Hengrui Medicine stock gains 3.46 percent on Novo deal

Published on 10/05/2026 at 14:19 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Hengrui Medicine stock gained 3.46 percent on September 30 after Novo Nordisk licensed HRS-1596 for up to USD 2.6 billion. First-half revenue fell 1.94 percent.

Hengrui Medicine, CNE0000014X5, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Hengrui Medicine stock (ISIN CNE0000014X5) was last at CNY 47.20 on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on September 30, 2026, up 3.46 percent for the session. The move followed a license agreement with Novo Nordisk for HRS-1596 that could generate up to USD 2.6 billion for Hengrui.

Novo deal expands global reach

According to PR Newswire on September 29, 2026, Novo received exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize HRS-1596 outside mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

The agreement includes a USD 300 million upfront payment, while the remaining value depends on development, regulatory and commercial milestones. Hengrui is also eligible for royalties on net sales in the licensed territory, and the transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Early-stage asset meets weaker sales

HRS-1596 is a phase I-ready GLP-1 and GIP dual receptor agonist designed for potential once-weekly oral dosing in obesity and type 2 diabetes. BioPharm International reported on September 29, 2026, that Chinese authorities had approved the start of phase I trials.

The latest operating figures show a mixed transition toward innovative medicines. In the first half of 2026, revenue was RMB 15.456 billion, down 1.94 percent year over year, while net profit attributable to shareholders reached RMB 4.465 billion, up 0.34 percent, according to Futunn on September 26, 2026.

Innovation grows as generics weigh

Innovation drug sales increased 16.38 percent to RMB 8.809 billion in the first half of 2026, accounting for 63.16 percent of drug sales, the same report said. That contrast matters: the newer portfolio expanded while overall revenue remained under pressure from volume-based procurement and price reductions for some products.

Reuters reported on September 29, 2026, that the milestone component could reach USD 2.3 billion beyond the upfront payment. The size of that contingent component makes clinical development and regulatory execution central to the commercial value of the agreement.

Stock gains 3.46 percent

Hengrui Medicine stock was last at CNY 47.20 on September 30, 2026, with a session range of CNY 45.25 to CNY 47.39. Trading volume was 112,164,009 shares, and the market capitalization was CNY 301.1 billion on the same date.