China Resources Pharmaceutical Holdings Co., Ltd.

iStock, Robert Way The British pharmaceutical giant has joined the direct-to-consumer push, following Pfizer and Amgen’s announcements in response to the president’s calls to lower U.S. drug prices. AstraZeneca has struck a deal with the Trump administration to offer the company’s drugs at lower prices directly to consumers. President Donald Trump is expected to announce more details from the Oval Office later Friday, MSNBC reported , citing a White House official. The pharmaceuticals will be sold through the TrumpRx direct-to-consumer platform unveiled on Sept. 30, when Pfizer announced a similar deal with the Trump administration. As part of its arrangement, AstraZeneca will also announce a $50 billion investment in drug manufacturing and research and development in the U.S., similar to Pfizer’s $70 billion investment. Pfizer’s investment forestalled the risk of tariffs for three years, as long as the New York pharma continues to pump money into U.S. manufacturing. AstraZeneca was one of the earliest companies to come on board the U.S. manufacturing train in response to Trump’s tariff threats, making a $50 billion commitment in July. It is not clear if the $50 billion investment announced Friday is a new, separate pledge. With the drug pricing deal, AstraZeneca becomes the third Big Pharma to announce direct-to-consumer sales in the last two weeks. In addition to Pfizer, Amgen earlier this week announced AmgenNow, a DTC sales platform that will offer drugs to consumers at discounts off of list prices. AmgenNow will currently offer just one medicine, the lipid-lowering therapy Repatha, at a 60% discount. While the program was not announced at the White House like Pfizer and AstraZeneca, Amgen did say that the DTC platform will be offered through TrumpRx. Reactions to the DTC push have focused on the many unknowns. Rachel Sachs, a professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis who works on health law and food and drug regulation, at the time of Pfizer’s announcement questioned how any DTC arrangement would be set up. “What’s the relationship between list prices and net prices?” she asked. “Can patients use insurance? In which programs are they offering different types of prices? What’s the relationship with these prices and international prices?”

NANJING, China I June 16, 2025 I HELP Therapeutics, a global leader in regenerative medicine, and China Resources Sanjiu Pharmaceutical Company, one of China’s largest pharmaceutical companies, have announced a strategic partnership to co-develop and commercialize the investigational cell therapy HiCM-188 in Mainland China. HiCM-188 is the world’s first iPSC-derived regenerative therapy for advanced heart failure to receive IND clearance in both China and the United States. The candidate is currently in Phase II clinical trials in China and Phase I/II trials in the U.S., Singapore, and Thailand. HiCM-188 has shown robust safety and efficacy across more than five years of long-term follow-up. Heart failure remains a major unmet medical need, with its prevalence increasing at double-digit rates along with population ages. Heart transplantation remains the last resort for advanced heart failure patients, but donor deficiency limits clinical application. HiCM-188 presents a promising alternative and could be a potential game changer for this unmet medical need. “This co-development agreement with China Resources Sanjiu marks a significant milestone for HELP Therapeutics,” said Dr. Eugene Wang, Founder and CEO of HELP Therapeutics. “Their exceptional clinical network, innovation mindset, and commercial capabilities will accelerate the availability of our therapies to patients and contribute to the growth of China’s cell therapy industry.” “Cell therapy represents the future of life sciences, offering immense clinical potential for aging-related and refractory diseases,” remarked Mr. Qiu Huawei, Chairman of China Resources Sanjiu. “Our partnership with HELP Therapeutics strengthens our commitment to cell therapy innovation. HELP’s globally leading iPSC platform and defined clinical pipeline make them an ideal partner. Together, we aim to bring new hope to heart failure patients.” Professor Junbo Ge, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, lauded the collaboration as a milestone in China’s Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) landscape. He noted that HELP Therapeutics’ focus on heart failure addresses a critical clinical need and bridges the gap between heart transplantation and targeted myocardial repair. “This partnership has the potential to reshape treatment paradigms for patients worldwide,” he said. About HELP Therapeutics HELP Therapeutics is a global leader in regenerative medicine, focused on developing innovative therapies for heart failure and other serious conditions. Leveraging a cutting-edge iPSC platform and a robust clinical pipeline, HELP is dedicated to transforming patient outcomes through advanced cell therapies. SOURCE: HELP THERAPEUTICS

NANJING, China, June 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- HELP Therapeutics, a global leader in regenerative medicine, and China Resources Sanjiu Pharmaceutical Company, one of China's largest pharmaceutical companies, have announced a strategic partnership to co-develop and commercialize the investigational cell therapy HiCM-188. Heart failure remains a major unmet medical need, with its prevalence increasing at double-digit rates. In China alone, an estimated 12 million adults suffer from heart failure, with 2.97 million new cases each year. The five-year survival rate is comparable to that of many malignant tumors. For end-stage patients, heart transplantation is the only proven treatment—but fewer than one in 1,000 patients receive a matching donor heart in time. Cell therapy presents a promising alternative and could transform care for this growing patient population. HiCM-188 is the world's first iPSC-derived regenerative therapy for heart failure to receive IND clearance in both China and the United States. The candidate is currently in Phase II clinical trials in China and Phase I/II trials in the U.S., Singapore, and Thailand. HiCM-188 has shown robust safety and efficacy across more than five years of long-term follow-up. "This co-development agreement with China Resources Sanjiu marks a significant milestone for HELP Therapeutics," said Dr. Wang Jiaxian, Founder and CEO of HELP Therapeutics. "Their exceptional clinical network, innovation mindset, and commercial capabilities will accelerate the availability of our therapies to patients and contribute to the growth of China's cell therapy industry." "Cell therapy represents the future of life sciences, offering immense clinical potential for aging-related and refractory diseases," remarked Mr. Qiu Huawei, Chairman of China Resources Sanjiu. "Through our subsidiary, Tasly Pharmaceuticals, we have already advanced into the MSC cell therapy space. Our partnership with HELP Therapeutics further strengthens our commitment to cell therapy innovation. HELP's globally leading iPSC platform and defined clinical pipeline make them an ideal partner. Together, we aim to bring new hope to heart failure patients." Professor Junbo Ge, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, lauded the collaboration as a milestone in China's Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) landscape. He noted that HELP Therapeutics' focus on heart failure addresses a critical clinical need and bridges the gap between heart transplantation and targeted myocardial repair. "This partnership has the potential to reshape treatment paradigms for patients worldwide," he said. About HELP Therapeutics HELP Therapeutics is a global leader in regenerative medicine, focused on developing innovative therapies for heart failure and other serious conditions. Leveraging a cutting-edge iPSC platform and a robust clinical pipeline, HELP is dedicated to transforming patient outcomes through advanced cell therapies. SOURCE HELP THERAPEUTICS WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED