Sino Biopharmaceutical expands its exclusive partnership with GSK, securing commercialization rights for Trelegy Ellipta and Anoro Ellipta in mainland China. The deal strengthens Sino Biopharma’s respiratory portfolio while broadening patient access to established COPD and asthma therapies.
Written By: Umesh Hanumante, M.Pharm (Reg. Affairs)
Reviewed By: Pharmacally Editorial Team
Sino Biopharmaceutical has expanded its exclusive strategic partnership with GSK by obtaining commercialization rights for two of GSK’s respiratory therapies, Trelegy Ellipta (fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol; FF/UMEC/VI) and Anoro Ellipta (umeclidinium/vilanterol; UMEC/VI) in mainland China.
The agreement follows the companies’ May 2026 collaboration focused on chronic hepatitis B therapy bepirovirsen and marks the partnership’s expansion into respiratory diseases.
Under the agreement, Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group (CTTQ), a subsidiary of Sino Biopharmaceutical, will manage importation, distribution, hospital access, and both promotional and non-promotional activities for the two inhaled medicines across mainland China. Revenue generated from sales in China will be recognized by CTTQ.
The collaboration gives Sino Biopharma access to two established inhaled therapies used in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, while allowing GSK to leverage CTTQ’s commercial infrastructure to expand patient access in one of the world’s largest respiratory markets.
Established inhaled therapies for COPD and asthma
Trelegy Ellipta is a once-daily, single-inhaler triple therapy that combines fluticasone furoate, an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS), umeclidinium, a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), and vilanterol, a long-acting β2-agonist (LABA). It was approved in China in 2019 for COPD and received an expanded indication in 2026 for maintenance treatment of asthma, becoming the country’s first and only single-inhaler triple therapy approved for both asthma and COPD.
Anoro Ellipta combines umeclidinium and vilanterol in a once-daily inhaler and has been approved in China since 2018 for long-term maintenance treatment of COPD.
According to the companies, Trelegy generated £3.0 billion in global sales during 2025, while Anoro recorded £542 million in worldwide sales over the same period.
Expanding respiratory portfolio in China
Respiratory disease represents a major growth area in China. More than 100 million people are estimated to live with COPD and nearly 50 million with asthma, creating substantial demand for long-term maintenance therapies.
China further strengthened its focus on COPD management in 2024 by incorporating the disease into the National Basic Public Health Services Programme alongside hypertension and diabetes. The policy is expected to improve early diagnosis, increase treatment adherence, and expand access to standard therapies.
Sino Biopharma said the agreement complements its existing respiratory research portfolio, which includes investigational therapies targeting TSLP, P2X3, ROCK2, and ST2, alongside proprietary inhalation platforms spanning nebulizers, dry powder inhalers, and soft mist inhalers.
Strategic collaboration continues to broaden
The latest agreement builds on the companies’ exclusive partnership announced in May 2026 to commercialize bepirovirsen in mainland China for chronic hepatitis B. Beyond the marketed respiratory products, both companies also plan to explore opportunities involving Sino Biopharma’s innovative pipeline assets outside China.
The expanded alliance reflects a broader trend of multinational pharmaceutical companies partnering with established domestic firms to accelerate commercialization in China. For Sino Biopharma, adding two blockbuster respiratory medicines strengthens its commercial portfolio while supporting future launches of its own respiratory pipeline. For GSK, the partnership provides broader market reach for established respiratory brands through an experienced local commercialization network.
Reference
VOLUNTARY ANNOUNCEMENT FURTHER DEEPENING OF THE EXCLUSIVE STRATEGIC COLLABORATION WITH GSK
About the Writer
Umesh Hanumante (M.Pharm) (LinkedIn) is a pharmacy professional and healthcare writer with a background in Regulatory Affairs, pharmaceutical innovation, and clinical research. He has around two years of industry experience as an Executive PMT at Troikaa Pharmaceuticals Ltd and qualified GPAT 2024. His areas of interest include regulatory compliance, dossier preparation, clinical trials, emerging therapies, and advancements in the global pharmaceutical and healthcare sector.