Johnson & Johnson China Honored with Two Prestigious Awards at Healthy China 2019 Forum

Beijing, January 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- At the recently held 12th Healthy China Forum (2019 Annual), Johnson & Johnson China was honored with two major awards at the Healthy China 2019 Annual Awards in recognition of its outstanding contributions to empowering healthcare through innovation. As the only industry leader selected, Song Weiqun, Chairman of Johnson & Johnson China, received the forum’s highest distinction, “Top 10 Figures of Healthy China (2019 Annual).” Since assuming the role of Chairman of Johnson & Johnson China, Mr. Song has led the company’s Presidential Committee in actively advancing its strategic innovation layout, accelerating the introduction of innovative products, enhancing local R&D and high-end manufacturing capabilities in China, and working closely with the government and industry stakeholders to focus on critical and urgent disease areas aligned with the “Healthy China” initiative, thereby becomingFirstAn international healthcare company positioning the China market as a global engine for innovation. Meanwhile, Asgar Rangoonwala, a member of the Executive Committee of Johnson & Johnson (China) and President of Xian Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd., was named one of the "Top 10 Figures in the Pharmaceutical Industry in 2019," marking his third consecutive year receiving this honor.

Guided by the People’s Daily and hosted by the People’s Daily Health Client and Health Times, the Healthy China Forum has been successfully held for eleven sessions. The advice and suggestions offered by experts and guests at previous forums have become an important force supporting and promoting the Healthy China initiative. As one of the key topics of the forum and a benchmark public welfare recommendation project that attracts annual industry attention, this year’s Healthy China Forum, in accordance with established practice, has set up selections for the “Top Ten Figures of Healthy China,” the “Top Ten Figures in the Pharmaceutical Industry,” and other special awards. These awards are based on indicators such as industry contributions, health promotion, personal achievements, and influence within the industry and among the general public, aiming to recognize and inspire industry leaders and enterprises that have made outstanding contributions to the construction of a Healthy China.

At the awards ceremony for the Top Ten Figures of “Healthy China” of the Year, Song Weiqun, Chairman of Johnson & Johnson China, expressed his honor at being named a 2019 “Healthy China” Figure of the Year. He stated, “As one of the earliest multinational healthcare companies to enter China, 2020 marks the 35th year of Johnson & Johnson’s commitment to ‘Healthy China.’ This recognition is a strong affirmation of the persistent efforts of more than 10,000 Johnson & Johnson employees in China, who have driven innovation to deliver high-quality medical products and services to the Chinese people. Standing at the starting point of a new decade, Johnson & Johnson looks forward to continuing close collaboration with the government, industry partners, and all sectors of society, working hand in hand to fully support China’s emergence as a globally influential powerhouse of innovation.”

An Sijia, President of Xian Janssen, stated, “Xian Janssen maintains a steadfast commitment to and confidence in China. We are firmly dedicated to leveraging innovation as the engine to support the realization of the ‘Healthy China 2030’ strategic plan. Over the past two years, we have launched or obtained approval for 23 innovative drugs or indications in China, covering therapeutic areas including psychiatry, hematology, solid tumors, immunology, infectious diseases, diabetes, and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Looking ahead, we will continue to introduce innovative medicines while collaborating with government authorities at all levels to enhance the accessibility of these innovations, enabling more patients to achieve better disease outcomes through innovative products and treatment solutions.”

Innovation: The Most Powerful Driver of Healthy China

The “Healthy China 2030” initiative states that health is a prerequisite for the all-around development of the people and a precondition for socioeconomic development. This aligns closely with Johnson & Johnson’s corporate vision of integrating care, science, and wisdom to bring about profound changes in the cause of human health. In October 2019, the Johnson & Johnson Global Executive Committee announced in Beijing that it would position the Chinese market as a global innovation engine, launching initiatives in three areas: supporting the upgrading of China’s high-end manufacturing, building an open ecosystem, and fostering the development of local innovative talent. These moves fully demonstrate Johnson & Johnson’s determination and confidence in its long-term commitment to the Chinese market.

In 2019, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, officially commenced operations at its new large-scale innovative supply chain and production base in Xi’an, with an investment of $397 million, setting a new benchmark for China’s pharmaceutical industry. Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson MedTech’s new Ethicon factory, built with an investment of $180 million, was officially completed in the Suzhou Industrial Park, marking the first introduction into China of advanced manufacturing technologies for minimally invasive and open surgical devices.

Digital technology is transforming the development of the healthcare industry in China and around the world. In China, Johnson & Johnson is actively building an open innovation ecosystem. By leveraging innovative initiatives such as big data, artificial intelligence, and precision medicine, and collaborating with partners across various sectors, the company supports China’s innovation-driven development strategy in the new era. In 2019, Johnson & Johnson established the China Lung Cancer Center in China and partnered with the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control to collaborate on public smoking cessation education, provision of smoking cessation solutions, and clinical research related to smoking cessation, further advancing the shift in health management from disease treatment to disease prevention. Meanwhile, in the medical devices sector, Johnson & Johnson has joined forces with Tinavi Medical Technologies, the leader in the Chinese orthopedic robotics market, to bring the only robot-assisted solution currently approved in China for spine and trauma surgeries to more orthopedic surgeons and patients in China and global markets. Additionally, together with Changmu Gu, a pioneer in orthopedic artificial intelligence in China, Johnson & Johnson jointly launched the China Joint Surgery AI-Assisted Surgical Development Project to enhance surgical precision and standardization, shorten surgeons’ learning curves, reduce patients’ operative time, and lower the incidence of surgical complications. In the pharmaceutical sector, Janssen, the pharmaceutical company of Johnson & Johnson, has entered into a global collaboration with Nanjing Legend Biotech to jointly explore CAR-T cell therapy, which holds promise as a breakthrough therapeutic solution. In the consumer health sector, Johnson & Johnson established the China Data Empowerment Center to develop big data-based customized innovation capabilities and effective research models, thereby researching, developing, and launching new products that meet the needs of Chinese consumers.

Furthermore, in supporting the government’s efforts to build a high-quality, innovation-driven economy, Johnson & Johnson actively connects diverse internal and external innovation stakeholders, promotes the introduction and translation of global innovation achievements, and helps enhance local innovation capabilities. In June 2019, Johnson & Johnson established JLABS@Shanghai, its largest global incubator and the first in the Asia-Pacific region, marking a significant step in supporting Shanghai’s development into a globally influential science and technology innovation hub and a world-leading biomedical research and development高地. In December of the same year, Johnson & Johnson launched the “Johnson & Johnson Boao Innovation Chain,” entering into comprehensive strategic cooperation with the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone. This initiative aims to create an innovative integrated platform in the pilot zone that combines the exhibition of medical research achievements, technology promotion, product application, academic exchange, and training of high-end talent, thereby actively facilitating the implementation of cutting-edge technologies and more clinically urgent innovative medical products in the healthcare field.

Currently, China’s economy has shifted from a phase of high-speed growth to one of high-quality development, with innovation increasingly emerging as a powerful driver of economic growth. Song Weiqun, Chairman of Johnson & Johnson China, stated, “The Chinese market has become a dual engine for business growth and innovation-driven development, playing an increasingly important role globally. Johnson & Johnson places great emphasis on the Chinese market and is committed to further deepening its development in China. By collaborating with partners across all sectors, we aim to help China become a global engine for innovative development.”

Johnson & Johnson: A Steadfast Supporter on the Path to "Healthy China"

In 1985, Dr. Paul Janssen came to China with the dream of bringing efficient and innovative medicines to Chinese patients, facilitating the establishment of Xian Janssen. Through its pharmaceutical business, Johnson & Johnson embarked on its journey of innovation in China. Over the past 35 years, Johnson & Johnson has been committed to meeting the growing healthcare needs by providing high-quality innovative products, delivering health to Chinese patients and consumers, and serving as a steadfast supporter of the "Healthy China" initiative.

In the medical device sector, Johnson & Johnson focuses on major and urgent diseases aligned with the Healthy China initiative, actively expanding healthcare accessibility and reach through innovative products and procedures. These efforts target conditions such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (the leading cause of death in China), cancer, age-related diseases, and eye health disorders. Furthermore, Johnson & Johnson is deeply committed to enhancing the professional capabilities of Chinese healthcare providers, training over 200,000 medical professionals annually through its world-leading professional education platforms.

In the pharmaceutical sector, addressing China’s complex and urgent healthcare needs, Johnson & Johnson has introduced a series of revolutionary innovative solutions to the Chinese pharmaceutical market through drug research and development. Over the past 24 months, Xian Janssen, Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical subsidiary in China, has had 23 innovative products and indications approved or launched in the country, covering therapeutic areas including psychiatry, hematology, solid tumors, immunology, infectious diseases, diabetes, and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

In the consumer goods sector, Johnson & Johnson is committed to meeting the evolving demands of the local market by leveraging its portfolio of trusted and household-name brands across three key categories: health wellness, healthy skincare, and essential care. By harnessing compassionate technology to enhance health and beauty, introducing a series of consumer brands, and continuously innovating classic products, the company utilizes big data insights to identify market opportunities and understand consumer preferences. This enables rapid and precise development of new products, further driving the digital transformation of product research, development, and launch processes. These efforts allow Johnson & Johnson to serve Chinese consumers more quickly and effectively, while promoting efficient operations across the entire product value chain.

Over the past year, Johnson & Johnson’s medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and consumer health businesses once again achieved double-digit high-speed growth in the Chinese market. Looking ahead, Song Weiqun, Chairman of Johnson & Johnson China, stated, “In the face of new opportunities in this new era, Johnson & Johnson will comprehensively strategize its development plan in China to better adapt to the evolving market landscape. By increasing investment and R&D spending in China, we aim to support the construction of a local innovation ecosystem and bring more Chinese innovations, experiences, and models to global markets. In the future, Johnson & Johnson will continue to build a patient-centered, innovation-supportive healthcare system, working with industry partners to contribute to the realization of the ‘Healthy China’ initiative and continuously enhance the health and well-being of Chinese patients and consumers.”