ETANA ESTABLISHES STRATEGIC COOPERATION WITH BEIGENE FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY CANCER DRUG (TISLELIZUMAB)

Jakarta, 29 January 2024 – PT Etana Biotechnologies Indonesia (Etana) a local Indonesian biopharmaceutical company has entered a strategic collaboration with BeiGene, a global, science-driven biotechnology company. Nathan Tirtana, President Director of Etana together with Adam Roach BeiGene’s Vice President, and Head of Asia-Pacific, has committed to cooperate for the commercialization, development, and technology transfer of the Tislelizumab product.

Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties during the Indonesia-China Healthcare & Biotech Investment event in Jakarta.

Tislelizumab is an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody product that has obtained several indications, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), locally advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cHL).

"We value the collaboration with BeiGene in the development and commercialization of the Tislelizumab, since this is an important milestone toward making the most recent cancer treatment available to all cancer patients in Indonesia. This is in line with our commitment to produce high quality, affordable and innovative biological medicines locally as an effort to support the Government's program in creating national independence and resilience in the health sector," said Nathan Tirtana.

Etana will market the Tislelizumab product in Indonesia under its own name ETAPIDI, which can be used as a first- or second-line treatment along with chemotherapy treatments. Several studies have shown that some types of cancer can be treated effectively and safely.

“The partnership with Etana to produce and distribute our innovative, high-quality cancer medicines in Indonesia, underlines BeiGene’s commitment to Global Health Equity (GHE). It is an example of how we are delivering on our vision of not just creating impactful anti-cancer medicines but also striving to make them affordable and accessible to far more patients around the world,” said Adam Roach.

“The cultural diversity, size, and complexity of countries across the APAC (Asia Pacific) regions present unique challenges in delivering cancer care, which means BeiGene needs partners such as Etana who share our values and goals to help bring medicines to as many people as possible in the region.”

Indonesia, a middle-income country with an approximate population of 270 million, has an increasing cancer burden. The latest data from Globocan for 2020 indicated a rise in new cancer cases to 141.1 per 100 000 population, with cancer deaths at 85.1 deaths per 100 000 population.

Cancer remained one of Indonesia's most costly diseases. Cancer patients in Indonesia can enrol in the National Health Insurance (JKN) program, that nearly all medical expenses—including for patient care, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and even targeted therapy treatment—are covered by Social Security Agency on Health (BPJS) as long as the product is listed in the National Formulary (Fornas) or e-catalog.

About Tislelizumab

Tislelizumab is a humanized IgG4 anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody specifically designed to minimize binding to Fc-gamma (Fcγ) receptors on macrophages. In pre-clinical studies, binding to Fcγ receptors on macrophages has been shown to compromise the anti-tumor activity of PD-1 antibodies through activation of antibody-dependent macrophage-mediated killing of T effector cells.

An expansive global clinical trial program supports tislelizumab development, with 21 registration-enabling clinical trials and more than 11,800 subjects enrolled across the world. More information on the clinical trial program for tislelizumab can be found at:https://www.beigene.com/our-science-and-medicines/our-clinical-trials/

About Etana

Established in 2014, Etana is an Indonesian biopharmaceutical company that researches, manufactures and markets biological therapies for the Southeast Asian market. With a mission to serve patients by providing high quality, affordable, and innovative therapies, the company has built state-of-the-art local production facility that meet international and Indonesian FDA standards. The facility is able to produce biological therapy with halal certification from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). Etana aspires to become a leading biopharmaceutical company in the ASEAN region through aggressive expansion in production capacity and product development, with a primary focus on oncology and vaccine products.

Etana is led by a local management team who come from various international and domestic educational backgrounds and have strong experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and are supported by a team of international investors and leading biopharmaceutical companies. Etana aims to provide innovative yet affordable therapies through local production, to support Indonesian government programs and larger market demands. Etana is currently a leading biotech company in Indonesia committed to the research and manufacture of monoclonal antibodies, mRNAs and other biological platforms. For more information on Etana, visit: www.id.etanabiotech.com

About BeiGene

BeiGene is a global biotechnology company that is developing and commercializing innovative and affordable oncology medicines to improve treatment outcomes and access for far more patients worldwide. With a broad portfolio, we are expediting development of our diverse pipeline of novel therapeutics through our internal capabilities and collaborations. We are committed to radically improving access to medicines for far more patients who need them. Our growing global team of more than 9,000 colleagues spans five continents, with administrative offices in Beijing, China; Cambridge, U.S.; and Basel, Switzerland. To learn more about BeiGene, please visit www.beigene.com and follow us on Twitter at @BeiGeneGlobal.