A New Paradigm for Future Medical Research Commercialization: Insights from the VB-Link Conference
Medical innovation is advancing toward the frontier.
In recent years, bolstered by supportive policies and capital investment, a growing number of scientists, professors, and entrepreneurs have joined the wave of translating medical research achievements into practical applications. The healthcare industry is gradually transitioning from a phase of follow-on innovation to one dominated by original innovation, with new opportunities continually emerging.
Against this backdrop, from June 28 to 29, 2023, VB100 and VCBeat, in collaboration with Zhongguancun Development Group and the Administrative Committee of Tianjin Binhai–Zhongguancun Science Park, successfully held the “1st Future Medical Technology Transfer and Cooperation Conference” (hereinafter referred to as the VB-Link Conference).
As part of the Tianjin Future Medical Innovation Week series and serving as its opening event, this conference aims to provide attendees with ample room for reflection and opportunities for collaboration, fostering cross-disciplinary exchange and cooperation to further advance medical innovation. To better showcase the full landscape of cutting-edge innovations in healthcare, the VB-Link Conference has devised a diverse range of activities, including the National Grand Finals of the Future Medical Specialty Innovation Solutions Challenge, the Future Medical Research Achievement Transformation and Cooperation Conference, the Young Scientists’ Translational Innovation Summit, the Third Forum on Management of Scientific and Technological Achievement Transformation in Health, and a closed-door meeting between government and enterprise representatives.
As the main forum of this conference, the Future Medical Research Achievements Transformation and Cooperation Conference gathered numerous industry leaders. They delivered comprehensive and in-depth insights from multiple perspectives, including policy, ecosystem, hospitals, universities, and enterprises, bringing new thinking and fresh perspectives on the industry’s frontiers to attendees, and earning widespread acclaim.
VB-Link Conference Panorama
This main forum brought together leading experts from government, industry, academia, research institutions, healthcare, and investment sectors. The discussions closely centered on the translation and collaboration of future medical research achievements, with in-depth exploration aimed at identifying optimal solutions for translating medical research outcomes into practice.
Specifically,The morning session attracted prominent figures including Rao Zihe, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Xiao Guishan, Foreign Academician of the Russian Academy of Engineering and Chief Scientist at康德生物 (Kangde Biology); Xu Fei, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Working Committee and Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee of Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA); Guan Jian, President-Elect of the Research Management Branch of the Chinese Medical Association; Chen Qiang, Director of the Office of Binhai-Zhongguancun Science Park under the Administrative Committee of TEDA; Zheng Yi, Regional General Manager of Beijing Zhongguancun Information Valley Asset Management Co., Ltd.; Liu Lijun, Assistant to the General Manager of China Technology Exchange; Tang Yu, Executive Director of the Office of the Drug Clinical Trial Research Center at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Liu Zhenyu, Managing Director for Greater China at IP Group and Managing Partner at Guangke Venture Capital; Yan Lingzhou, Director of the Strategic Development Department at the International Joint Research Institute for Biomedicine; Wang Jian from the Digitalization and Business Innovation Department of AstraZeneca China; and Li Datao, Founder of VCBeat.
The afternoon session featured a lineup of distinguished guests, including Ouyang Chenxi, Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and Founder of Wuhan Janssen Biologics; Gu Hanqing, Director of the Biomedical Engineering Laboratory at Tianjin Medical University; Gao Wen, Director of the Technology Transfer Office under the Department of Scientific and Technological Achievement Transformation at Capital Medical University; Si Weixue, R&D Center Director at CanSino Biologics; Meng Xiangbin, General Manager of PreLife Sciences; and Yu Yang, Vice President of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital.
InOn-site,Bi Yuanfeng, co-founder of VCBeat, served as the moderator. At the opening of the conference, Li Datao, founder of VCBeat, delivered a keynote address titled “Tiangong Kaiwu: Driving an Endless Future.” Li noted that since the promulgation of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Promoting the Transformation of Scientific and Technological Achievements, an increasing number of scientists and clinical experts have been engaging in discussions on the translation of scientific research into practical applications. Moreover, early-stage and small-scale investing has become a consensus among investment institutions. Against this backdrop, China’s healthcare industry has entered a new era. By focusing on achievement translation and innovation, researchers, young scholars, and entrepreneurs can create resonance, thereby generating greater possibilities within this ecosystem. In conclusion, he issued a call to action, urging researchers, young scholars, and entrepreneurs who are committed to achievement translation and innovation to join hands and unlock more opportunities in the field of translating scientific achievements into real-world applications.
Founder of VCBeat,Li Datao
Next, Lv Guoliang, Deputy Director of the Government Services Office of Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, provided attendees with a detailed introduction to the “Never-Ending Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Exhibition” currently being established in Binhai New Area, Tianjin. Mr. Lv noted that while innovation in pharmaceuticals and medical devices is flourishing, enterprises have found that the promotion of innovative products is constrained by relevant regulations such as the Advertising Law and the Drug Administration Law, resulting in a lack of standardized channels for communication and promotion. To address this issue, Binhai New Area aims to facilitate market circulation by establishing an Innovation Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Exhibition Center that operates year-round, thereby better meeting pharmaceutical companies’ needs for showcasing and exchanging innovative products.
Specifically, there are four key aspects. First, with the support of various municipal departments, the Economic-Technological Development Area will initiate the construction of the Tianjin International Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Exhibition Center. By collaborating with the Industry-Education Consortium, it will integrate resources from universities, research institutions, incubators, pharmaceutical companies, as well as practical training, testing, and production bases across the city. This initiative aims to strengthen talent system development, enhance integration capabilities, and provide closed-loop services for industrial resources, thereby leveraging the Exhibition Center to build a comprehensive ecosystem for the pharmaceutical industry.
Second, with the support of the Tianjin Municipal Medical Products Administration and the Customs authorities, and in collaboration with the Industry-Education Integration Consortium, we will launch international investment promotion for the Tianjin International Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Exhibition Center. Tenant recruitment will focus on innovative domestic products, products marketed abroad but not yet launched in China, and innovative products urgently needed for clinical use. The exhibition will be segmented into sectors including innovative pharmaceuticals, medical devices, traditional Chinese medicine, digital software, and health products.
Third, we will expedite the establishment of a partnership between the Economic and Technological Development Zone and the Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone. A dedicated Lecheng section will be set up at the exhibition center to showcase its unique policies, medical resources, and innovative products, while providing enterprises with access to Lecheng’s services and business matchmaking channels.
Fourth, we will build an integrated platform for the pharmaceutical industry under the strategic cooperation framework between Tianjin and Lecheng, establishing a bridgehead that connects overseas and mainland resources, thereby enabling the exhibition center to serve as a pivotal point for industrial interaction between the two regions.
Deputy Director of the Government Services Office, Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, Lv Guoliang
Subsequently, Dong Qing, Director of the Medical Device Supervision Division of the Tianjin Municipal Medical Products Administration, shared her insights. Ms. Dong noted that the biopharmaceutical industry is hailed as an evergreen sunrise industry and the crown jewel of high-tech sectors. As a national-level high-tech zone, the Binhai New Area is also a key hub for advanced manufacturing, technological innovation, and scientific advancement in Tianjin. It currently hosts three national key laboratories, four Haihe Laboratories, 76 national-level innovation platforms, and 575 provincial-level R&D institutions. The area has attracted prominent pharmaceutical companies such as CanSino Biologics, Clene Nanomedicine, Novo Nordisk, and WuXi AppTec, and has given rise to Aerospace Taixin, the nation’s first company specializing in magnetically levitated artificial heart technology featuring “rocket core” technology. In this regard, she stated that efforts will be further strengthened to provide enhanced services and support in terms of policies, infrastructure, and platforms, welcoming more enterprises and talents to join.
Director, Medical Device Supervision Division, Tianjin Municipal Drug AdministrationDong Qing
Academician Rao Zihe of the Chinese Academy of Sciences delivered a keynote speech titled “A Review of the Development of Tianjin’s Biopharmaceutical Industry.” He provided a detailed account of the origins and development of the Tianjin Institute of Biomedicine, and shared the latest advances on three fundamental questions in the fields of virology and pathogen research: “How viruses interact with host cells,” “How viruses undergo translocation and replication after entering host cells,” and “How newly replicated viruses are released from host cells.”
Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,Rao Zihe
Guan Jian, Designate Chair of the Scientific Research Management Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, delivered a keynote address titled “Innovation System for Medical Science and Technology Management in the Era of Internet Big Data.” She stated that scientific and technological management is intrinsically linked to science and technology itself. She emphasized that both researchers and research administrators should promote lawful, compliant, and well-managed scientific and technological innovation, ultimately applying its outcomes to improve disease treatment, diagnosis, and preventive care for the public.
President-Elect of the Scientific Research Management Branch, Chinese Medical AssociationGuan Jian
In her presentation titled “Clinical Value-Oriented New Drug Development,” Tang Yu, Executive Director of the Office of the Center for Drug Clinical Trials at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, used oncology as an example to summarize current challenges and needs. She stated that a clinical value-oriented mindset should be ingrained in all practitioners involved in new drug development, as well as in the broader biopharmaceutical and health industries, with the ultimate goal of advancing human health. In this process, it is essential to carefully assess clinical needs, explore the differentiated advantages of drugs and technologies, and always prioritize maximizing patient benefits.
Executive Director, Office of the Drug Clinical Trial Research Center, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical SciencesTang Yu
Wang Jian, Executive Director of the Digital and Commercial Innovation Department at AstraZeneca China, delivered a presentation titled “R&D Innovation + Ecosystem Building to Empower the Translation of Medical Research Achievements.” Wang stated that AstraZeneca is not merely a pharmaceutical company; rather, it places greater emphasis on making more beneficial attempts in collaboration with the healthcare and health ecosystem. For instance, in the area of translating research achievements, AstraZeneca has been operating a Translational Medicine Fund since 2022 to support Chinese clinicians in conducting basic medical research or translational medicine studies.
Executive Director, Digital & Commercial Innovation Department, AstraZeneca ChinaWang Jian
Liu Zhenyu, Managing Director of Greater China at IPGroup and Managing Partner of Guangke Venture Capital, delivered a presentation titled “Practices and Reflections on Technology Transfer from Top Overseas Universities.” Liu stated that patent licensing transactions are core to a company’s early-stage development, highlighting several key considerations. First, transactions must address the role of Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) and ensure fairness to the universities. Second, they must be fair to the professors. Third, they should strike a balance between investors and acquirers. Furthermore, during the commercialization process, it is essential to focus on effectively managing technology transfer.
Managing Director, Greater China, IP Group; Managing Partner, Guangke Venture CapitalLiu Zhenyu
Subsequently, moderated by Liu Lijun, Assistant to the General Manager of the China Technology Exchange, Ma Feifei, Director of the Science and Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Management Office at Tianjin Medical College, and Yan Lingzhou, Director of the Strategic Development Department at the International Joint Research Institute for Biomedicine, engaged in a dialogue on the theme “Past, Present, and Future: Innovation and Practice in the Translation of Scientific Achievements from Leading Universities.”
Expert Roundtable——Past, Present, and Future: Innovation and Practice in the Commercialization of Scientific Research Achievements at Universities
With this, the morning session has concluded.
How to Achieve High-Quality Innovation Is the Key Question in Scientific Research Translation; Industry Practitioners Have Provided Their Own Answers.
Ouyang Chenxi, a Foreign Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and founder of Wuhan Janssen Biologics, delivered a keynote address titled “Physicians Should Be the Main Drivers of Medical Innovation.” He argued that physicians should serve as a critical lever and source for medical innovation. Translational medicine requires applying clinical ideas to practice: developing initial prototypes and validating them in the laboratory, then facilitating their commercialization through enterprises, before ultimately returning to clinical application. While this concept is easy to articulate, it is extremely challenging to implement; however, physicians possess inherent advantages in this process. In China, it is inevitable that great physicians or scientists will ultimately build exceptionally successful enterprises.
Ouyang Chenxi, Foreign Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and Founder of Wuhan Janssen Biologics
In his presentation titled “Promoting High-Quality Hospital Development through the Translation of Scientific and Technological Achievements,” Dr. Yu Yang, Vice President of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, stated that advancing innovation in medical technology represents a new trend in the high-quality development of public hospitals nationwide. In promoting the translation of interdisciplinary research outcomes, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital has not only advanced its own development but also built a robust talent pool. Finally, Dr. Yu expressed the hope to strengthen cohesive collaboration and establish an innovation mechanism featuring shared responsibilities, thereby forging an innovative pathway encompassing identification of innovation needs, product development, clinical validation, and translation of achievements.
Vice President of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital,Yu Yang
Qi Fei, Executive Director at Legend Capital, shared his insights in a presentation titled “From 0 to 1 and from 1 to 100: New Perspectives on Early-Stage Investment Strategy.” He began with a brief review of the transformations in China’s pharmaceutical industry over the past decade, highlighting two major trends that are compelling the sector to pursue genuine innovation. Currently, China’s basic research has achieved globally competitive results in certain niche areas; however, there remains significant room for improvement in translational medicine. This gap presents both a challenge and a substantial opportunity. Finally, Qi Fei outlined Legend Capital’s philosophy and vision, expressing his hope to collaborate with like-minded partners to build ventures they are passionate about.
Executive Director at Legend Capital, Qi Fei
Gu Hanqing, Director of the Biomedical Engineering Laboratory at Tianjin Medical University, delivered a keynote report titled “Discussion and Research on Several Key Issues Promoting the Development of the Medical Device Industry.” He stated that to develop the medical device industry and effectively carry out CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) work, it is essential to integrate seven aspects—industry, academia, research, healthcare, management, finance, and ethics—into a cohesive strategy. This approach aims to scientifically advance the medical device industry in the Tianjin Binhai New Area Economic-Technological Development Area to a high level.
Gu Hanqing, Director of the Biomedical Engineering Research Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University
In the thematic presentation titled “Inhaled Vaccines: From Concept to Practice,” Si Weixue, Director of R&D at CanSino Biologics, provided a detailed introduction covering four aspects: the background of mucosal immune vaccines, inhaled COVID-19 vaccines, inhalation devices for vaccine administration, and continuous innovation in both delivery devices and inhaled vaccines. She also elaborated on CanSino Biologics’ corporate profile and mission.
Director of R&D Center, CanSino BiologicsSi Weixue
Meng Xiangbin, General Manager of Yuli Shengke, delivered a presentation titled “Patent Layout and Exploration of Translational Innovation in the Medical Field.” He noted that patent layout primarily addresses two key issues: first, the comprehensive protection of one’s own innovative achievements, and second, the mitigation of potential patent risks. Regarding recommendations to enhance translational efforts in hospitals, Meng Xiangbin stated that, first, solutions should be demand-oriented; second, patent translation should be viewed from the perspective of a holistic ecosystem centered on industry-academia-research collaboration; and third, effective patent layout should be implemented.
Meng Xiangbin, General Manager of Yuli Shengke
Subsequently, moderated by Liu Yu, Managing Partner at BGI Win-Win, Gao Wen, Director of the Technology Transfer Office under the Department of Scientific and Technological Achievement Transformation at Capital Medical University; Hong Xiaoming, Founder and Chairman of Haihe Biopharmaceutical Technology Group; Gan Chaoyang, Deputy Secretary-General of the Zhongguancun Technology Managers Association; and Wang Zhengbin, Managing Director of Proxima Venture Partners, engaged in a vibrant discussion centered on the theme “Pain Points, Needs, and Collaboration: Exploring Pathways for an Innovative Translation Ecosystem.”
Dialogue with the Times——Pain Points & Needs & Collaboration: Exploring Pathways for Transforming the Innovation Ecosystem
On the journey toward continuous original innovation in healthcare, difficulties and setbacks are inevitable. Fortunately, we have companions from various fields moving forward together.
As demonstrated at this conference, governments, universities, hospitals, investors, and enterprises alike remain committed to their original mission and embrace innovation, continuously striving to foster a more robust ecosystem for the translation of medical research achievements.
Beyond substantive presentations and panel discussions, industry leaders shared their insights openly and comprehensively, offering attendees the latest and most cutting-edge industry perspectives to better foster the development of the industry ecosystem.
Notably, the “VB-Link Competition Grand Finals Award Ceremony” was held during the main forum. As an early-stage innovation solution competition tailored for medical specialties, the VB-Link Competition spanned three months, focusing on four key specialties: neurology, oncology, cardiology, and ophthalmology. It attracted hundreds of solution submissions and toured four major cities: Beijing, Tianjin, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. Ultimately, 24 projects advanced to the grand finals, with each specialty awarding one first prize, two second prizes, and three third prizes.
Meanwhile, the “VB-Link Award” ceremony, part of the concurrent awards program of the VB-Link Conference, was also held on-site.The awards are divided into three major categories: Individuals, Projects, and Institutions. The selection process is open to universities, research translation centers/units affiliated with hospitals, third-party research translation service agencies, investment firms, technology transfer enterprises, and representative individuals in the field. Ultimately, seven specific awards will be presented: “Annual Outstanding Fund for Translation Innovation,” “Annual Outstanding Third-Party Institution for Translation Innovation,” “Annual Outstanding Project for Translation Innovation (Biopharmaceutical Group/Medical Device Group),” “Annual Outstanding Young Scientist in Translation,” “Annual Outstanding Figure in Translation Empowerment,” and “Annual Outstanding Investor in Translation.”
In addition, the “Signing Ceremony for the Tianjin International Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Exhibition Center” was held at the forum. The signing parties included the Administrative Committee of Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA), CSSC Haidun Company, the TEDA Biopharmaceutical Industry-Education Consortium, the Hainan Lecheng Development Research Institute, Meihua Pharmaceutical, Chongqing Pharmaceutical, and Lizikal. Close collaboration among all parties has continuously expanded the connotation of the ecosystem.
Photo of the On-Site Signing Ceremony
We believe that, with the concerted efforts of all parties involved, the translation of medical research achievements into practical applications will bring more surprises and unlock new possibilities in the future.