Guangzhou Fermion Technology and Simcere Pharmaceutical Group have announced a collaboration aiming to develop FZ002-037 for pain treatment.

In China, the therapy has completed Phase I trials. Credit: freestocks on Unsplash.
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Developed by Fermion, FZ002-037 is an oral somatostatin receptor 4 (SSTR4) agonist.
Under the terms of the agreement, Simcere will obtain exclusive rights for developing and commercialising the drug in Greater China including Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.
Fermion will obtain an upfront payment along with milestone payments, and tiered royalties depending on future sales.
Simcere Pharmaceutical chief investment officer Zhou Gaobo said: “Pain significantly affects patients’ quality of life and remains a major unmet clinical need. Addressing these ‘clinical pain points’ has always been a core mission for Simcere.
“We look forward to collaborating with innovative partners like Fermion to deliver more effective and safer pain therapies to patients as quickly as possible.”
According to preclinical studies, the drug offers peripheral analgesia with no central side effects or risks of addiction, which makes it optimal for individuals in need of long-term pain management.
In China, the therapy has completed Phase I trials, and soon Phase II trials for diabetic peripheral neuropathy are set to commence, with potential applications for several chronic and acute pain conditions.
Fermion Technology founder Dr Deco Deng said: “We are delighted to partner with Simcere, a leading pharmaceutical company. By leveraging Simcere’s strong development and commercialisation capabilities, we are confident in accelerating its progress to provide better treatment options for patients suffering from pain.”
FZ002-037 showed a ‘strong’ efficacy in several chronic and acute pain models, and an ‘excellent’ selectivity, with a double-digit pM EC50, the company noted.