Hong Kong in talks with mainland Chinese firm over Covid-19 treatment

Brii Bioscinences confirms it is in talks about supplying a cocktail of drugs to the city, which is battling a wave of cases

The treatment has been approved for use in mainland China and recommended by leading respiratory diseases expert Zhong Nanshan

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People holding umbrellas line up in the rain at a testing site in Hong Kong, which is battling a surge in cases. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:00am, 23 Feb 2022Updated: 7:09am, 23 Feb 2022

A mainland Chinese biotechnology firm has confirmed that it is in talks with the Hong Kong authorities about supplying the city with its Covid-19 treatment.

Brii Biosciences said in a statement that detailed information could not be disclosed because of “the confidential nature of the conversation”.

On Monday, the leading respiratory expert Zhong Nanshan recommended the treatment, a cocktail of drugs known as BRII 196-198, in a video message to Hong Kong, which is currently battling a surge in cases.

Zhong also urged the city to consider other treatments such as the US-made Paxlovid and traditional Chinese medicine, adding that he had spoken to businesses on the mainland about offering greater support to the city.

Brii’s treatment, a combination of monoclonal neutralising antibodies, was approved in Hong Kong for clinical trials last November but is yet to be approved for registration.

In December mainland drug regulators approved the therapy for adults who are at high risk of developing severe Covid-19 and conditional approval for patients aged 12 to 17. Several provinces had previously allowed its use on compassionate grounds.

In early November a statement from the company said the treatment had been given to more than 700 patients for free, the oldest of whom was 92.