Janssen allies with Chinese pharma company on hepatitis B drug

Janssen has announced a new hepatitis B drug development collaboration with China's Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group.

The partnership will centre on the development, manufacturing and commercialisation of undisclosed immune-modulating agents to treat human diseases, including curative treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infections, outside of China.

This agreement follows the recent acquisition of Novira Therapeutics the formation of collaborations with Ichor Medical Systems and the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa that aim to further tackle the challenges associated with hepatitis B.

Currently, the fatal liver disease accounts for approximately 60 percent of hepatocellular carcinoma cases attributed to infection with the hepatitis B virus, with the lack of a cure meaning most people are forced to rely on lifelong treatment.

Dr William Hait, global head of Janssen's research and development division, said: "We are excited by the opportunity to work with Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group and to fully leverage our expertise in this critical disease area in order to bring potentially transformational treatments to patients."

This comes after the firm recently agreed to partner with Bavarian Nordic to develop a vaccine for chronic human papillomavirus infections.