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
Nordson EFD Launches PICO Pµlse XP HV Jetting System to Meet Assembly Market Demand for Dispensing High-Viscosity Materials9.11.2026 17:00:00 EET | Press release
Nordson EFD,a Nordson company (NASDAQ: NDSN), today announced the launch of its PICO Pµlse® XP HV jetting system designed for extremely precise (XP) assembly applications utilizing high-viscosity (HV) materials like thick silicones, greases, and UV-cure adhesives. New formulations are rapidly entering the industrial marketplace due to evolutionary new product development across multiple industries including electronics, medical, and automotive. Nordson leveraged its core competencies and time-tested structural architecture to innovate the piezoelectric jetting system for non-contact precision dispensing of this emerging genre of viscous materials. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260921406991/en/ Caption 1: Engineered for performance, the PICO Pμlse XP HV jetting system excels in demanding applications, such as optical bonding adhesives and precise one drop fill. The PICO Pµlse XP HV jet valve is automation rea
Tashkent Makes History with Central Asia’s First Golden Globes Gala9.11.2026 15:42:00 EET | Press release
Tashkent hosted the inaugural Golden Globes Silk Road Tribute Gala, bringing together internationally recognised actors, filmmakers and cultural figures from Central Asia, the Caucasus and beyond. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261109918777/en/ Tashkent Makes History with Central Asia’s First Golden Globes Gala (Photo credit: © Organising Committee of the Golden Globes Silk Road Tashkent) Guests of honour included Otabek Umarov, First Deputy Chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan, Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia and Member of the FIA Senate, and Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva, First Deputy Director of the National Agency for Social Protection, First Deputy Chairman of the National Paralympic Committee of Uzbekistan and Member of the World Aquatics Executive Bureau. The event marked the first edition of the Golden Globes Silk Road initiative, establishing Tashkent as the launch city for
Latifa bint Mohammed Inaugurates ISEA20269.11.2026 15:30:00 EET | Press release
Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, inaugurated the 31st International Symposium on Electronic/Emerging Art (ISEA2026 Dubai), held under the theme ‘ELYAH: Constellating Place, Data, and Identity.’ Bringing together artists, researchers and innovators from around the world, the symposium, in its largest-ever edition, explores how art, science and technology can expand creative expression, deepen cultural understanding, and shape the future of electronic and emerging art. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261109319593/en/ Burj Khalifa lights up to celebrate the opening of ISEA2026 Dubai (Photo: AETOSWire) Her Highness marked the inauguration by launching the interactive ELYAH show at ARTE MUSEUM Dubai. Inspired by Dubai’s celestial heritage, the experience combined light, music, performance and digital technology to explore the relations
Muslim World League’s “Minhaj” App Participates in Hajj Conference and Exhibition 2026 in Jeddah9.11.2026 15:04:00 EET | Press release
The “Minhaj” app, developed by the Muslim World League (MWL), is participating in the sixth edition of the Hajj Conference and Exhibition 2026, which commenced today in Jeddah under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (may Allah protect him). Organized by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in cooperation with the Pilgrim Experience Program, one of the programs of Saudi Vision 2030, the event is being held from November 8 to 11 at the Jeddah Superdome under the theme “From Makkah to the World.” This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261109411972/en/ The pavilion of the Muslim World League (MWL) at the sixth edition of the Hajj Conference and Exhibition 2026 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo: AETOSWire) Minhaj’s participation in this international event aims to introduce its integrated Islamic digital ecosystem, launched from Makkah to serve Muslims worldwide. The app off
CAIRDAC Adds Operational Expertise to Its Board of Directors With the Appointment of Rinda Sama9.11.2026 14:44:00 EET | Press release
CAIRDAC, SA, a pre-revenue-stage medtech company developing ALPS™, a leadless, self-powered cardiac pacing system, today announced the appointment of Mr. Rinda Sama to its Board of Directors. His appointment adds deep manufacturing, quality and operational experience to the Board and follows the recent appointment of Raymond W. Cohen as Chairman. “Mr. Sama’s extensive experience in manufacturing, quality systems and operational scale-up for complex implantable devices will be extremely valuable to our Company as we prepare for clinical evaluation and the next stages of development,” said Edouard Fonck, Chief Executive Officer of CAIRDAC. Mr. Sama currently serves as CEO of Spiro Medical, a company focused on treating asthma employing a proprietary neuromodulation system. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer of publicly traded Axonics, Inc. where he was accountable for manufacturing and quality and the operational infrastructure that supported the company’s commercial growth.
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