Nanjing Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park Empowers Innovative Enterprises and Emerges as a New Industry Landmark

The battle against the epidemic is not yet over. In this black swan event, all industries have been affected, with many pressing the “pause button.” However, the medical device industry is seizing significant opportunities and hitting the “fast-forward button.”

In fact, in recent years, China’s medical device industry has developed rapidly, with a continuously improving external environment. This growth has been supported by a series of policies, including the deepening of review and approval processes, innovation in high-value consumables, Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG), Supply, Processing, and Distribution (SPD) models, medical consortia, tiered diagnosis and treatment, and the Medical Device Registrant system. Additionally, there is growing domestic demand driven by citizens’ increasing emphasis on healthy living, along with sustained attention and investment from external capital.

Currently, the medical device industry, thrust into the historical spotlight, is ushering in a "golden" period of development.

Located in “Nanjing’s Southern Gateway” and China’s first “International Slow City,” the Nanjing Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park focuses on the medical device industry, with a strategic layout encompassing in vitro diagnostic (IVD) products, high-value implantable consumables and devices, rehabilitation equipment, and home-use medical devices. The establishment of the Nanjing Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park not only provides fertile ground for the development of innovative startups in the medical device sector but also serves as a significant force in Nanjing’s implementation of the national “Healthy China” strategy.

The medical device industry is a strategic emerging sector strongly supported by the Chinese government. According to statistics, China’s medical device market reached RMB 628.5 billion in 2019 and is projected to exceed RMB 900 billion by 2022, indicating substantial growth potential for the industry.

From the perspective of medical device manufacturers, the number of such enterprises in China has maintained an upward trend over the past decade. According to data from the China Business Industry Research Institute, as of 2018, the number of medical device manufacturers in China reached 17,236, an increase of 1,112 compared to the same period of the previous year. It is projected that the number of medical device manufacturers in China will reach 20,000 by 2020.

Tang Jingshun, Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee of Gaochun Economic Development Zone in Jiangsu Province, stated that the decision to enter the "high-growth track" of medical devices was driven not only by its strong development potential but also because this field aligns well with Gaochun’s positioning and environmental characteristics.

Since 2004, Gaochun (which was upgraded from a county to a district in 2013) has consistently adhered to the development philosophy of “ecology-first county building.” It has been honored with titles such as National Ecological Civilization Demonstration Zone and China’s Best Eco-Leisure Tourism Destination, fully integrating ecological considerations into its industrial selection. As an eco-friendly industry, the medical device sector aligns well with Gaochun’s ecological requirements for industrial development.

Secondly, Gaochun boasts abundant scientific research, educational, and talent resources. As a renowned city for science and education, Nanjing is home to 53 higher education institutions, along with a large number of national-level laboratories, provincial key laboratories, and new-type R&D institutes affiliated with these universities, providing rich scientific research resources. Currently, the Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park hosts five new-type R&D institutes focused on the healthcare sector, including the Zhejiang University Nanjing Health Industry Research Institute, the Nanjing Smart Health Research Institute of the Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (Chinese Academy of Sciences), and the Zhongke Youzi Biotechnology Research Institute.

Furthermore, Gaochun boasts a solid industrial foundation. Jiangsu Province and its surrounding areas are major hubs for the medical device industry in China, featuring a rich industrial ecosystem and a robust consumer market. Nanjing is currently home to 36 Grade A tertiary hospitals and 20 medical device clinical trial institutions, providing a favorable environment for development. Gaochun currently hosts nearly 800 enterprises engaged in the research and development, manufacturing, and trade of medical devices.

Finally, the district boasts favorable location and transportation conditions. Located at the geographic center of the Yangtze River Delta, Gaochun District is a key “southern bridgehead” strategically developed by Jiangsu Province to strengthen connectivity with Zhejiang and Anhui provinces. It features express highways and Light Rail Line S9 connecting to Nanjing, and is only a 30-minute drive from Nanjing Lukou International Airport. The area has well-established land transport routes, including the Ninggao, Ningxuan, and Liwu Expressways, as well as the Wutai Highway, along with waterway access via the Wushen Canal. As one of the critical linkage points between the eastern and central-western parts of the Yangtze River Delta, Gaochun possesses excellent transportation infrastructure to support the relocation and uptake of industries.

From external environment to internal strengths, the Nanjing Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park boasts significant locational advantages. With an area of 8 square kilometers and the convergence of resources from various sectors, the Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park is emerging as a “new landmark” among industrial parks.

Leveraging its unique locational advantages, the Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park has already attracted a cohort of high-potential innovative enterprises, generating a notable industrial clustering effect. In the year since its opening, the park has drawn in 53 medical device manufacturing companies and nearly 200 research and trading firms.

Leveraging its locational advantages, the Nanjing Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park has received key support from both provincial and municipal governments in its strategic layout. On May 5, 2019, the Gaochun District People’s Government signed an agreement with the Jiangsu Provincial Medical Products Administration to jointly establish the Gaochun Medical Health Industrial Park. The Action Plan of Nanjing Municipality in Support of Gaochun District’s Accelerated High-Quality Development explicitly endorses the cultivation and development of the medical device industry in Gaochun, designating the Medical Device Industrial Park as one of Nanjing’s industrial landmarks. It focuses on building an industrial ecosystem support system centered on “one institute and six centers.”

Furthermore, the Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park is establishing public service platforms essential for industrial development. Notably, the Jiangsu Branch of the National Medical Device Big Data Center has officially signed an agreement, while a series of public service platforms—including the Medical Device Innovation Service Center, Practical Training Center, and Product Exhibition Center—are currently under construction.

To encourage medical device enterprises to pursue R&D and regulatory approvals, facilitate the commercialization of innovative achievements, mitigate risks associated with innovative products, and support corporate qualification certifications and international market expansion, the Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park has specially formulated the “Special Support Measures for Promoting the Development of the Medical Device Industry.” Comprising 11 specific policies, these measures possess a certain level of competitiveness within the Yangtze River Delta region.

Meanwhile, the Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park has established an agency service organization to optimize its business environment. A specialized medical device service team has been formed to provide professional services throughout the entire process—from registration to production and marketing—while fully implementing deficiency-tolerant approval procedures and offering complimentary end-to-end agency services. Additionally, a mechanism has been established to ensure that all requests are addressed and resolved within 24 hours.

Through a series of strategic initiatives, a cohort of high-quality enterprises has emerged. Taking Nanjing Youdebang Medical Technology Co., Ltd., an outstanding enterprise in the industrial park, as an example: Established in 2013 with a registered capital of RMB 100 million, it is a leading supplier of minimally invasive interventional medical devices for cardiovascular applications.

After several years of development, the company now boasts modern physics, chemistry, and microbiology laboratories. It has successively developed 11 high-value consumable products for cardiology, including two Class II and nine Class III medical devices. These products are primarily used in clinical procedures such as coronary intervention, stroke prevention, and cardiac pacemaker lead implantation.

In August 2017, the company signed an agreement with the Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park to inject an additional investment of RMB 360 million, establishing a research, development, and production base for minimally invasive cardiovascular interventional medical devices within the park. The company’s rapid growth not only underscores its robust strength but also reflects its full confidence in and recognition of the Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park.

From nurturing the “survival” of enterprises to accompanying their “takeoff,” the Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park has played a pivotal role in this process. Its continuously optimized enterprise services are empowering more startups.

To enable startups to develop without concerns, the Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park provides a favorable ecosystem through supportive policies, comprehensive ancillary services, talent supply, and financial support.

In terms of policy,First, to further promote enterprise entry into the park and support the development of resident enterprises, the Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park has established a three-tier policy framework.First, a policy framework to encourage and support enterprise development; second, a policy framework to attract and encourage talent in innovation and entrepreneurship; and third, a specialized policy framework to promote the development of medical devices.

Among them,Tax and Land PoliciesAspectSupport will be provided based on the project’s technological and market maturity, investment amount, and output per unit. For major projects, preferential policies will be granted through case-by-case review.

Talent Acquisition, vigorously implement the "Chunju Plan" and the plan for high-level and urgently needed enterprise talent, implement policies to provide housing for talent, and strive to meet the talent needs of enterprises.

In addition,On the Industrial Supporting Service Platform, to deepen the connotation of services, the industrial park is making every effort to build the "One Institute and Six Centers," including the Gaochun Branch of Jiangsu Medical Device Testing Institute, the Training Center of Jiangsu Provincial Medical Products Administration, the Big Data Center for Medical Device Operation Monitoring under the Southern Institute of Pharmaceutical Economics of the National Medical Products Administration, the Medical Device Innovation Service Center, the Product Exhibition Center, the Ethylene Oxide Sterilization Center, and the Medical Device Waste Disposal Center, thereby achieving on-site administrative processing and zero-distance service.

In terms of providing support for industrial innovation carriers,The industrial park has collaborated with universities and research institutes, including Zhejiang University, the Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (Chinese Academy of Sciences), and the Institute of Microbiology (Chinese Academy of Sciences), to jointly establish five new-type R&D institutions. Leveraging the resources of 53 universities in Nanjing, the park is developing the Yangtze River Delta Higher Vocational Education Innovation Park to high standards. It has currently introduced four universities to provide customized training of interdisciplinary talents for enterprises, thereby facilitating their rapid development.

In providing high-quality support for government services,The Gaochun District Government has issued the "Special Support Measures for Promoting the Development of the Medical Device Industry" to fully boost the development of the industrial park,High-level entrepreneurial talents selected for district-level projects will receive RMB 1 million in support funding, while those selected for municipal-level projects will receive RMB 2 million.Unlocking the Most Enduring Appeal Through an Optimal Business Environment.

“Currently, we have various industrial funds, such as the Gaochun Industrial Development Guidance Fund and the Gaochun Industrial Innovation Fund, which focus on supporting the establishment and development of medical device enterprises in Gaochun District;“We are planning to collaborate with relevant provincial and municipal departments, domestic brand investment institutions, listed companies, and securities firms to establish an industry fund focused on medical devices within the Gaochun Medical Device Park. Currently, we are building a medical device investment and financing platform covering Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, and even the broader Yangtze River Delta region, aiming to encourage and facilitate the transformation of innovative medical device achievements,” said Tang Jingshun, Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee of Jiangsu Gaochun Economic Development Zone.

Regarding future plans, he stated,Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park aims to achieve main business revenue from medical devices exceeding RMB 12 billion by 2025, introduce more than 300 medical device manufacturing enterprises, cultivate 8–10 leading companies in niche sectors, 3–5 listed companies, and 1–2 unicorn enterprises; focus on forming 1–2 industrial clusters in specialized fields; and, in terms of talent aggregation, attract a cohort of high-level technical professionals while training a workforce of skilled laborers in the medical device sector.

Finally, foster industrial clustering in specialized sectors, attract and cultivate industry-leading enterprises, build a comprehensive industrial chain, and further enhance the competitiveness of the industrial park.

In the future, the Nanjing Gaochun Medical Device Industrial Park will chart new courses and seize emerging opportunities to continuously inject the “primary driving force of innovation” into Gaochun’s high-quality economic development.

Forum Registration Link:http://e2jwgtki8j1265ap.mikecrm.com/ENvj7cY