Dongguan HEC Biopharmaceuticals

Dongguan HEC Biopharmaceutical R&D Co., Ltd. (Dongguan HEC Biopharmaceutical) is a Chinese biotechnology company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sunshine Lake Pharma (part of the HEC Group). Established in 2019 and based in Dongguan, Guangdong, the company focuses on the research and development of innovative biologics, recombinant proteins, and small molecules. Its therapeutic areas of focus include metabolic disorders, oncology, and infectious diseases. The company's lead candidate is HEC88473 (APL-18881), a novel long-acting GLP-1/FGF21 dual receptor agonist currently in Phase 2 clinical trials for type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). In late 2024, Sunshine Lake Pharma licensed the global ex-China rights for HEC88473 to Apollo Therapeutics in a deal valued at up to $926 million.