Innovent Biologics, Inc., a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high-quality medicines for the treatment of oncology, autoimmune, cardiovascular and metabolic, ophthalmology and other major diseases, and Eli Lilly and Company, have jointly announced a Distribution and Promotion Agreement in Mainland China regarding Lilly's non-covalent (reversible) Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, Jaypirca (pirtobrutinib, 100 mg & 50 mg tablets). The agreement highlights the following aspects:

• Innovent will be responsible for the importation, marketing, distribution and promotion of Jaypirca;
• Lilly will be responsible for the R&D and post-market medical affairs of Jaypirca.

Jaypirca, a highly selective kinase inhibitor, utilises a novel non-covalent binding mechanism to re-establish BTK inhibition in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients previously treated with a covalent BTK inhibitor (approved including ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, zanubrutinib, or orelabrutinib) and extend the benefit of targeting the BTK pathway, thus effectively addressing the unmet clinical needs for these patients.

Approved by the US FDA in January 2023, Jaypirca (pirtobrutinib) became the first and only approved non-covalent (reversible) BTK inhibitor. In October 2024, Jaypirca (pirtobrutinib) received approval from China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) after at least two types of systemic therapy, including a Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor.

Lilly is conducting comprehensive global Phase 3 development programmes (including in China), in first-line and relapse or refractory patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), and BTK inhibitor-naïve relapse or refractory MCL, to explore monotherapy or combination therapy.