Sunshine Noah licenses hypertension siRNA drug ABA001 to Wangao Pharma for 50 mln yuan

Company Profile: Wangao Pharmaceutical

On September 21, 2026, Sun-Novo Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd. (688621.SH) announced a cooperation agreement with Jiangsu Wangao Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. regarding the ABA001 project.

Deal Structure

Under the agreement:

• Wangao Pharmaceutical will invest RMB 50 million in the current phase
• Funds are exclusively designated for ABA001's domestic clinical trials, R&D optimization, regulatory filing, and project-related expenses
• In return, Wangao receives exclusive commercialization rights for ABA001 within China
• Overseas rights will be shared between both parties based on their respective investment ratios

About ABA001

ABA001 is an injectable small interfering RNA (siRNA) drug targeting angiotensinogen (AGT) mRNA, indicated for hypertension. It is classified as a Class 1 chemical new drug and is currently in Phase I clinical trials.

Targeting the RAAS Pathway Upstream for Long-Acting Blood Pressure Control

While hypertension treatments are widely available, long-term management faces a persistent challenge: patients must take medication regularly over extended periods, and compliance tends to decline over time. This creates a clear need for therapies that reduce dosing frequency while maintaining effective blood pressure control.

ABA001 addresses this need through a novel mechanism:

• Unlike conventional antihypertensives that act on downstream components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), ABA001 targets angiotensinogen (AGT) upstream
• As an siRNA drug, it uses GalNAc conjugation for liver-targeted delivery
• It degrades AGT mRNA via RNA interference, reducing AGT protein production at the source and subsequently dampening downstream angiotensin signaling

This is not a simple reformulation of existing drugs. ABA001 represents a mechanistic shift in how hypertension could be treated. Critically, the gene-silencing effect of siRNA persists after the drug is cleared from circulation, providing a mechanistic basis for long-acting, low-frequency dosing.

For a chronic condition like hypertension, this translates into a clear value proposition: if a single dose can maintain blood pressure reduction for months, it could transform treatment from daily oral pills to quarterly or even semi-annual injections, reducing the long-term burden of medication adherence.

Sun-Novo's non-clinical studies have shown sustained antihypertensive effects, and the company anticipates the potential for once-every-3-months or once-every-6-months dosing. It should be emphasized that this dosing interval remains a development projection based on non-clinical data; the actual duration, required dose, and clinical feasibility of low-frequency dosing still require further validation.

One Side Develops, the Other Commercializes

The partnership reflects a complementary alignment of business capabilities.

Sun-Novo Pharmaceutical

• Founded in 2009, initially as a drug R&D services provider
• Now offers integrated capabilities spanning drug discovery, pharmaceutical research, pharmacology, clinical research, and bioanalysis
• 2025 revenue: RMB 1.222 billion, including RMB 248 million from innovative and improved new drug R&D services
• As of August 2026, the company's self-developed innovative drug pipeline exceeds 30 programs
• ABA001 is a flagship project in its transition from R&D services to proprietary innovative drug assets

Notably, Sun-Novo has been increasing investment in small nucleic acid R&D. In its 2026 private placement plan, the company proposed investing approximately RMB 190 million to build a nucleic acid drug discovery and pilot-scale experimental platform, covering target screening and validation, sequence design, chemical modification optimization, candidate molecule screening, process development, scale-up validation, and regulatory support.

Wangao Pharmaceutical

• Founded in 2003, operates as an integrated R&D, manufacturing, and sales pharmaceutical company
• Production systems include: oral solid dosage forms, soft capsules, small-volume injections, oral solutions, eye drops, and topical formulations
• Core business covers chemical drugs and traditional Chinese medicine R&D, production, sales, and CMO/CDMO services
• Product portfolio spans cardiovascular, diabetes and complications, and gastrointestinal areas
• In hypertension, Wangao already markets products including valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide, irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide, and amlodipine maleate, providing a solid cardiovascular commercialization foundation

From a structural perspective, one party brings small nucleic acid development capabilities, while the other brings established product and commercialization experience in conventional antihypertensives. This partnership goes beyond a simple capital-for-assets exchange; it represents an early binding of R&D capability with commercial execution.

AGT Target Enters Competitive Phase; Long-Acting Is No Longer the Only Selling Point

The AGT-siRNA space is entering a competitive phase.

A review published in September 2026 [1] mapped the global AGT small nucleic acid R&D pipeline as of July 2026, listing multiple clinical programs including:

• Zilebesiran
• GW906
• YKYY029
• IBI3016
• HRS-9563
• SNK-2726
• ABA001

Some of these programs have already advanced to Phase II.

First-Movers Have Validated the Approach

• Alnylam's zilebesiran has clinically demonstrated sustained AGT suppression and months-long blood pressure reduction
• GW906 (domestic) early clinical data also show AGT suppression lasting months after a single dose
• In 2025, Guowei Pharmaceutical and Salubris entered an exclusive partnership for GW906 in China, with a total transaction value exceeding RMB 500 million

These developments indicate that ABA001 is entering a field where the mechanism is no longer unproven—it is a competitive arena with clinical frontrunners and early asset transactions already taking place.

This also means that "AGT + siRNA + long-acting" alone is no longer sufficient for differentiation. The next phase of competition will focus on:

• Magnitude of blood pressure reduction
• Duration of effect
• Safety profile
• Final achievable dosing interval
• Identification of patient populations best suited for low-frequency treatment

For ABA001, these questions remain unanswered. The project has just entered Phase I, and the RMB 50 million partnership is more about sharing development risk early than pricing the project's ultimate value.

As "long-acting blood pressure control" transitions from a technical selling point to a shared characteristic of the entire pipeline, competition among AGT-siRNA programs will shift from mechanism to clinical performance: the winner will be the candidate that delivers more durable, stable blood pressure reduction with a favorable safety profile, ultimately enabling the lowest feasible dosing frequency.