"Healthy Shanghai" Meets CIIE: World-Class Epidemic Prevention Safeguards Cutting-Edge Medical Innovations

As the CIIE season commences, both emerging and established star companies in the global pharmaceutical industry are showcasing their flagship innovations, eager to compete on this platform!

At this year's CIIE, the Medical and Healthcare Exhibition Area, including the Public Health and Epidemic Prevention Zone, covers 70,000 square meters, where over 70 Fortune Global 500 companies are showcasing their most advanced technologies and state-of-the-art products.

Over the past three years, the CIIE effect of "transforming exhibits into commercial products" continues to amplify. Having reaped tangible benefits, numerous pharmaceutical companies are not only bringing a host of exhibits making their global and Asian debuts with full commitment, but some have even secured their exhibition spaces for the fifth CIIE in advance after participating for four consecutive years.

Innovative Pharmaceutical Breakthroughs: Experience China's "Acceleration"

At the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE), multinational pharmaceutical company Sanofi unveiled a new adolescent indication for its innovative drug Dupixent (dupilumab injection), bringing a novel treatment option for patients aged 12 to 17 with atopic dermatitis.

Dupixent is a "veteran" at the China International Import Expo (CIIE). In 2018, Dupixent made its debut at the inaugural CIIE. Benefiting from the expo's spillover effect, it subsequently embarked on a journey of "China speed": In June 2020, it was approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults, launching in China two years ahead of the original schedule; thereafter, it took only 25 days from regulatory approval to commercial supply, setting a new record for the market launch speed of biologics in China; just five months after its launch, it was included in the national medical insurance coverage. While experiencing the "CIIE acceleration," it has enabled Chinese patients with atopic dermatitis to access the world's latest treatment regimens at the fastest possible pace.

“Having participated in the CIIE for four consecutive years, we have been privileged to witness the Chinese government's strong support for healthcare innovation, along with its solid measures to accelerate the market launch of new drugs and enhance drug accessibility,” Xie Lijuan, General Manager of Sanofi Genzyme China, said with a smile. She noted that Dupixent is a classic “CIIE baby” that has reaped the “CIIE dividends.” Looking ahead, Sanofi will actively introduce innovative new drugs and expand their indications to meet the needs of more patients in China.

As a "long-standing friend" of the China International Import Expo (CIIE), Siemens Healthineers has also deeply felt the spillover effects of the expo. The "hit exhibit" showcased by Siemens Healthineers at the 2nd CIIE—5G remote ultrasound technology—is currently being applied in numerous primary-level hospitals in remote areas. At the 3rd CIIE, Siemens Healthineers debuted Corindus, the world's first interventional robotic system, which significantly accelerated market attention and recognition. In March this year, it underwent pilot application at the Hainan Boao Super Hospital, and in July this year, it successfully passed the special review application for innovative medical devices by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).

A Premium "Network", Delivering Unmissable Opportunities

Including this year, Roche Pharmaceuticals and Roche Diagnostics have partnered for the fourth time to showcase innovative solutions at the CIIE.

“The CIIE enables countries worldwide to share opportunities in China and has become a ‘golden ribbon’ connecting the globe for win-win cooperation and mutual benefit,” said Bian Xin, President of Roche Pharmaceuticals China. Benefiting from the robust spillover effect of the CIIE, multiple innovative products Roche has exhibited over the past three years have been accelerated into the Chinese market, fully unlocking the clinical value of these CIIE-exhibited products. In the first half of this year alone, riding the momentum of the CIIE, Roche secured approval in China for ten new drugs and new indications.

In Bian Xin's view, the CIIE provides an excellent platform to connect partners within the pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem and build a patient-centric ecosystem. During the CIIE, the “Roche China Accelerator,” with an investment of nearly 300 million RMB, made its debut. This is Roche's first globally self-established and operated accelerator, designed to identify outstanding local biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Through collaborative R&D with enterprises in China, it aims to accelerate the development of healthcare innovation in China.

Roche is not the only company that views the CIIE as a high-quality "circle of friends"; this year, the century-old German pharmaceutical company Bayer is also participating for the fourth consecutive year. Werner Baumann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer AG, stated:

“As an international platform for sharing, exchange, and cooperation, the CIIE presents an unmissable opportunity for multinational enterprises like Bayer. We hope to leverage the CIIE as a catalyst to strengthen innovation, deepen cooperation, and benefit more patients and consumers in China.”

This statement holds true. Leveraging the premium platform of the China International Import Expo (CIIE), Bayer continues to deepen its collaboration with local partners. For example, Dayixi, a probiotic product specifically formulated for Chinese consumers and showcased at this year’s CIIE, is a brand-new joint launch by Bayer, Jiangnan University, and Weikang Probiotics. It features a patented indigenous strain, rigorously selected from a library of tens of thousands of strains, that originates from the Chinese gut microbiome. The successful commercial launch of Dayixi builds upon the new local partnership network Bayer cultivated over the past three CIIEs, vividly illustrating the expo’s spillover effect in driving the progression from “forging partnerships” to “exhibit localization,” and ultimately to “market launch.”

“The ‘multiplicative’ communication effect and the ‘accelerating’ catalytic effect open up a new landscape for translational innovation.”

There are many more high-quality “partnerships” that have yielded medical innovations benefiting patients worldwide. At this CIIE, CIBINQO, a blockbuster breakthrough drug introduced by Pfizer for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, made its Asian debut and Chinese premiere. This once-daily oral small-molecule JAK1 inhibitor also unveiled its Chinese name at this year’s expo: “Xibike.” This carefully chosen Chinese drug name encapsulates its special “China connection.” As the first pharmaceutical company globally to pioneer JAK pathway research, Pfizer actively collaborated with Chinese clinical experts throughout the R&D process of the innovative drug “Xibike.” Overcoming numerous challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, China successfully participated in four global multicenter Phase III clinical trials.

“Chinese wisdom accelerates global clinical practice and scientific innovation, while China’s R&D capabilities benefit patients worldwide!” Pfizer representatives expressed their sincere praise.

As another company in the healthcare sector, Boston Scientific, participating in the CIIE for the third time, also showcased multiple products making their CIIE debut, pre-launch products, and Galien Award-winning products, which are widely regarded as the "Nobel Prize of the pharmaceutical industry." Zhang Jun, President of Boston Scientific Greater China, stated that the CIIE serves not only as a window for showcasing new technologies but also as a platform connecting multiple stakeholders and accelerating collaboration. Benefiting from the CIIE’s "amplifying" communication effect and "accelerating" promotional impact, Boston Scientific has achieved a "double harvest" in recent years: deepened local cooperation and the accelerated introduction of innovative products.

It is reported that upon its debut at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in 2019, Boston Scientific immediately forged a partnership with the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, promptly initiating a series of in-depth collaborations including "pilot trials" and "real-world data research" to help alleviate patient suffering and facilitate practical innovations in the regulatory review and approval process. In March this year, Boston Scientific signed an agreement with a local strategic partner to introduce the "hit product" from its inaugural CIIE exhibition—the TheraSphere for internal radiation therapy of liver cancer.

The transfer of Y-90 glass microsphere technology to a domestic enterprise marks the first step toward localized production of the "CIIE version."

Many pharmaceutical companies have openly stated that the CIIE platform has made them "insiders" in China's domestic medical innovation, enabling them to better take root in the local ecosystem and continuously forge a new paradigm for accelerating innovation translation and expanding domestic and international cooperation.

Author: Tang Wenjia

Editor: Fan Jing

*Exclusive to Wenhui. Please cite the source when reprinting.