UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR
15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the
month of May 2026
Commission
File Number 001-15170
GSK plc
(Translation
of registrant's name into English)
79 New Oxford Street, London, WC1A 1DG
(Address
of principal executive office)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form
20-F . . . .X. . . . Form 40-F . . . . . . . .
Issued: 11 May 2026, London, UK
GSK enters exclusive collaboration with SBP Group, a market leader
in hepatology in China, to accelerate bepirovirsen at
launch
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Bepirovirsen
is a potential first-in-class treatment for chronic hepatitis B,
under priority regulatory review in China
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Chronic
hepatitis B affects 75 million people in China and is a national
health priority
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Collaboration
provides scaled access to over 5,000 medical centres in China at
launch
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Agreement
gives GSK the ability to review SBP Group's early-stage pipeline
for potential collaboration opportunities
GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) today announced that it has entered into an
exclusive strategic collaboration with Sino Biopharmaceutical, (SBP
Group), through its subsidiary Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical
Group Co., Ltd. (CTTQ), to accelerate bepirovirsen in mainland
China at launch. Bepirovirsen is a potential first-in-class
treatment for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) under priority regulatory
review in China. CTTQ
is a market leader in hepatitis B in China with one
of the country's most comprehensive liver disease
portfolios and
a broad commercial footprint covering more than 5,000 medical
centres across care settings. CTTQ has played a significant role in
advancing the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B in
China.
The collaboration combines GSK innovation with CTTQ's local scale
and in-market execution to reach more patients, more quickly. Under
the agreement, CTTQ will be responsible for importation,
distribution, hospital access, and promotional and non-promotional
activities for bepirovirsen in mainland China. GSK will remain the
marketing authorisation holder and retain responsibility for
regulatory, quality, pharmacovigilance and global medical strategy.
The agreement also grants GSK the ability to review certain
early-stage pipeline assets of the SBP Group to evaluate the
potential for collaboration opportunities outside
China.
Mike Crichton, President International, GSK,
said: "Chronic
hepatitis B affects 75 million people in China1 and
is a leading cause of liver cancer in the
country.2 By
combining GSK's innovation with CTTQ's extensive local scale and
execution, we want to reach more patients, deliver greater impact,
and directly address one of China's most pressing healthcare
priorities."
Chronic hepatitis B is a national health priority in
China. The
latest National Action Plan for the Prevention and Treatment of
Viral Hepatitis (2025-2030) has set out functional cure as a
treatment goal for Hepatitis B. Functional cure occurs when the
hepatitis B virus DNA and viral protein - hepatitis B surface
antigen (HBsAg) - are undetectable in the blood for at least 6
months after stopping all treatment. Functional cure is associated
with a meaningful reduction in the risk of long-term complications,
including liver cancer.3
Bepirovirsen was granted Breakthrough Therapy designation in China
in August 2021 and accepted for Priority Review in April 2026. The
regulatory submission is supported by positive results from the
B-Well 1 and B-Well 2 phase III trials, which demonstrated
statistically significant and clinically meaningful functional cure
rates.
Collaboration terms
Under the terms of the agreement, CTTQ will purchase bepirovirsen
from GSK under agreed supply terms for an initial term of 5.5
years. The term may be extended thereafter by mutual agreement. GSK
will book sales of bepirovirsen supplied to CTTQ through the
collaboration.
GSK also has the ability to review certain early-stage pipeline
assets of the SBP Group to evaluate potential collaboration
opportunities outside China.
About chronic hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that can cause both acute and
chronic liver disease. Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) occurs when the
immune system is unable to clear the virus, resulting in
long-lasting infection. CHB affects more than 250 million people
worldwide. Each year, the disease causes approximately 1.1 million
deaths.1 Many
patients often require lifelong antiviral therapy for viral
suppression; making functional cure a critical goal in disease
management.
CHB remains a significant public health challenge in China,
affecting an estimated 75 million people and causing approximately
450,000 deaths annually.1 84.4%
of patients with liver cancer in China are associated with CHB
infection.2 Functional
cures are associated with a significant reduction in the risk of
long-term liver complications, including liver
cancer.3
About bepirovirsen
Bepirovirsen is a triple action investigational antisense
oligonucleotide (ASO), designed to inhibit the replication of viral
DNA in the body, suppress the level of hepatitis B surface antigen
(HBsAg) in the blood, and stimulate the immune system to increase
the chances of a durable and sustained response.
GSK licensed bepirovirsen from Ionis and collaborated with them on
its development. Bepirovirsen has been recognised by global
regulatory authorities for its innovation and potential to address
significant unmet need in hepatitis B, with Priority Review, Fast
Track and Breakthrough Designations from the US FDA, Priority
Review and Breakthrough Therapy designation in China and SENKU
designation in Japan.
About SBP Group and CTTQ
Sino Biopharmaceutical Limited ("SBP Group", Stock
Code: 1177.HK) is a leading, innovative R&D-driven
pharmaceutical group in China, with fully integrated end-to-end
capabilities spanning drug R&D, intelligent manufacturing, and
commercial sales. The
company holds a strong leadership position across oncology, liver,
cardiometabolic, respiratory and autoimmune
diseases.
Through its subsidiary Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co.
Ltd. ("CTTQ"), the SBP Group is a recognised leader in hepatology
in China and has built one of the country's most comprehensive
liver disease portfolios, covering the full continuum of care. They
have advanced the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B in China
and made meaningful contributions to public awareness and disease
education, with substantial social impact.
About GSK
GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science,
technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. Find out
more at www.gsk.com.
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GSK enquiries
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Media:
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Tim Foley
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(Washington DC)
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Alison Hunt
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+1 540 742 3391
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(Washington DC)
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Investor Relations:
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Constantin Fest
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+44 (0) 7831 826525
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(London)
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James Dodwell
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+44 (0) 20 8047 2406
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(London)
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Mick Readey
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+44 (0) 7990 339653
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(London)
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Steph Mountifield
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+44 (0) 7796 707505
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(London)
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Sam Piper
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+44 (0) 7824 525779
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(London)
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Jeff McLaughlin
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+1 215 751 7002
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(Philadelphia)
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Frannie DeFranco
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+1 215 751 3126
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(Philadelphia)
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Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking
statements
GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or
projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement,
are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual
results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors
include, but are not limited to, those described in the "Risk
Factors" section in GSK's Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2025, and
GSK's Q1 Results for 2026.
Registered in England & Wales:
No.
3888792
Registered Office:
79
New Oxford Street
London
WC1A
1DG
1.
WHO
Global Hepatitis Report 2024. Available at
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240091672 (last
accessed March 2026)
2.
Lin J et al. Epidemiological
characteristics of primary liver cancer in mainland China from 2003
to 2020: A representative multicenter study. Front Oncol.
2022;12:906778. doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.906778 Available
at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9253580/ (last
accessed May 2026)
3.
EASL,
"Clinical Practice Guidelines on the management of hepatitis B
virus infection" in Journal of Hepatology Volume 83, Issue 2,
August 2025, Pages 502-583. Available at:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168827825001746
(last accessed March 2026)
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorised.
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GSK plc
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(Registrant)
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Date: May
11, 2026
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By:/s/ VICTORIA
WHYTE
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Victoria Whyte
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Authorised
Signatory for and on
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behalf
of GSK plc
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