06:54 AM EDT, 09/16/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) and Roche are among the firms in discussions with Shanghai Henlius Biotech to buy the rights to its HLX43 experimental cancer drug, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

If the deal goes through, the Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical unit could receive at least several hundred million dollars up front, with potentially more in milestone payments depending on the drug's performance, the unnamed sources told the news outlet.

HLX43 is in mid-stage testing in China, according to the report.

Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ), Roche, and Shanghai Henlius Biotech didn't immediately respond to MT Newswires' requests for comment.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)