-house capabilities to address areas of high unmet patient needs,” said James Sabry, Global Head of Pharma Partnering.
After a transition period, Roche will be responsible for the further development, manufacturing, and commercialization of ZN-A-1041 globally. Zion will receive up to $70 million USD in upfront and near-term milestone payments pending achievement of certain milestone events. Zion will also be eligible for up to $610 million USD in additional payments following achievement of certain development, regulatory, and sales-based milestone events by ZN-A-1041, as well as tiered royalties on sales.
About ZN-A-1041
ZN-A-1041 is an orally administered selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2). ZN-A-1041 was designed to be blood-brain-barrier-penetrant. The ongoing Phase 1 trial is being conducted at multiple sites in the U.S. and China. Additional details will be presented at the poster sessions during the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in June 2023.
About Zion Pharma Limited
Zion Pharma is a private, clinical stage biotech company focused on the development of novel, small molecule, anti-tumoral agents. Founded in 2018, the company’s research headquarters are in Suzhou with additional research operations in Shanghai. The company is applying an innovative drug discovery approach, capitalizing on its DMPK expertise, to develop a pipeline of proprietary first-in-class/best-in-class compounds focused on therapeutic targets which drive tumor inhibition, including ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), Kirsten RAt Sarcoma (KRAS G12D) and SMARCA2 (BRM). Additional information about Zion Pharma is available at www.zionpharma.com.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230508005468/en/
Contact information
For media and partnership inquiries:
J. Michael French
SVP, Corporate Development
michael.french@zionpharma.com
+1.703.338.1972
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
TreviPay Research Tracks the Evolution of B2B Buyer Expectations as AI Reshapes the Purchasing Process20.5.2026 15:00:00 EEST | Press release
New research from TreviPay, a global B2B payments infrastructure partner, found 88% of B2B buyers report high loyalty to their suppliers, consistent with TreviPay’s 2023 research. In 2026, buyers now place greater decision power on how efficiently and consistently suppliers deliver across the purchasing, payment and invoicing experience, meaning their loyalty is dependent on how well a supplier can execute. TreviPay’s latest report, The Evolution of the B2B Buyer, builds on the company’s 2023 B2B buyer research and examines how expectations have evolved across payments, onboarding, invoice terms, automation and supplier relationships. Key findings include: AI integration and digital maturity are reshaping purchasing. Seventy-three percent of buyers now use AI in purchasing workflows, showing automation has moved from exploration into everyday decision-making. Demand for financial terms has reached a tipping point. The likelihood of choosing a supplier that offers invoice terms increase
Ennov Announces Strategic Growth Investment from Bregal Sagemount and Ardian20.5.2026 15:00:00 EEST | Press release
Ennov (the “Company”), a global provider of end-to-end regulatory, quality, and clinical software solutions for life sciences and healthcare companies, today announced a strategic growth investment led by Bregal Sagemount (“Sagemount”), a leading growth-focused private equity firm, with participation from Ardian, a global private investment firm. The investment will support the Company’s continued expansion, with a focus on AI innovation, global go-to-market acceleration, and scaling its product offering. Founded and headquartered in Paris, Ennov provides a unified compliance platform that serves as a centralized system of record for global life sciences organizations. The platform supports the management of content and data across key domains, including Regulatory, Quality, Commercial, Clinical, and Pharmacovigilance. Its integrated architecture and unified data model enable faster deployment, improved user adoption, consistent compliance, and AI-driven efficiency across global operat
Thales Announces Strategic Partnership with Google Cloud to Launch a New Sovereign Cloud in Germany20.5.2026 14:54:00 EEST | Press release
Thales, a global leader in high technologies, today announced a strategic partnership with Google Cloud to establish a new sovereign cloud solution in Germany. Building on the success of S3NS, Thales’ trusted cloud subsidiary in France, and operator of its first European sovereign cloud region, this agreement marks a decisive step in meeting the German market's demand for sovereign solutions that shield sensitive data from extraterritorial laws. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260520279285/en/ The wholly-owned subsidiary of Thales in Germany offers an independent cloud solution based on Google Cloud technology. © Thales/Google Cloud Thales will launch a new German entity, legally and operationally independent from Google Cloud, that will be staffed and managed by local German personnel, ensuring that no third party, including non-European entities, can access the data stored or processed within it. “Germany re
Klarna launches AI-powered Shopping Search app in ChatGPT20.5.2026 14:30:00 EEST | Press release
Klarna, the global digital bank and flexible payments provider, today launched the Klarna Shopping Search app in ChatGPT, bringing real-time product discovery directly into the conversation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260520024278/en/ The Klarna Shopping Search app is live in ChatGPT The launch comes as AI-powered product search reshapes online retail: during the 2025 holiday season, traffic from AI platforms to retail sites grew nearly 700%, with those shoppers converting at 31% higher rates. Until now, consumers asking AI models for shopping help have had to open new browser tabs, navigate competing sites, and reconcile outdated prices. With the Klarna Shopping Search app in ChatGPT, they simply describe what they're looking for and instantly see visual results with up-to-date prices, availability, and offers from multiple merchants, all within the same conversation. The Klarna Shopping Search app then
IAMPHENOM Europe 2026 Registration Opens: HR’s Leading Conference for Agentic AI Learning Returns20.5.2026 14:00:00 EEST | Press release
Phenom, the leader in applied AI with an infrastructure built specifically to redesign work operations, today announced registration is open for IAMPHENOM Europe 2026, taking place 4-5 November in Paris, France. The only applied AI event dedicated to human resources on the continent, IAMPHENOM Europe gives HR and HRIT leaders the agentic AI strategies, instruction and proof points they need to build their AI-augmented workforce to address their biggest hiring, development and retention challenges. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260520683492/en/ Phenom today announced registration is open for IAMPHENOM Europe 2026. The only applied AI event dedicated to human resources on the continent is taking place 4-5 November in Paris, France. European organisations face pressure from every direction, including widening skills shortages, tightening EU AI Act compliance and competitors moving faster with AI than HR teams c
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom