JIXING and WuXi STA Announce Strategic Partnership Agreement

Two parties will jointly build a sterile nasal spray manufacturing line 

SHANGHAI, China, November 6, 2023 – Ji Xing Pharmaceuticals Limited (JIXING), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to bringing innovative medicines to underserved Chinese patients with serious and life-threatening diseases, and WuXi STA, a subsidiary of WuXi AppTec, today signed a strategic partnership agreement to build a sterile nasal spray manufacturing line in China. The signing ceremony was attended by Sandy Mou, Chief Executive Officer of JIXING, Horch Guo, VP, Head of TechOps of JIXING, Dr. Jinling Chen, SVP and Head of Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing Services of WuXi STA, and Dr. Marina Zhu, VP, Head of Late Phase Formulation Development and China Business Development Department  of Wuxi STA.

According to the agreement, both parties will make use of their respective advantages to jointly build an aseptic nasal spray manufacturing line in China. Located in WuXi STA's drug product site in Wuxi City, China, the line is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and a high standard quality control system, designed based on  global cGMP standards. The line is expected to be completed by the end of 2024 and will produce varenicline nasal spray after its potential New Drug Application approval in China.

“We are very excited to build a strategic partnership with WuXi STA,  the first of its kind in the field of manufacturing for JIXING. This partnership will provide us with high quality manufacturing and supply chain capabilities and is also an important milestone for our growth journey. ” said Sandy Mou, Chief Executive Officer of JIXING. “JIXING will gradually build up full life-cycle innovation capabilities in clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization by establishing localized production and supply chain capabilities, which will not only meet the needs of Chinese patients, but will also serve global patients in the future, so that China's innovative drugs can benefit the world."

Varenicline solution nasal spray is the first product for the manufacturing line. It is the first and only nasal spray approved by the FDA for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. Since April 2023 it has been available at Boao Super Hospital in Hainan province as an imported drug for patients with urgent clinical needs. In July 2023, its New Drug Application has been accepted by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).