National Team for Biopharmaceutical Innovation Launches: Shanghai Frontier Partners with Top Academic and Industrial Institutions to Build an Open Innovation Ecosystem

At this year’s Two Sessions, “innovative drugs” were included in the Government Work Report for the first time, drawing widespread attention. On July 5, the State Council released the Implementation Plan for Full-Chain Support of Innovative Drug Development, making the innovative development of biopharmaceuticals a key direction for cultivating new quality productive forces. On July 18, the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government issued and implemented the Several Opinions on Supporting the Full-Chain Innovative Development of the Biopharmaceutical Industry, introducing 37 policy measures across eight areas to comprehensively advance the full-chain innovative development of the biopharmaceutical sector. The biopharmaceutical industry is now entering a strategic period of developmental opportunity.

Shanghai, August 8, 2024—Bearing the nation’s high hopes for innovation in biopharmaceuticals and technological self-reliance, as well as market expectations,Shanghai Pharma, together with leading universities and top-tier research institutions, proudly launches the “Shanghai Frontier” brand under China’s national team for biopharmaceutical innovation, and sincerely declares: Shanghai Frontier, Bridging for Success.。This declaration not only embodies Shanghai Frontier’s vision of building a “wall-less R&D center” by breaking down traditional barriers to foster exchange and collaboration among experts, scholars, enterprises, and investors from diverse fields and backgrounds across industry, academia, research, healthcare, and capital; it also underscores Shanghai Frontier’s determination to spark new ideas and solutions through cross-disciplinary integration, accelerate the translation and industrialization of scientific achievements, and thereby drive the high-quality development of the biopharmaceutical industry.

Aerial View of Phase I of the Shanghai Frontier Project

Shanghai Frontier R&D Office Building

Shanghai Frontier R&D Office Building

Shanghai Qianyan is located in the core area of Zhangjiang Science City, a national-level biomedical industry base. It aggregates abundant resources to provide a dynamic, open collaboration platform for biomedical innovators in China and around the world. In the future, the park will offer comprehensive ecosystem support to resident enterprises, working together with global innovative companies and teams to drive innovation and development in the biomedical sector and improve human health.

Leng Weiqing, Chairman of Shanghai Industrial Holdings (SIH) Group, stated, “SIH Group and Shanghai Pharmaceuticals will leverage market-oriented mechanisms to build a world-class technology incubation and industrial service platform. By focusing on Shanghai Frontiers as a key pillar, we will aggregate resources such as national key laboratories, academician studios, professional intellectual property service agencies, ‘technology broker’ teams, and fund matrices. This approach aims to continuously strengthen the empowerment of critical elements and facilitate the commercialization of innovative achievements. Today’s brand launch of Shanghai Frontiers demonstrates our commitment to building an open, shared, and collaboratively innovative industrial ecosystem. We look forward to working with partners from all sectors to overcome challenges, create brilliance together, and write a new chapter in science, technology, and health.”

Shanghai Frontier Concept Video

Shanghai Qianyan, upholding the philosophy of leading, gathering momentum, accompanying, integrating, and co-creating, aggregates resources from all parties to build a “national team” for biopharmaceutical innovation, showcasing the forefront of China’s innovative power.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the need to build innovation consortia “led by leading enterprises, supported by universities and research institutes, and characterized by mutual collaboration among various innovation entities.” Shanghai Pharma stands as a prime example of this innovation model. As a large state-owned pharmaceutical industrial group that has been listed on the Fortune Global 500 and ranked among the top 50 global pharmaceutical companies for consecutive years, Shanghai Pharmaceuticals consistently serves national strategies, fully leverages its integrated advantages in industry, commerce, R&D, and investment, and actively assumes the role of “chain leader” in accelerating the development of Shanghai’s pioneering biomedical industry, striving to take on major responsibilities and make significant contributions.

The Shanghai Frontier Park, set to grandly open in September, has already attracted the settlement of multiple enterprises and institutions, including national-level key research institutes, Bayer Germany, Shanghai International Group, Shanghai Bio-Medicine Fund, and Xunyao Biotechnology. More collaborations are to be anticipated.

At Shanghai’s frontier, every scientific research achievement is meticulously nurtured, and every innovative idea receives full support.

Shanghai Frontier provides innovative enterprises with a comprehensive “Companion Growth Plan,” including:

○ Customized policy and resource support

○ A collaborative platform bringing together business leaders, scientists, clinical experts, and investors

○ Comprehensive guidance covering toxicology, pharmacology, regulatory affairs, finance, human resources, and marketing

Meanwhile, Shanghai Frontier also offers:

○ Full-lifecycle funding support, covering original discovery, early-stage research, process optimization, clinical development, and commercial expansion

○ High-quality scientific seminars, policy interpretations, project roadshows, and investor meet-and-greets

○ A full-chain collaboration network encompassing incubation, investment, mergers, and acquisitions

In terms of hardware, Shanghai Frontier provides resident enterprises with a convenient and efficient R&D environment, including:

○ Over 120,000 m² of sci-tech innovation space

○ Modular Laboratories and High-End Research Equipment

○ On-site Support by Professional Team

○ Lifestyle and commercial amenities to alleviate entrepreneurs’ concerns

Shanghai Frontier is dedicated to identifying and nurturing industry-changing pioneers, innovators in emerging sectors, and advanced unicorns in cutting-edge technologies. It focuses primarily on frontier biotechnologies such as gene and cell therapy, nucleic acid drugs, and conjugated drugs, aiming to address unmet clinical needs in major disease areas including autoimmune diseases, oncology, neurological disorders, and rare diseases. The company is committed to driving the introduction, incubation, and commercialization of innovative projects.

Currently, innovative enterprises can submit online tenancy applications via the “Shanghai Frontier Mini Program,” a mobile platform that integrates information dissemination, tenancy application, and park services, thereby enabling “one-click entry.” This platform serves as the sole official mobile channel for submitting tenancy applications. Additionally, the park is equipped with a Smart Management and Operations Platform (SMOP), dedicated to providing efficient and flexible digital management. You are welcome to submit your tenancy application online.

Yang Qiuhua, Chairman of Shanghai Pharmaceuticals, stated: “Amid the wave of a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, Shanghai Frontier is committed to building a service park for full-lifecycle technological innovation incubation and achievement commercialization, aiming to establish a world-class biomedical innovation industry cluster. Our goal is to create a platform that integrates basic scientific research with industrial translation, fostering a sustainable and vibrant life sciences innovation ecosystem. Shanghai Frontier is not just a brand, but a promise—representing innovation, excellence, and the pursuit of infinite future possibilities, embodying the spirit of ‘boundless integration and co-creation without limits.’”