On December 3^rd,2022, AnnJi received  “The National Innovation Award” from the Institute for Biotechnology and Medicine Industry of Taiwan for its new drug development project, AJ201, a Phase 2 stage Nrf2 activator for the treatment of Kennedy’s disease. AnnJi is the only small molecule new drug company among the awardees. Dr. Wendy Huang, the Chair and CEO, accompanied by the AJ201 development team, accepted the award on behalf of AnnJi.

Kennedy’s disease is a rare, inherited, neuro-muscular disease that caused by androgen receptor mutation and primarily affects men. The illness causes muscle weakness and muscle wasting throughout the body, which often lead to difficulties in patients’ speech, swallowing, and mobility. As the disease progresses, patients and their family often become financially distressed, and endure significant setback in the quality of life. Currently, there is no effective treatment for Kennedy’s disease. This first-in-patients/Phase 2 study of AJ201 will take place in six clinical sites across the United States and patient recruitment is expected to begin in late December 2022.

AJ201 were recognized by the review committee for its pleiotropic pharmacological activities in degrading the mutant androgen receptor proteins, modulating multiple cytoprotective pathways to rescue cell from toxic stresses, as well as its excellent safety profile and PK features reported in the Phase I study. AJ201 has been granted with three Orphan Drug Designations (ODD) by the U.S. FDA for the indications of Kennedy’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA).

AJ201 is the first new drug to enter Phase 2 for the treatment of Kennedy’s disease in many years. AnnJi is strived to accelerate the development of AJ201 and actively seeking international partners for the development and commercialization of AJ201.