China Innovative Drug NHWD-870 Receives Breakthrough Therapy Designation, Bringing New Hope of Survival to NUT Carcinoma Patients

09.05.2026

SHAOXING, China, May 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, the novel oral BET inhibitor NHWD-870 HCI, independently developed by Zhejiang Wenda Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd., officially received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for the proposed indication of advanced thoracic midline (NUT) carcinoma in patients who have failed prior chemotherapy. This milestone progress brings new targeted therapy hope to NUT carcinoma patients, a disease with extremely high malignancy and a very poor prognosis.

NUT carcinoma is a rare, poorly differentiated carcinoma characterized by NUTM1 gene rearrangement. The disease progresses rapidly, with a median survival of only approximately 6.5 months. It commonly occurs in the lungs, head, and neck regions, and the median age of onset is only 23.6 years. Due to the lack of specificity in clinical manifestations and insufficient awareness among the public, the rates of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis are extremely high, and most patients are already at an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. Currently, no effective targeted drug for NUT carcinoma has been approved globally, and the treatment landscape is extremely dire.

The granting of Breakthrough Therapy Designation to NHWD-870 HCI is primarily based on the significant efficacy and survival benefits demonstrated in its Phase II clinical study. As of December 27, 2025, a total of 40 evaluable subjects with advanced NUT carcinoma were enrolled in the study. The data showed that the drug exhibited positive anti-tumor activity across different lesion sites: the objective response rate (ORR) in 20 patients with advanced thoracic NUT carcinoma reached as high as 45.00%; the median overall survival (mOS) for advanced thoracic NUT carcinoma patients and for all subjects both reached 9.33 months, representing a significant extension compared with standard chemotherapy regimens. Currently, some patients are still receiving ongoing treatment and close follow-up. In addition, preliminary safety data showed that the drug was generally well tolerated and held high potential for clinical application.

This Breakthrough Therapy Designation is of great significance for NUT carcinoma patients and represents a leapfrog advance in the field. For patients, it means that the regulatory review process for NHWD-870 HCI will be accelerated and the drug will reach the market sooner, enabling patients with advanced NUT carcinoma to receive targeted therapy earlier and escape the dilemma of having no effective drug, thereby significantly prolonging survival and improving quality of life. On the clinical level, the development and designation of this drug fill the gap in targeted treatment for NUT carcinoma and provide clinicians with a completely new treatment option. This not only drives the transformation of NUT carcinoma treatment from "symptomatic treatment" to "precision targeted therapy" but also provides valuable clinical experience for the future development of similar drugs.

Mr. Nenghui Wang, Founder of Wenda Pharma, stated: "We are delighted that our product has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation. This progress highlights China's growing capabilities in innovative drug development for rare cancers. NHWD-870 not only brings hope to NUT carcinoma patients but also offers new avenues for exploring treatments for other rare malignancies."

Professor YIN Mingzhu, Director of the Midline (NUT) Carcinoma Specialty at the Affiliated Three Gorges Hospital of Chongqing University, noted, "NUT carcinoma once plunged countless patients and doctors into despair. The Breakthrough Therapy Designation for NHWD-870 is an important achievement integrating medical research and clinical practice. In the future, with the accelerated market entry of this drug, the treatment landscape of NUT carcinoma is expected to be completely transformed, injecting new momentum into the cause of rare disease diagnosis and treatment in our country."

About Wenda Pharma

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Shaoxing City, China. Wenda Pharma is a company dedicated to pioneering, innovative, and high-quality drug discovery. The company focuses its research in the areas of oncology, immunology, and neurodegenerative diseases, with multiple Chinese and global patent applications and grants in these fields. Several of the company's drug candidates are currently in Phase I, II, and III clinical trials.

The NHWD-870 program, targeting the rare NUT carcinoma, has successfully completed Phase II clinical trials and holds the potential to become a "First-in-Class" oral small-molecule BET inhibitor, offering patients the hope of extended survival. Additionally, the Company's WD-890 TYK2 (JH2) inhibitor—indicated for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis—has entered Phase III clinical trials, while Phase II trials for the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) indication are also set to commence shortly. WD-910, a therapeutic candidate targeting neurodegenerative diseases, is poised to enter Phase II clinical trials in China, which just completed phase I clinical trial in Australia, its 100% blood-brain barrier penetration capability positions it as a potential "Best-in-Class" drug candidate. Wenda Pharma boasts a rich and innovative pipeline targeting numerous refractory and incurable diseases, striving to provide patients with more effective, safe, and cost-effective innovative medicines.

www.wendapharma.com

For BD and Investors: BD@wendapharma.com 

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2975731/20260508174803_57_324.jpg

Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/china-innovative-drug-nhwd-870-receives-breakthrough-therapy-designation-bringing-new-hope-of-survival-to-nut-carcinoma-patients-302766935.html

Other news

Bayerns Grenzraum als Chancenregion: Regierung stellt Heimatstrategie 2033 vor

15.06.2026

Bayern stellt seine Heimatpolitik auf ein neues Fundament: Mit der weiterentwickelten „Heimatstrategie 2033“ will der Freistaat seine regionalen Strukturen stärken, gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt sichern und dabei vor allem den bayerisch-tschechischen Grenzraum stärker in den Blick nehmen. Finanz- und Heimatminister Albert Füracker (CSU) sieht darin eine Fortschreibung der 2014 gestarteten Heimatstrategie, die nun angesichts neuer Herausforderungen angepasst und ausgebaut werden soll. In Nürnberg präsentierte er dazu ein umfangreiches Maßnahmenpaket, das sowohl Kommunen als auch engagierte Bürgerinnen und Bürger gezielt einbinden soll.

Füracker verweist darauf, dass sich in der Grenzregion zu Tschechien bereits viel getan habe, aber weiterhin erhebliches Potenzial schlummere. Dieses wolle man „gemeinsam mit den Menschen“ besser nutzen. Bayerns Erfolgsmodell beruhe auf wirtschaftlicher Leistungsfähigkeit, Innovationskraft und starken Regionen, aber ebenso auf sozialem Zusammenhalt, gelebten Traditionen und einem starken Ehrenamt, so der Minister. Ziel sei es, das besondere Lebensgefühl im Freistaat – in Stadt und Land – langfristig zu sichern und zugleich die Widerstandskraft der Regionen zu erhöhen.

Einen Schwerpunkt der „Heimatstrategie 2033“ legt die Staatsregierung auf Personen, die sich vor Ort in besonderer Weise engagieren. Bereits im Juni ist das Forschungsvorhaben „Heimat-Kümmerer“ gemeinsam mit der Technischen Hochschule Nürnberg angelaufen. Es soll Schlüsselpersonen identifizieren, unterstützen und vernetzen, die ihre Heimat aktiv mitgestalten. Ergänzend ist für den Herbst 2026 eine Bürgerumfrage zum Thema „Werte“ vorgesehen sowie ein „Heimat-Newsletter“, über den Informationen gebündelt und der Austausch mit der Bevölkerung ausgebaut werden sollen.

Parallel dazu sollen die Kommunen finanziell und strukturell gestärkt werden, da sie nach Fürackers Worten der zentrale Ort des Lebens und Zusammenhalts sind. Die bisherige Bilanz der seit 2014 laufenden Strategie – darunter Behördenverlagerungen, Investitionen in den Breitbandausbau oder Initiativen wie ein Dialektpreis – wertet der Minister als Beleg dafür, dass Heimatpolitik konkrete Auswirkungen auf Infrastruktur und Identität haben kann. Mit der Fortschreibung bis 2033 will die Staatsregierung diese Linie fortsetzen, bewährte Maßnahmen weiterführen und neue Initiativen starten, um Bayern als attraktiven und zukunftsfähigen Lebensraum zu positionieren.