LJUBLJANA, Slovenia – June 6th 2025 – Slovenian pharmaceutical distributor Lenis farmacevtika announced today a strategic partnership with Evive Biotech, a subsidiary of Yifan Pharmaceutical, a global biopharmaceutical company devoted to developing a portfolio of novel biological therapies, for the distribution and commercialization of Ryzneuta (efbemalenograstim alfa) in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo. The agreement expands and enables regional patient access to the first EMA-approved non-pegylated long-acting granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). The treatment is aimed at reducing chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, a significant condition in many cancer patients.
Under the terms of this agreement, Lenis will commercialise and distribute Ryzneuta, which has been approved by the EMA in March 2024.
“Evive Biotech is committed to improving global patient access to innovative therapies,” said Dr. Grace Geng, Vice President at Yifan Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. “This partnership leverages Lenis’ proven expertise and strong regional network to effectively address unmet needs in oncology supportive care across the Adriatic region.
“Lenis sees Ryzneuta as an important addition to our specialty medicines portfolio,” said Dr. Vita Godec, Managing Director at Lenis farmacevtika. “Given the increasing incidence of neutropenia in our region, timely access to supportive therapies like this is crucial. We look forward to collaborating closely with Evive Biotech to serve healthcare providers and patients.”
About Ryzneuta
Ryzneuta is a recombinant fusion protein designed to stimulate neutrophil production, significantly reducing neutropenia duration and associated febrile episodes in chemotherapy-treated adults (excluding chronic myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes) [1].
Ryzneuta is distinct from existing therapies primarily because it is the first non-pegylated long-acting granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) approved in Europe. Current long-acting G-CSFs typically use pegylation to extend the drug’s half-life. While effective, pegylation can sometimes result in adverse immune reactions or reduced tolerability in certain patients [2].
Neutropenia affects 10–50% of patients undergoing chemotherapy for solid tumors and over 80% of those treated for hematologic malignancies, highlighting a critical unmet medical need in supportive oncology care [3].
About Evive Biotech
Evive Biotech, a subsidiary of Yifan Pharmaceutical, is a global biopharmaceutical company. Founded in 2004, they currently have operations in the US, EU, Singapore, and China. As one of the top biopharmaceutical companies to develop innovative therapies from China for the world, Evive adopts a holistic approach to drug development, combining exceptional preclinical and clinical research capabilities with world-class in-house manufacture and regulatory expertise as well as extensive global drug development experience.
About Lenis farmacevtika
Based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Lenis farmacevtika specializes in commercializing innovative pharmaceutical products across Central and Eastern Europe. The company partners closely with leading international pharmaceutical firms, providing strategic regulatory, marketing, pharmacovigilance and distribution support, emphasizing patient access and high-quality service. Visit https://www.lenis.si/ for more details.
Contacts
Lenis farmacevtika d.o.o.
Phone: +386 1 235 07 00
E-mail: info@lenis.si
Website: www.lenis.si
Evive Biotech
E-mail: media@evivebiotech.com
Website: www.evivebiotech.com
References
[1] European Medicines Agency. Ryzneuta (efbemalenograstim alfa): EPAR – human medicine. European Medicines Agency. Published January 26, 2024. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/ryzneuta
[2] Lee CS, Kulkarni Y, Pierre V, Maski M, Wanner C. Adverse Impacts of PEGylated Protein Therapeutics: A Targeted Literature Review. BioDrugs. 2024 Nov;38(6):795-819. doi: 10.1007/s40259-024-00684-z. Epub 2024 Oct 17. PMID: 39417964; PMCID: PMC11530478.
[3] Georges Q, Azoulay E, Mokart D, Soares M, Jeon K, Oeyen S, Rhee CK, Gruber P, Ostermann M, Hill QA, Depuydt P, Ferra C, Toffart AC, Schellongowski P, Müller A, Lemiale V, Tinquaut F, Bourmaud A, Darmon M. Influence of neutropenia on mortality of critically ill cancer patients: results of a meta-analysis on individual data. Crit Care. 2018 Dec 4;22(1):326. doi: 10.1186/s13054-018-2076-z. PMID: 30514339; PMCID: PMC6280476.
