Fifth Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Biopharmaceutical Forum Concludes with Focus on CGT and Ophthalmology Innovation

Currently, a profound transformation centered on innovative technologies in biomedicine is rapidly approaching.

First, in terms of industry scale.According to the "2021 '14th Five-Year Plan' China Biopharmaceutical Industry Market Prospects and Investment Research Report" released by the Zhongshang Industrial Research Institute, with the implementation of the "dual circulation" strategy and the "14th Five-Year Plan" in 2020,In 2025, the market size of biological drugs in China is expected to exceed 800 billion yuan.

On the other hand, there is the high level of attention in the capital markets.According to statistics from the VCBeat database,In the first half of 2021, there were a total of 228 investment and financing events in China's biomedical sector, with the total financing amount reaching as high as RMB 47.1 billion., ranking first in the healthcare sub-sector, which is more than double that of the medical device sector ranked second.

Amidst this unprecedented wave, countless innovative ideas in the biomedical field are emerging. From October 22 to 24, hosted by Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Life Science Park · BioVillage, and co-organized by Deliver Life Science, Shifang Pharmaceutical, and Maoxing Technology, among others,“2021 5th Biopharmaceutical (Ningbo) Hangzhou Bay Forum”Grandly Convened in the Hangzhou Bay New Zone of Ningbo.

Reportedly, the forum brought together more than 500 leaders from innovative pharmaceutical companies, clinical experts dedicated to novel therapies, and investors focused on innovative projects. It placed a strong emphasis on two specialized fields—advanced cell and gene therapies and innovative ophthalmic therapies—and conducted comprehensive discussions on clinical technical challenges, the current state of industry development, future trends, and industrial policies.

It is reported that this year’s forum has innovatively established three series of sub-forums, namely:“Inaugural Ophthalmology Innovation Forum,” “Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Innovation Forum,” and the “Inaugural New Drug Entrepreneurship in the Bay Area” project roadshow.

The event kicked off with project pitch presentations. The call for projects garnered enthusiastic response from the industry, particularly driven by the strong momentum behind the development of the Shanghai-Ningbo Talent Cooperation Pilot Zone, which spurred exceptionally active registration of talent-led projects from Shanghai.

After rigorous screening, a total of more than ten innovative biopharmaceutical companies attended the event and conducted roadshows, includingUtopia Biopharma, Monroe Biologics, Carti Medical, Laien Biotechand other outstanding projects. Furthermore, as a critical component of industrial development,Legend Star, Kangjun Capital, Tuojin Capital, Panlin Capital, Haibang Venture CapitalThe distinguished panel of twelve judges comprises experienced investors from multiple venture capital firms, industry experts including executives from Pharmaron, and heads of the New Area’s talent and science and technology departments, aiming to identify the most promising innovative projects through the most professional and comprehensive evaluation.

Finally,Utopia Life, Laien Biotech, Kati MedicineThree startups were honored with the inaugural “Leading Enterprise Award” for their exceptional team composition and outstanding project achievements since inception. The remaining projects received various accolades, including the “Most Promising Growth Award,” “Most Innovative Award,” and “Startup Excellence Award,” in recognition of their respective merits. These award-winning initiatives are poised for rapid implementation in the near future, becoming key drivers of industrial development.

Another major highlight of the forum focused on“Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Innovation Forum”, Department of Biotherapy, Chinese PLA General HospitalDirector Zhang Yajing, Founder of ASC TherapeuticsDr. Jiang RuhongFounder of Yake BiotechDr. Hongsheng ZhangHuaiyue BiotechDr. Dai Chaohui, Founder of Base OncologyDr. Xu TianhongIndustry leaders delivered insightful presentations across various niche areas of industrial development, engaging in comprehensive discussions on the current landscape, future trends, and policy frameworks for developing novel immunocellular therapies for solid tumors, thereby sparking numerous intellectual exchanges.

Concurrently with the “Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Innovation Forum,” there are also“The First Ophthalmology Innovation Forum”President of the Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital Affiliated to Fudan UniversityProf. Xingtao ZhouServed as Conference Chair and delivered the keynote address. Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan UniversityProf. Xinghuai SunThe Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityPresident Qu Jia, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen UniversityPresident Yuan JinZhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen UniversityProf. Wei Lai、Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan UniversityProf. Jiaxu HongTop-tier experts, whether participating online or in person, delivered keynote presentations on topics such as ophthalmic surgery and pharmacotherapy, advanced equipment-based ophthalmic treatments, and ophthalmic therapies integrating cell and gene therapy.

It is reported that the “1st Ophthalmology Innovation Forum” attracted nearly 3,000 industry professionals to follow and participate via live online streaming, demonstrating its high level of attention within the current industry.

The Biopharmaceutical (Ningbo) Hangzhou Bay Forum, established in 2016, has successfully held five sessions to date and has become one of the most influential forums in the Hangzhou Bay region. The forum brings together scientists and industry experts from home and abroad, innovation teams from biopharmaceutical companies, and professionals from domestic and international venture capital and investment institutions. It focuses on cutting-edge developments in the biopharmaceutical industry, captures global industrial trends, and supports corporate growth as well as investment promotion for the biopharmaceutical sector in the Ningbo Hangzhou Bay New Zone.

Forum Organizer — General Manager of Hangzhou Bay Life Science Park, Founding Partner of Hongfeng InvestmentLou Guoqiangtold VCBeat, “The regular holding of the Hangzhou Bay Forum is essentially aimed at fostering a favorable atmosphere for innovation and entrepreneurship in Ningbo,”On one hand, online and offline exchanges help more industry professionals learn about innovative projects in Hangzhou Bay, thereby advancing project development to a certain extent; on the other hand, they broaden the industrial perspective of local entrepreneurs by inviting industry leaders to share cutting-edge insights, enabling local innovators to better understand industry trends and thus inject greater innovative vitality into the local biopharmaceutical industry.。

Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Life Science and Technology Park commenced construction in 2019. Covering an area of 98 mu, the park saw the completion of its Phase I project, totaling approximately 35,000 square meters, in December 2020. This phase includes a 20,000-square-meter incubation building and 15,000 square meters of standalone enterprise facilities (accelerators). The Phase II project, with a planned area of 45,000 square meters, has currently entered the preliminary preparation stage for construction.

Leveraging its years of in-depth industry experience, profound understanding of the sector, and comprehensive resource advantages, the Science and Technology Park has established a specialized biomedical venture capital fund. The fund has invested approximately RMB 100 million in park-based enterprises, thereby catalyzing over RMB 1 billion in social capital investment for these companies.

It is reported that the enterprises settled in Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Life Science Park are mainlyVIC Model (VC + IP + CRO)Launch operations, a model for developing new drugs that integrates venture capital, intellectual property, and contract-based R&D service institutions.Lou GuoqiangHe told VCBeat, “The industrial park offers venture capital support, entrepreneurs bring intellectual property, and the new district is home to Pharmaron, a leading domestic CRO. This helps startups avoid the high costs of building teams and purchasing instruments and equipment, making new drug development faster, more accurate, and more cost-effective.”

In addition, Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Life Science Park has established a comprehensive support service system, providing resident enterprises with efficient, professional, and precise park services to alleviate their concerns and enable them to devote themselves fully to research and development.

Looking ahead, Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Life Science Park, as an emerging industrial force in China, will continue to unlock greater potential. According to Lou Guoqiang, the science park will, in the future,Deeply focus on a specific niche area for targeted effortsOphthalmology and cell and gene therapy, as highlighted in this forum, will be key areas in future industrial planning. Furthermore, to drive these specialized sectors toward higher quality, greater sophistication, and advanced standards, the Science Park will undertake comprehensive and systematic development centered around the industrial chain. It will place particular emphasis on building and delivering capabilities in core areas such as financial support, innovation incubation, and industrial collaboration, with the aim of establishing the Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Life Science Park as a new landmark for China’s biopharmaceutical industry.

The conclusion of this forum is not an end, but rather signifies a brand-new beginning. On this path filled with imagination and infinite challenges, the Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Life Science Park has positioned itself at the forefront of the industry. It sincerely invites more “like-minded partners” to join forces in exploring the vast and promising frontier of the innovative biopharmaceutical sector, pooling wisdom and efforts to propel the biopharmaceutical industry to new heights.