Urgent Recall! Hutchison China MediTech Star Anti-Cancer Drug Suddenly Withdrawn from Market

On March 9th, Hutchison China MediTech Limited (Hutchison China Meditech or the Company) announced that it is initiating a market withdrawal and recall of its oncology innovative drug, Hydrobromide Tazemetostat (brand name: Duvic), which has been listed for just one year in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. The Company will also suspend all ongoing clinical trials of Tazemetostat. Current patients should immediately consult their healthcare providers to discuss treatment options.

The announcement states that this market withdrawal is not expected to impact the company’s financial guidance. In 2025, Hutchison China Meditech’s sales of Duvic are projected to reach $2.5 million.

The announcement indicates that Duvic is an oncology treatment drug licensed from Ipsen’s subsidiary Epizyme, Inc. Ipsen holds the marketing authorization for Duvic in mainland China, while Hutchison China Meditech (a subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa Pharmaceuticals (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.) is its designated domestic agent/authorized representative. Ipsen has notified Hutchison China Meditech that it is voluntarily withdrawing Duvic in the United States, and Hutchison China Meditech has followed suit.

According to Ipsen’s report, the independent Data Monitoring Committee reviewing the latest data from the SYMPHONY-1 study recommended that, due to adverse events related to secondary hematologic malignancies, the potential risks of the treatment may outweigh the benefits for patients. Based on this data, Ipsen has decided to immediately withdraw Duvic, including for indications of follicular lymphoma (FL) and epithelioid sarcoma (ES).

Ipsen is currently working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to discuss the next steps for Duvic’s withdrawal and will provide all necessary information to complete this process.

The emergency recall of Duvic, authorized for import by Hutchison China Meditech, is a major innovative drug targeting follicular lymphoma and epithelioid sarcoma. It was officially launched in China in early 2025. With its globally pioneering drug positioning, it was once considered a core growth point for the company’s oncology pipeline and was included in the first edition of the National List of Innovative Drugs for Commercial Health Insurance in December 2025. Its commercialization prospects were highly regarded by the market.

According to available data, Hutchison China Meditech (formerly Hutchison China Medical Technology Limited) is one of China’s first innovative pharmaceutical R&D companies focused on the global market. Since its establishment, the company has been dedicated to bringing its self-discovered anti-tumor candidate drugs to patients worldwide. Its first three drugs are already on the Chinese market, with the first also approved in the United States.

Recently, Hutchison China Meditech released its full-year 2025 financial results, reporting total revenue of $549 million, a decrease of 12.96% year-over-year; net profit attributable to shareholders was $457 million, an increase of 1111.03%.

Notably, $415.8 million of this came from after-tax proceeds from the sale of a 45% stake in Shanghai Hutchison Pharmaceuticals. Excluding this non-recurring income, Hutchison China Meditech’s core business net profit was approximately $41.1 million, up about 9% from $37.7 million in 2024.