BeiGene Launches Bio Island Innovation Center to Foster Original Innovation and Build a Biotech Ecosystem

The biotechnology industry has moved to center stage. As John Oyler, Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of BeOne Medicines, once stated, “China’s biotechnology industry has reached its most exciting moment, with new emerging forces arising every day that are driving the entire sector into an era of complete and thorough transformation.”

The biotechnology industry has become a primary driver of economic growth, following the information technology sector, and is emerging as a focal point in the new global wave of technological revolution and industrial competition., opportunities have emerged.

However, achieving rapid breakthroughs and innovative transformations in biotechnology is no easy feat; it requires the support of all stakeholders across industry, academia, research, healthcare, government, and investment, with talent, policy, and industrial synergy being indispensable elements.

Currently, China’s biotechnology industry is booming. Each year, a large number of biotech innovation projects, having completed the laboratory phase, urgently need to identify suitable locations for commercialization and scale-up, so as to rapidly access talent, markets, and resources, and integrate into the industrial value chain.

To address this need, BeOne Medicines initiated the establishment ofBio-Island Innovation Center Was Officially Unveiled on December 20, 2021, which will empower scientists and entrepreneurs to accelerate the achievement of highly differentiated, cutting-edge innovations. The unveiling ceremony attracted scientists and entrepreneurs from China, Japan, Belgium, Singapore, and Germany.

At the unveiling ceremony, the Bio-Island Innovation Center andFirst Batch of Settled EnterprisesRepresentativeZhongshan Kangsheng, Guangzhou Shixi Biotechnology, and Zhize Tongkang signed the agreement, and simultaneously withInvestment Incubation and Talent Introduction AgencyGuangzhou Emerging Industry Fund, Guangdong Zhongke Sci-Tech Innovation, Liding Capital, Talent Education Work Group, and Guangzhou International Bio Island signed an agreement withPlatform Partner InstitutionsInnoStar, Thermo Fisher, Chuangxin Technology, Chuangqi Research Institute, VCBeat, and China Unicom Guangzhou Branch signed agreements.

Subsequently, numerous partners will drive the rapid growth of resident enterprises from the perspectives of financing, brand building, commercialization, and talent development. By taking the lead in signing multiple agreements with investment incubation and talent introduction agencies, as well as collaborative platforms across various fields, the Bio-Island Innovation Center has established a comprehensive empowerment framework.

Globally, the booming development of the biotechnology industry is inseparable from the formation of industrial clusters with deep industrial synergy capabilities.

Multiple biotechnology clusters with global influence have already emerged overseas, including the Greater Boston area and the San Francisco Bay Area in California. Among them, the Greater Boston area is a model for global life sciences and biotechnology clusters, known as the “Life Sciences Corridor.” In the 2020 U.S. Life Sciences Cluster Rankings published by JLL, the Greater Boston area ranked first.

Shifting focus back to China, the robust rise of its biotechnology sector has naturally been bolstered by the strength of its biotech industrial clusters. Among these,The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area stands out prominently among China’s biotechnology industry clusters.

Supporting policies, talent, R&D innovation, investment, and medical resources are the core elements for developing the biotechnology industry, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is precisely focusing its efforts on these key areas. Dr. Liu Jian, CEO of Bio Island Innovation Center and Chairman of BeOne Medicines Ltd., stated: “The Greater Bay Area boasts a unique geographical advantage, abundant social resources, and a wealth of talent, coupled with strong government support for the local biopharmaceutical industry, making it one of the premier destinations for entrepreneurship.”

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has now become a thriving hub for China’s biotechnology industry, home to a cluster of leading universities, R&D institutions, emerging biotech companies, and scientific laboratories across the country. Major biotechnology enterprises such as BeOne Medicines, BGI, and Salubris have all established their presence in the region. This is one of the key reasons why the innovation center chose to locate itself on Guangzhou International Bio Island.

Continuous innovation and collaborative exchanges are the primary drivers fueling the ongoing expansion of biotechnology industry clusters.The establishment of the Bio-Island Innovation Center serves as a major catalyst for the rapid development of the biotechnology industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

BeOne Medicines has always firmly believed that early-stage research and scientific discovery can uncover vast opportunities for medical innovation. Therefore, it places particular emphasis on innovative ideas and top-tier talent, leading to the establishment of the Bio-Island Innovation Center.

The Bio-Island Innovation Center, established by BeOne Medicines, covers an area of approximately 40,000 square meters and focuses on the development of the biotechnology industry, including sectors such as pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and medical devices. Notably,Bio-Island Innovation Center is an incubator centered on scientists and entrepreneurs, dedicated to building a new ecosystem that empowers scientists and helps entrepreneurs accelerate innovation, capable of serving over 500 scientists and more than 30 startups simultaneously.

“Our true enemies are cancer and other major diseases. Many ambitious, visionary small companies struggle to break through the competitive landscape of the biotechnology industry, as they require substantial capital and operational resources. Dr. Liu Jian of BeOne Medicines is both a scientist and an entrepreneur who deeply understands the challenges faced by startups. A company must be driven by the combined forces of scientists and entrepreneurs. Many startups are prone to stumbling into pitfalls; with guidance from experienced mentors who share their success stories, these companies can exert a greater impact on innovation,” said Ou Leiqiang.

The Bio-Island Innovation Center aims to create a new generation of incubators,Encourage Source Innovation, will selectScientifically Innovative, meanwhileFeasiblepartners, helping scientists bring innovative ideas to fruition and enabling entrepreneurs to rapidly drive company growth by providing an excellent environment that accelerates R&D and business expansion.

It is reported that the Bio-Island Innovation Center willproviding state-of-the-art laboratory infrastructure and comprehensive research services, on-site scientific and business support, potential financing channels, and the integrated expertise accumulated by BeOne Medicines across the entire industry value chain,Co-building a biotechnology ecosystem to explore better solutions for precision diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

John Oyler stated, “In its early days, BeOne Medicines also took some detours. Now, we have the responsibility and obligation to help scientists and entrepreneurs overcome obstacles in R&D, resources, and operations on their entrepreneurial journeys, thereby making scientific innovation more efficient, enabling more outstanding companies to emerge, and developing products that are more innovative and accessible.”

Dr. Liu Jian stated, “The Bio-Island Innovation Center possessesRobust Technical and Business Coaching Capabilities, will provide comprehensive support to resident projects, delivering services that are more direct, comprehensive, and timely. We accompany scientists and entrepreneurs through the entire journey from preclinical development and clinical trials to regulatory approval and market launch.”

“For example, given the complexity of early-stage drug research, we provide scientific advisory services, leverage BeOne Medicines’ in-house large-molecule and small-molecule facilities to enable industrialization, tap into the company’s robust sales team to drive commercialization, and offer assistance with government affairs, allowing enterprises to simply ‘move in and start operations,’ thereby enabling resident projects”Focus on business, achieve rapid growth, and change the world through technological innovation,"Bringing hope of life to patients worldwide."

For BeOne Medicines, the selection of Guangzhou as the location for its innovation center also holds special significance.BeOne Medicines has established a world-class large-molecule biologic manufacturing facility on Guangzhou International Bio Island, with a total area exceeding 100,000 square meters, covering the entire production chain from small-scale production to pilot-scale and large-scale industrial manufacturing.

Drug research and development and manufacturing require heavy asset investment, often taking several years.BeOne Medicines’ large-scale production base is an invaluable resource for startups within the Bio-Island Innovation Center.

Furthermore, the Bio-Island Innovation Center can continuously inject vitality and strength into BeOne Medicines, supporting its innovation journey.

Science and innovation form the foundation for delivering value to patients. BeOne Medicines remains steadfastly patient-centric and science-driven. The Bio-Island Innovation Center enables BeOne Medicines to integrate external resources, attract top talent, continuously explore frontiers in innovation, drive the upgrading and transformation of the biotechnology industry, accelerate project R&D progress, and enhance efficiency.

Leveraging the leading advantages of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in the biotechnology industry, the Bio-Island Innovation Center is poised to provide significant impetus for the GBA’s economic development. Using the Bio-Island Innovation Center as a strategic hub, it will aggregate corporate, academic research, and capital resources; explore innovative pathways to create value for patients; and build an ecosystem that leads the transformation of the biotechnology sector.

Driven by positive factors such as the continuous increase in patient numbers, supportive policies, breakthroughs in science and technology, enhanced payment capacity, and heightened health awareness, the biotechnology sector has demonstrated robust vitality, with its market continuously expanding.

Data shows that the global biotechnology market size was USD 752.88 billion in 2020 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.83% from 2021 to 2028. Among these, healthcare-related applications dominate the biotechnology market, accounting for 48.64% of the share in 2020.

In the capital markets, global biotechnology companies have been particularly active. The report *Outlook: Biotech In 2021 & Beyond*, released in May 2021, shows that from 2018 to 2020, 40% of companies going public via SPAC IPOs were from the life sciences sector, and among these life sciences companies, 70% were biotechnology firms.

Image source: “Outlook: Biotech In 2021 & Beyond”

Dr. Liu Jian stated, “The biotechnology industry is gaining increasing momentum, but its pain points cannot be overlooked. Currently,”China’s biotechnology and biopharmaceutical industry remains fragmented, with various segments of the industrial chain failing to achieve synergies.This constitutes a significant waste of social resources and is detrimental to the rapid development of startups. Furthermore, currently in ChinaSource innovation capabilities need to be enhanced,The efficiency of translation needs to be further accelerated.。”

Industrial synergy has become the next developmental goal in the field of biotechnology. Only by enhancing the competitiveness of the industrial ecosystem and strengthening industrial synergy can the biotechnology sector achieve its next leap forward.

BeOne Medicines has recognized the current state of industry “fragmentation” and, leveraging the Bio-Island Innovation Center, has taken a significant step toward synergy in the biotechnology sector. Dr. Liu Jian revealed that, moving forward, the Bio-Island Innovation Center will continue to encourage source innovation, build a biotechnology ecosystem, and accelerate enterprise incubation and value growth. It aims to demonstrate to China and the world its powerful capability to empower development in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, and other fields, thereby driving industrial growth and boosting the local economy.