Chinese pharma company introduces women’s health business unit to advance gynaecological treatments

The Chinese drug maker Asieris Pharmaceuticals has introduced a women’s health business unit aimed at advancing gynaecological treatments.

The business unit will centre around APL-1702, a non-surgical treatment for cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), cell abnormalities associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV) that could progress to cervical cancer.

Every year, approximately 528,000 women worldwide are diagnosed with cervical cancer, leading to around 266,000 deaths. In China, 119,000 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year.

The primary cause of cervical cancer lies in precancerous lesions stemming from persistent HPV infections, with about 20 per cent to 30 per cent of HSIL cases progressing to invasive cervical cancer within a decade.

According to Frost & Sullivan, the global population of HSIL patients is projected to reach 16.6 million by 2030.

As cancer screening and cervical cytology examinations become more prevalent, an increasing number of patients with precancerous cervical lesions are being identified at early stages and this trend is expected to persist, leading to a steady increase in the number of patients.

Local operation as the traditional treatment of cervical HSIL often comes with potential adverse reactions such as cervical bleeding, infections and cervical insufficiency.

The APL-1702 drug, developed by Asieris, has demonstrated positive results in a phase III clinical trial, in a move that could potentially make non-surgical treatments for precancerous cervical lesions possible.

To date, there has been no non-surgical product approved for the treatment of precancerous cervical lesions with proven clinical efficacy in a phase III trial.

Dr Kevin Pan, founder, chairman and CEO of Asieris Pharmaceuticals, said: “The establishment of the women’s health business unit is a testament to our steadfast confidence and commitment to our gynaecological pipeline, with APL-1702 as the cornerstone. This move solidifies our leadership in women’s health in China.”

Following the introduction of the new unit, Asieris has appointed Sophia Cao as the senior vice president and head of the project. Cao’s previous roles included serving as head of women’s health at Organon China and as marketing director at Eli Lilly China.

Pan said: “We are confident that Sophia’s invaluable industry experience, unique business insights and strategic thinking will expedite our strategic goal of becoming a leader in women’s health.

“Moving forward, we will continue to increase our investment in this field, making a positive contribution to women’s health in China and worldwide, particularly in the realm of cervical cancer prevention and treatment.”

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