OSAKA, Japan, December 23, 2025 -

大阪，日本，2025年12月23日 -

Shionogi & Co., Ltd.  (Head Office: Osaka, Japan; Chief Executive Officer: Isao Teshirogi, Ph.D.; hereafter 'Shionogi') announced the conclusion of a joint research & development agreement and investment agreement with Salubritas Therapeutics (Head Office: Massachusetts, USA; Chief Executive Officer: En Li, Ph.D.; hereafter 'Salubritas') aimed at demonstrating improvement in hearing function.

盐野义制药株式会社（总公司：日本大阪；首席执行官：手代木功博士；以下简称“盐野义”）宣布与Salubritas Therapeutics（总公司：美国马萨诸塞州；首席执行官：李恩博士；以下简称“Salubritas”）达成联合研发协议及投资协议，旨在证明听力功能的改善。

through sensory hair cell regeneration in the inner ear and creating innovative pharmaceuticals.

通过内耳感觉毛细胞再生和创造创新药物。

Under this agreement, the two companies will promote joint research & development aimed at prevention and treatment of hearing loss through hair cell regeneration. The regeneration of hair cell is considered one of the effective intervention methods for fundamentally treating sensorineural hearing loss.

根据该协议，两家公司将通过毛细胞再生促进预防和治疗听力损失的联合研发。毛细胞再生被认为是根本治疗感音神经性耳聋的有效干预方法之一。

However, there have been no successful clinical trials, and drug discovery is regarded as extremely difficult. To address this issue, we will collaborate with Salubritas, which has cutting-edge research knowledge and technological capabilities in hair cell regeneration, to create a therapeutic drug that regenerates hair cells and improves hearing function. .

然而，目前尚未有成功的临床试验，药物研发被认为极其困难。为了解决这一问题，我们将与在毛细胞再生领域拥有前沿研究知识和技术能力的Salubritas合作，开发一种能够再生毛细胞并改善听力功能的治疗药物。

Hearing loss is a serious health issue affecting an estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide. The number of patients continues to rise, and it is predicted that a quarter of the world's population will experience some form of hearing impairment by 2050.

听力损失是一个严重的健康问题，影响着全球约15亿人。患者人数持续增加，预计到2050年，世界四分之一的人口将经历某种程度的听力受损。

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Among these, damage and loss of hair cells correlates with the severity of hearing loss and is one of the main causes of moderate to severe hearing loss.

其中，毛细胞的损伤和丧失与听力损失的严重程度相关，是中度至重度听力损失的主要原因之一。

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However, at present, with no effective treatments other than hearing aids and cochlear implants, hair cell regeneration is expected to offer a new option for improving hearing loss.

然而，目前除了助听器和人工耳蜗外，没有其他有效的治疗方法，因此毛细胞再生有望为改善听力损失提供一种新的选择。

Shionogi has identified “Contributing to a Healthy and Prosperous Life” as a material focus. We are committed to creating a society where everyone can lead a longer, more vibrant life, realizing their goals. Shionogi continues to strive to deliver innovative treatments for diseases with high unmet medical needs, including hearing loss, to patients as quickly as possible..

盐野义制药将“为健康富裕的生活做贡献”确定为关键重点。我们致力于创建一个让每个人都能更长寿、更有活力地生活并实现自己目标的社会。盐野义制药将继续努力，尽快为患者提供针对包括听力损失在内的高未满足医疗需求疾病的创新疗法。

About Salubritas

关于Salubritas

Salubritas is a biotechnology company founded in 2021 to develop treatments for hearing loss through sensory hair cell regeneration. Dr. Zheng-Yi Chen, a co-founder of Salubritas and Associate Professor of Mass Eye and Ear (MEE) and Harvard Medical School, became the first in the world to successfully differentiate and induce hair cells from somatic cells in adult animals without the use of pluripotent stem cells.

Salubritas是一家成立于2021年的生物技术公司，致力于通过感觉毛细胞再生开发治疗听力损失的方法。Salubritas的联合创始人、麻省眼耳医院（MEE）和哈佛医学院的副教授郑毅·陈博士，成为世界上首位成功在成年动物体内将体细胞分化并诱导为毛细胞的人，且未使用多能干细胞。

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. The company is pioneering regenerative therapies with the goal of developing a treatment that regenerates functional hair cells to improve hearing function. It also maintains a network with Massachusetts Eye and Ear, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School in the United States and a global leader in otology and inner ear disease research, enabling close collaboration with some of the world's most distinguished scientists and physicians in the field of hearing loss treatment..

该公司正在开创再生疗法，旨在开发一种能再生功能性毛细胞以改善听力的治疗方法。它还与美国哈佛医学院的教学医院——麻省眼耳医院保持联系，这家医院是全球耳科学和内耳疾病研究的领导者，使公司能够与一些世界顶尖的听力损失治疗领域的科学家和医生紧密合作。

About Hearing Loss

关于听力损失

Hearing loss is a serious health issue affecting an estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide. The number of patients continues to rise, due to the growing and aging global population. Since the condition progresses slowly, it is often difficult to recognize and make the diagnosis rate low. Onset of hearing loss can interfere with various aspects of social life, such as communication with others and is known to be a risk factor for central nervous system disorders, including dementia..

听力损失是一个严重的健康问题，影响全球约15亿人。由于全球人口的增长和老龄化，患者数量持续增加。由于该疾病进展缓慢，通常难以察觉，导致诊断率较低。听力损失的发作会干扰社交生活的各个方面，例如与他人沟通，并且已知是中枢神经系统疾病（包括痴呆）的风险因素。

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Reference:

参考：

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WORLD REPORT ON HEARING, WHO, 2021.

世界听力报告，世界卫生组织，2021年。

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GBD 2019 Hearing Loss Collaborators. Lancet. 2021; 397: 996-1009.

GBD 2019听力损失合作者。《柳叶刀》。2021年；397卷：996-1009页。

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Wu, Pei-zhe, et al. Journal of Neuroscience. 2020; 40: 6357-6366.

吴培哲等。《神经科学杂志》。2020年；40卷：6357-6366页。

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Quan Yi-Zhou, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U.S.A. 2023; 120: e2215253120.

全奕周等。《美国国家科学院院刊》2023年；120卷：e2215253120。

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Livingston Gill, et al. Lancet. 2024; 404: 572-628.

利文斯顿·吉尔等。《柳叶刀》。2024；404：572-628。

Forward-Looking Statements

前瞻性声明

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on expectations in light of the information currently available, assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements. Risks and uncertainties include general domestic and international economic conditions such as general industry and market conditions, and changes of interest rate and currency exchange rate.

本公告包含前瞻性陈述。这些陈述是基于当前可获得的信息和预期，而这些假设受到风险和不确定性的制约，可能导致实际结果与这些陈述有重大差异。风险和不确定性包括一般国内和国际经济状况，如一般行业和市场状况，以及利率和汇率的变化。

These risks and uncertainties particularly apply with respect to product-related forward-looking statements. Product risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, completion and discontinuation of clinical trials; obtaining regulatory approvals; claims and concerns about product safety and efficacy; technological advances; adverse outcome of important litigation; domestic and foreign healthcare reforms and changes of laws and regulations.

这些风险和不确定性尤其适用于与产品相关的前瞻性声明。产品风险和不确定性包括但不限于：临床试验的完成和中止；获得监管批准；有关产品安全性和有效性的索赔和顾虑；技术进步；重要诉讼的不利结果；国内外医疗改革以及法律法规的变更。

Also for existing products, there are manufacturing and marketing risks, which include, but are not limited to, inability to build production capacity to meet demand, lack of availability of raw materials and entry of competitive products. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise..

对于现有产品，也存在生产和营销风险，包括但不限于无法建立满足需求的生产能力、原材料供应不足以及竞争产品的进入。公司否认有任何意图或义务更新或修改任何前瞻性声明，无论是否由于新信息、未来事件或其他原因。

For Further Information, Contact:

如需更多信息，请联系：

SHIONOGI Website Inquiry Form:

SHIONOGI网站咨询表：

https://www.shionogi.com/global/en/contact.html

https://www.shionogi.com/global/en/contact.html