Shares of Hengrui Pharma (ASX: 01276) rose over 5% in trading. At the time of writing, the stock was up 4.69% to HK$55.85, with a turnover of HK$101 million.

The catalyst for the move was news from the company's official social media channels. A key Phase III study for an innovative drug combination was recently featured in an oral presentation at the ASCO 2026 annual meeting.

The national multi-center, randomized controlled trial, known as CARES-336, evaluated the "dual-Ai" regimen (camrelizumab plus apatinib) combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) versus TACE alone for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC).

The study results demonstrated that patients receiving the TACE plus "dual-Ai" combination showed a clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared to those treated with TACE alone. The combination therapy significantly reduced the risk of disease progression and death.

This research provides robust evidence supporting the application of this "TACE combined with targeted-immunotherapy" strategy for uHCC. Based on the findings from this study, a marketing application for the "dual-Ai" combination plus TACE to treat unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma was accepted for review by the National Medical Products Administration in early 2026.