AstraZeneca China R&D Day Focuses on Chronic and Rare Diseases, Aiming to Deliver 20 Breakthrough Medicines Globally by 2030

China Finance and Economics News, September 29 — The event "AstraZeneca China R&D Day – Reshaping the Trajectory of Patients' Lives," organized by AstraZeneca's Global R&D China Center for chronic and rare diseases, was recently held in Shanghai.

Nearly 50 top experts, scholars, and industry leaders from Chinese research institutes, clinical research centers, multinational corporations, local innovative enterprises, and overseas universities gathered on-site to jointly discuss how to accelerate the availability of cutting-edge pharmaceutical research outcomes for patients with chronic and rare diseases, and to drive innovative breakthroughs in global pharmaceutical R&D.

Dr. He Jing, Senior Vice President of AstraZeneca Global and Head of China Center for Global R&D, stated that this year’s R&D Day once again focuses on the chronic and rare disease fields. We hope that by engaging in in-depth discussions with all parties on the biological mechanisms of related diseases, basic science, the transformation of clinical research results, and the application of new technology platforms, we can help improve the quality of life for patients with chronic diseases and break the dilemma of "no available treatments" for patients with rare diseases. "The large base of Chinese patient populations, abundant clinical research resources, and the recent accumulation and breakthroughs in China's basic scientific research capabilities and innovation abilities have positively impacted the global pharmaceutical industry’s understanding of diseases and the advancement of pharmaceutical R&D in relevant fields. In the future, we will continue to enhance our R&D capabilities through AstraZeneca China R&D Day and multiple channels, promote external cooperation, continuously explore opportunities in China, and drive Chinese innovation onto the global stage."

The two-day R&D event focused on themes such as cell therapy, gene therapy, hypertension, nephropathy, infectious diseases, multi-omics research, bronchial diseases, autoimmune diseases, and patient care.

Sharon Barr, PhD, Executive Vice President of AstraZeneca and Head of Biopharmaceuticals R&D, along with Seng H. Cheng, PhD, Senior Vice President of AstraZeneca and Head of Rare Disease Research and Product Development, led nearly 20 relevant leaders from AstraZeneca's global R&D team in participating in this event.

"Participating in AstraZeneca China R&D Day on-site provided me with a valuable opportunity to engage in in-depth discussions with numerous experts on a wide range of topics, including chronic diseases, cutting-edge science, and emerging biology, as well as to explore collaboration opportunities," said Dr. Sharon Barr. As one of the five global strategic R&D centers, AstraZeneca Global R&D China Center is playing an increasingly important role in accelerating AstraZeneca's global clinical trials and strengthening connections with China's scientific and technological innovation community. "In 2023, we reached several global agreements with Chinese local innovative companies and acquired Gracell Biotechnologies, a leading cell therapy company in China. In the future, China will continue to play a key role in the global pharmaceuticals industry, bringing more breakthrough therapies and reshaping the life trajectories of patients worldwide."

Dr. Seng H. Cheng stated, "In our efforts to advance research on rare diseases, we have observed China's remarkable potential in emerging fields such as gene therapy and cell therapy, which could help transform the treatment landscape. The AstraZeneca China R&D Day serves as a platform to promote scientific exchange, allowing us to engage in in-depth discussions with scientists across China, explore new opportunities, and further advance our research to improve the lives of patients with rare diseases."

According to reports, AstraZeneca currently has 189 clinical development projects in its global R&D pipeline, including over 60 projects in the biopharmaceutical field and 19 projects in the rare disease field. In terms of innovative drug development, in May this year, AstraZeneca announced its ambitious vision for 2030, expecting to bring 20 groundbreaking innovative drugs to the global market by 2030, many of which will be blockbuster new drugs in the fields of chronic diseases and rare diseases.

In February this year, AstraZeneca's Global R&D China Center was upgraded to one of AstraZeneca's five global strategic R&D centers. This is the second upgrade since 2019. Since 2023, AstraZeneca has reached global cooperation agreements with nine Chinese innovative pharmaceutical companies, with disclosed agreement amounts exceeding $6.5 billion. These include collaborative research and co-development with Keran Pharmaceuticals in hypercholesterolemia and related metabolic diseases, development cooperation with Chengyi Bio in GLP-1 receptor agonist small molecule drugs, as well as the acquisition of cell therapy company Gracell Biotechnologies.