Aligos Therapeutics, a South San Francisco-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced Thursday an exclusive licensing agreement with Xiamen Amoytop Biotech Co., Ltd. for the development and commercialization of pevifoscorvir sodium — its lead antiviral nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor targeting chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection — across Greater China, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The deal grants Amoytop full development and commercial rights in the territory in exchange for upfront and milestone payments to Aligos, along with tiered royalties on net sales.
Aligos CEO Lawrence Blatt said the partnership 'accelerates the path to delivering pevifoscorvir to the patients who need it most, in the region where chronic hepatitis B creates its heaviest global burden.' China is home to approximately 85 million people living with chronic HBV infection — roughly 6% of the Chinese population and more than one-quarter of the global chronic HBV disease burden — making it by far the world's largest single market for innovative hepatitis B treatments.
Pevifoscorvir's Clinical Profile and Development Status
Pevifoscorvir sodium is a next-generation HBV capsid assembly modulator designed to reduce viral replication through a mechanism distinct from the entecavir and tenofovir nucleoside/nucleotide analogues that currently dominate the chronic HBV treatment market. Clinical trial data presented at major hepatology conferences in 2024 and 2025 showed the drug achieved functional cure — defined as sustained HBsAg loss after treatment cessation — in a meaningful proportion of patients when combined with standard-of-care nucleoside analogues, a milestone that current approved therapies rarely achieve.
Under the Greater China partnership, Amoytop will be responsible for regulatory submissions to China's National Medical Products Administration, local clinical development activities required by Chinese regulators, and commercial launch. Aligos retains full rights in the United States, Europe, Japan, and the rest of the world, maintaining the optionality to develop pevifoscorvir independently or through additional regional partnerships in other markets.
Commercial Opportunity and Market Dynamics
The global market for chronic hepatitis B treatments is currently valued at approximately $2.3 billion annually and is projected to grow to $4-5 billion by 2030 as functional cure agents and newer combination regimens gain regulatory approval and market adoption. China is expected to represent a disproportionately large share of future market growth given its population burden and improving healthcare reimbursement coverage.