Ascentage Pharma Group International (NASDAQ: AAPG, HKEX: 6855) announced on July 26, 2026, that its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Dajun Yang, has been named to The Medicine Maker Power List 2026. Dr. Yang ranks No. 3 among the Top 10 in the Small Molecules category, a distinction that underscores the company’s growing influence in global oncology drug development. This recognition arrives as Ascentage Pharma advances multiple global registrational Phase III clinical studies, four of which have been cleared by both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The award reflects the industry’s acknowledgment of Dr. Yang’s three-decade commitment to addressing significant unmet medical needs through innovative small molecule therapies.

The Medicine Maker Power List is published annually by The Medicine Maker, a leading international publication serving the global pharmaceutical industry. The list recognizes global leaders across small molecules, biopharma, and advanced therapies who are nominated by industry peers worldwide and selected by a panel of expert judges. The 2026 edition honors 60 distinguished leaders from across the global pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Yang’s inclusion highlights his role in advancing drug discovery, manufacturing innovation, and patient access to innovative medicines, particularly in the realm of apoptosis pathways and targeted protein degradation.

Leadership and Pipeline Progress

Under Dr. Yang’s leadership, Ascentage Pharma has successfully commercialized two innovative therapies: olverembatinib and lisaftoclax. Olverembatinib is the first novel third-generation BCR-ABL1 inhibitor approved in China for the treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) featuring T315I mutations. It is covered by the China National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). Lisaftoclax, approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in July 2025, is a novel Bcl-2 inhibitor for the treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) who have previously received at least one systemic therapy including Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors. It is only the second Bcl-2 inhibitor approved anywhere in the world since venetoclax in 2016.

The company is currently conducting several global registrational Phase III trials:

Notably, lisaftoclax is currently the only Bcl-2 inhibitor being evaluated in a global registrational Phase III study for patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), with the potential to address a longstanding unmet clinical need in this setting. Olverembatinib and lisaftoclax are currently under investigation and have not yet been approved by the US FDA.

Strategic Milestones and Partnerships

Ascentage Pharma has achieved significant strategic milestones under Dr. Yang’s tenure. The company completed one of the largest business development transactions involving an innovative small molecule company in China. Following its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in October 2019 and its Nasdaq listing in January 2025, Ascentage Pharma became the first biopharmaceutical company to achieve dual primary listings by listing first in Hong Kong and subsequently in the United States. The company has built a portfolio of global intellectual property rights and entered into global partnerships with leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, including Takeda, AstraZeneca, Merck, Pfizer, and Innovent. It also maintains research and development relationships with leading institutions such as Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic, National Cancer Institute, and the University of Michigan.

What the Numbers Show

The concentration of regulatory clearances from both the FDA and EMA for four distinct Phase III studies signals a robust global development strategy rather than a China-centric approach. This dual-regulatory validation reduces execution risk for international commercialization. Furthermore, the approval of lisaftoclax as only the second Bcl-2 inhibitor globally since 2016 highlights Ascentage Pharma’s ability to compete in highly specialized therapeutic areas with limited competitive alternatives, potentially securing significant market share in hematologic malignancies upon global approval.

Dr. Dajun Yang stated: "I am honored to be included in The Medicine Maker Power List 2026. This recognition is not only a personal honor, but also a recognition of the Ascentage Pharma team’s longstanding dedication to global innovation in small molecule drug discovery. Developing innovative medicines is a long-term endeavor. We will continue to address unmet medical needs worldwide by advancing our apoptosis-targeted innovation pipeline, accelerating our global development efforts, and bringing more innovative medicines to patients around the world."

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties discussed in Ascentage Pharma’s filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2025, filed on April 29, 2026.

Ascentage Pharma Group International presented 17 clinical updates from its core assets at the 31st Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA2026), held in Stockholm from June 11 to 14, 2026. The presentations included eight poster presentations and featured data from ongoing clinical studies of olverembatinib (HQP1351) and lisaftoclax (APG-2575). These updates highlight the company's global innovation capabilities in hematologic malignancies, including chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL).

Olverembatinib Demonstrates Efficacy in CML and Ph+ ALL

Olverembatinib, the first third-generation BCR-ABL1 inhibitor approved in China, showed deep and durable responses in patients with chronic-phase CML (CML-CP) without the T315I mutation. In a Phase II study evaluating olverembatinib as a second-line treatment, the complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) rate was 76.2% and the major molecular response (MMR) rate was 47.6% among 42 evaluable patients. Responses deepened over time with longer treatment duration, and the drug exhibited manageable tolerability with no treatment-related deaths.

In a prospective, multicenter, controlled trial, patients switching to olverembatinib achieved significantly higher MMR rates compared to those continuing original TKI therapy. At 12 months, the cumulative incidence of MMR was 57.14% in the olverembatinib group versus 21.43% in the control group (P<0.0001). Common grade 3/4 hematologic treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) included thrombocytopenia (42.86%) and anemia (17.14%).

Key Study Results for Olverembatinib

In Ph+ ALL, olverembatinib demonstrated robust clinical response in the first-line global registrational Phase III study (POLARIS-1). By the end of induction, the CR/CRi rate reached 94.4% and the MRD-negative CR rate reached 63.0%. MRD-negativity rates increased to 93.1% by the end of cycle 9. The regimen showed a manageable safety profile, with no meaningful differences observed between the 30 and 40mg dose groups.

Lisaftoclax Shows Promise in Hematologic Malignancies

Updated data from the registrational Phase II study of lisaftoclax in chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) provided insights into individualized dosing regimens. Among 72 evaluable patients with R/R CLL/SLL refractory to BTKis, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 23.9 months and the Independent Review Committee (IRC)-assessed overall response rate (ORR) was 62.5%. Mutations in TP53, complex karyotype, and other genetic markers were associated with shorter PFS.

Real-world data on lisaftoclax in myeloid neoplasms also demonstrated promising efficacy. In a study of 30 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), the CR/CRi rate for AML patients reached 72%, with the highest response observed in the ELN low-risk subgroup (87%). Grade≥3 TEAEs were primarily hematologic, including thrombocytopenia (27%), anemia (23%), and neutropenia (20%).

Key Study Results for Lisaftoclax

Yifan Zhai, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Ascentage Pharma, stated that the clinical updates further validate the therapeutic value of olverembatinib and lisaftoclax in the global hematologic malignancy field. The company plans to accelerate global clinical development and explore innovative combination treatment strategies. Olverembatinib and lisaftoclax are currently under investigation and have not yet been approved by the US FDA.