SIMCERE PHARMA (02096) announced that on August 26, 2025, the company's indirect wholly-owned subsidiary Hainan Simcere plans to acquire all assets of Shanghai Xiangrui and all equity of Xianwei from Beijing Xiangrui, with consideration of RMB 17.5226 million and RMB 65.6612 million respectively, totaling RMB 83.1838 million.

As of the announcement date, Shanghai Xiangrui is solely engaged in preparatory activities for research and development and experimentation related to mRNA technology. Shanghai Xiangrui's primary assets include laboratory instruments and office equipment, which constitute the subject matter of the asset acquisition transaction.

Xianwei is solely engaged in preparatory activities for producing clinical samples related to mRNA vaccines. Xianwei's primary assets include: (i) raw materials for producing medical consumables; (ii) mechanical and electrical equipment such as cell analyzers, pharmaceutical light exposure test chambers, and computers; (iii) completed mRNA factory equipment installation projects awaiting GMP certification; and (iv) usage rights assets for properties leased from the company's subsidiary Hainan Simcere Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Shanghai Xiangrui and Xianwei have established mature mRNA technology platforms within Beijing Xiangrui Group. mRNA technology represents a revolutionary breakthrough in the biopharmaceutical field. By introducing mRNA encoding pathogen antigens into human cells to induce immune responses, it features high immunogenicity, good safety profile, and short production cycles.

Compared to traditional vaccines, mRNA vaccines do not require culturing live pathogens, eliminating risks of virulence enhancement and genetic integration. Compared to recombinant protein vaccines, mRNA vaccines do not require expression and purification of target proteins, avoiding issues such as protein misfolding and low expression levels, while also eliminating adverse reactions caused by adjuvant additives.

The announcement stated that through these acquisitions, the Group can rapidly enter the mRNA technology field while avoiding redundant R&D investments, enabling more flexible responses to future diversified demands in infectious diseases, anti-tumor therapy, autoimmune diseases, rare diseases, and gene editing applications.

Through these acquisitions, the Group can establish competitive advantages in key areas including infectious diseases, anti-tumor, and autoimmune diseases, complementing existing innovative drug pipelines and thereby expanding future development opportunities.

The acquisitions will enable the Group to rapidly integrate key technologies, clinical data, and production resources, enhancing R&D efficiency and shortening new drug development cycles. Meanwhile, these strategic acquisitions help eliminate potential competitive risks, allowing the Group to establish solid barriers in the mRNA sector.