AbbVie inks USD735M deal with Haisco for non-opioid NaV1.8 painkillers

CHINA—AbbVie has secured exclusive rights to two promising non-opioid pain treatment candidates from Beijing-based Haisco Pharmaceutical Group, marking the company’s entry into the competitive NaV1.8 inhibitor space.

The pharmaceutical giant will pay USD30 million upfront, with the potential to spend significantly more as the therapies progress through development stages.

The agreement provides AbbVie with substantial financial incentives to advance the program.

The company receives USD 10 million in near-term milestones and stands to earn up to USD 705 million in additional milestone payments upon reaching key development and regulatory benchmarks.

Furthermore, Haisco will receive tiered royalties in the high-single-digit percentage range once the drugs generate revenue from future sales.

Development and market strategy

The two licensed assets, HSK55718 and HSK51155, function by blocking the NaV1.8 sodium channel, a crucial component in pain-sensing nerve cells that transmit pain signals to the brain.

By precisely targeting this pathway, these drugs aim to interrupt pain at its source while preventing the abnormal nerve firing that perpetuates chronic pain conditions.

This mechanism of action provides a significant advantage over traditional opioids, offering clinicians a tool that delivers pain relief without the addiction risks that have plagued opioid-based therapies.

AbbVie has committed to funding certain research and development expenses necessary to move both candidates toward clinical proof of concept, demonstrating the company’s serious investment in their success.

The therapies are currently at different development stages: HSK55718, an intravenous formulation, is undergoing phase 1 clinical trials in China, while HSK51155, an oral version, remains in the preclinical stage.

Competitive landscape

AbbVie’s move comes as the pharmaceutical industry increasingly recognizes the potential of NaV1.8 inhibitors as alternatives to opioids.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals already dominates this emerging market with Journavx, a first-in-class oral medication that received regulatory approval in early 2025 and generated USD 59.6 million in revenue during that year.

However, Vertex encountered setbacks when its next-generation NaV1.8 candidate failed to demonstrate superiority over placebo in phase II trials, ultimately leading the company to abandon the prospect.

Eli Lilly has equally demonstrated its confidence in this therapeutic approach by acquiring a NaV1.8 inhibitor through its USD1 billion acquisition of SiteOne Therapeutics.

Global growth strategy

The Haisco partnership aligns with the Beijing Company’s broader strategy of expanding internationally while emphasizing innovation-driven development.

This deal represents one of multiple major transactions for Haisco in 2026, following its January licensing of a clinical-stage lung disease asset to AirNexis Therapeutics for USD955 million in biobucks.