Novartis Showcases 'Patient-Centric' Pavilion at CIIE: Expanding Medicines Access and Envisioning a Healthier Future

ShanghaiNovember 8, 2023PR Newswire -- As a "long-time friend" who has participated in the CIIE for six consecutive years, Novartis not only showcased several cutting-edge global innovative products and advanced therapies at this exhibition, but also specially set up a "Patient Focus" themed exhibition area. This area highlights how Novartis adheres to the concept of "patient-centeredness," collaborating with industry partners including healthcare institutions, doctors, and patient organizations. Focusing on key disease areas such as cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, oncology, and rare diseases, Novartis explores comprehensive management throughout the entire process of enhancing disease awareness, accelerating diagnosis, standardizing treatment, and long-term follow-up, helping patients achieve better health outcomes and jointly envisioning a healthier future.

This year's "Patient Focus" exhibition area particularly highlights the topic of access to innovative drugs. Achieving drug accessibility requires ensuring that patients can both obtain and afford safe and effective medications. If the continuous advancement in innovative drug development has allowed more patients to potentially overcome the past dilemma of having "no available treatment," then how to make these new drugs truly benefit patients and allow more people to enjoy health dividends is equally a concern for both healthcare professionals, patients, and the entire industry. In recent years, with the continuous implementation of the "Healthy China" strategy, a series of measures — including expedited drug review and approval, pilot programs in specific regions, medical insurance access, and centralized drug procurement — have been constantly improved to provide Chinese patients with more comprehensive medical security.

"Novartis has a profound 137-year history in China. We have always focused on patients' needs and adhered to the vision of 'providing innovative medicines and comprehensive solutions with care and commitment to help patients improve their health and live comfortably,'" said Zhang Ying, President of Novartis China. "We will continue to collaborate with all stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem, introduce innovative drugs, and enhance drug accessibility, enabling more Chinese patients to benefit from cutting-edge therapies."

Strengthen Science Popularization Education, Improve the Accessibility of Medical Information Resources

The first step in promoting access to innovative drugs is to make patients aware of and understand the value of these drugs, empowering them with the knowledge and ability to participate in treatment decisions and become effective "gatekeepers" of their own health. Therefore, Novartis has long been committed to enhancing patients' understanding of diseases and treatments through extensive science popularization efforts, while helping them learn about different treatment options so they are better equipped to engage in treatment decisions and manage their own health.

Taking cardiovascular diseases and breast cancer as examples, this year, Novartis held the "Vascular 'Rejuvenation'" 2023 Online Essay Competition on Vascular Health Education on World Hypertension Day. The event attracted widespread participation and attention from doctors, the public, and cardiovascular patients on major online platforms, contributing to health education in the cardiovascular field.

In the field of oncology, the "Smile Power" advanced breast cancer patient care program, since its launch earlier this year, has collaborated with over 200 hospitals across China. Through hundreds of patient education events, dozens of disease awareness live streams, and educational articles, the program has benefited more than 10,000 patients and their families.

Accelerate Access, Enhance Standardized Diagnosis and Treatment, and Promote Drug Availability

Targeting the high-incidence diseases in China, Novartis has taken multiple measures to actively promote the launch and use of innovative drugs in the country. Thanks to the favorable policies of China's pharmaceutical opening-up, Novartis’ innovative cholesterol-lowering drug Leqvio (Inclisiran)...^®(Inclisiran Sodium Injection) has been trialed in advance through the Hainan Boao Lecheng Pilot Zone and the "Hong Kong-Macao Drug and Device Connect" policy, benefiting more than three thousand patients ahead of time and accumulating substantial real-world data, providing support for the drug's approval and market launch in China. In August this year, just nine months after submitting the new drug application, Inclisiran Sodium Injection received approval from the National Medical Products Administration of China as an adjunct to diet for the treatment of adult patients with primary hypercholesterolemia (heterozygous familial and non-familial) or mixed dyslipidemia. This includes: combination therapy with statins or with statins and other lipid-lowering therapies in patients unable to reach LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) goals despite being on the maximum tolerated dose of statin therapy, as well as monotherapy or combination therapy with other lipid-lowering treatments in patients who are intolerant or contraindicated to statins. This isThe world's first and currently onlySmall interfering RNA (siRNA) drugs for lowering LDL-C have ushered in a new era of lipid management treatment. Within just two months of approval, the inclisiran sodium injection was successfully applied in clinical settings across hospitals in China, significantly benefiting a large number of cardiovascular patients.

At the same time, Novartis also pays close attention to the patient's diagnosis and treatment experience, promotes standardized diagnosis and treatment, and alleviates the pressure of difficult access to medical care for patients. To solve the problems of "hard to make an appointment, complicated procedures, and long waiting times" faced by patients with fundus diseases, Novartis has launched a one-stop intravitreal injection base. Through information technology, it reshapes multiple steps such as making appointments, examinations, and follow-up visits, greatly shortening and optimizing the service process. The waiting time for patients' injections has been reduced from two weeks to half a day, achieving completion of the intraocular injection process within 24 hours, which significantly improves the convenience and compliance of patient treatment. In addition, in the fields of heart failure, fundus diseases, and psoriasis, Novartis has also cooperated with many medical institutions in China to establish standardized diagnosis and treatment centers in various fields, continuously promoting standardized diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and providing patients with better treatment experiences and outcomes.

Advance Medical Insurance Coverage and Patient Care to Effectively Reduce Disease Burden

Another important aspect of drug accessibility is affordability. China's national medical insurance policy is a crucial way to ensure drug affordability. Novartis has been actively responding to national medical insurance negotiations and exploring diverse payment methods. Since 2017, more than 30 Novartis products have been included in the national medical insurance catalog.

The negotiation for medical insurance is a complex process, which requires a comprehensive evaluation of the advantages and value of drugs in multiple dimensions such as safety, efficacy, economy, innovation, and fairness. In this process, the real experiences and data of patients play an important role. Currently, multiple patient organizations have indirectly participated in the national drug value assessment work.

Novartis Builds Close Cooperative Relationships with Numerous Patient Organizations in China, Jointly Promoting Doctor-Patient Communication and Enhancing Drug Accessibility Through Patient Assistance and Patient Care Programs. In the Field of Immunology, for Example, Novartis Supported Relevant Institutions in Publishing the First Burden of Disease and Quality of Life Survey Report from the Perspective of Patients in China’s Psoriasis Field, Highlighting Treatment Status, Psychological Burden, Economic Burden, and Quality of Life, While Increasing Awareness and Accessibility of Biologics; On the Other Hand, by Supporting Patient Care Projects Such as "All the Way with You," It Reduces the Medication Burden on Patients, Allowing More Psoriasis Patients to Benefit from Biologics. Meanwhile, Novartis Also Pays Close Attention to Medication Issues for Grassroots Patients in Counties and Other Areas, Actively Responding to the Chinese Government's "Strengthening Grassroots" Healthcare Strategic Goals and Promoting the Penetration of Innovative Drugs into County-Level Markets.

Through the platform of the CIIE, Novartis will continue to fulfill its long-term commitment to focusing on patients, and work together with the Chinese government, medical institutions, patient organizations, and the whole society to adhere to a patient-centered approach, striving to improve patient health and achieve the goal of living a comfortable life.