# GSK and Zhifei announce exclusive strategic vaccine partnership in China

- Link: https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/gsk-and-zhifei-announce-exclusive-strategic-vaccine-partnership-in-china/4121128969
- Published: 2023-10-09T07:08:26+01:00
- Author: Amilia Stone

**[GSK plc](https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/ftse-company/glaxosmithkline-plc/gsk.l)**(
LON/NYSE: GSK) has announced that it has reached an exclusive agreement with Chongqing
Zhifei Biological Products, Ltd. (Zhifei) to co-promote GSK’s shingles vaccine, 
_Shingrix_, in China for an initial three-year period, with the potential to extend
the partnership should all parties agree. Zhifei, the largest Chinese vaccine company
by revenue, has a track record of driving access to innovative vaccines in China.
By bringing together the scale and expertise of the two companies, the strategic
partnership will significantly extend the availability of _Shingrix_, supporting
the rapid expansion of patient access to the vaccine and future potential indications.

·   Partnership will significantly extend availability of _Shingrix_ in China with
co-promotion to healthcare professionals and over 30,000 points of vaccination

·   Partnership also supports potential future co-development and commercialisation
of _Arexvy_, GSK’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for older adults 60
years and older, in China

Set to start on 1 January 2024, Zhifei will have exclusive rights to import and 
distribute _Shingrix_ in China – focusing on promoting the vaccine through its extensive
service network, which covers more than 30,000 vaccination points across the country.
In partnership, GSK – as the license holder for the product – will co-promote _Shingrix_
by raising awareness of the importance of shingles vaccination amongst healthcare
professionals within community health centres and hospital settings.

In August 2023, GSK announced positive data from the ZOSTER-076 phase IV trial showing
that _Shingrix_ demonstrated 100% vaccine efficacy in preventing shingles in Chinese
adults aged 50 and over. More details can be found here – https://www.gsk.com/en-
gb/media/press-releases/new-shingrix-data-demonstrate-100-vaccine-efficacy-in-prevention-
shingles/.

> **Luke Miels, Chief Commercial Officer, GSK, said:** “This partnership is consistent
> with our focus on products with a high and durable level of differentiation. It
> materially expands the number of Chinese adults who can benefit from _Shingrix_
> and includes the option to extend the collaboration to include our novel RSV vaccine,
> _Arexvy_.”

**Financial considerations**

Subject to the terms of the agreement, Zhifei will purchase agreed volumes of _Shingrix_
with a value to GSK of £2.5 billion in total over the initial three-year period.
These volumes are expected to be phased over this time as demand is expected to 
accelerate steadily through the period. There is potential to extend the partnership
should all parties agree. The partnership supports and accelerates GSK’s commitment
to double global _Shingrix_ sales, reaching more than £4 billion by 2026.

Under the terms of the strategic partnership, Zhifei has granted GSK the right of
first refusal to be their exclusive partner for any co-development and commercialisation
of an RSV vaccine for older adults in China, paving the way for the companies to
potentially partner on _Arexvy_ upon approval in China.

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