Boao Lecheng Launches Permanent International Innovative Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Exhibition Featuring Over 300 Advanced Global Products
On the morning of April 10, under the guidance of the Hainan Provincial Health Commission, the Hainan Provincial Medical Products Administration, and Haikou Customs, and hosted by the Administrative Bureau of Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, the Hainan Boao Lecheng “Never-Ending” International Exhibition of Innovative Drugs and Medical Devices officially opened in the Lecheng Pilot Zone as scheduled. This is the only exhibition in China that showcases medical devices not yet approved for market launch in the country. It serves as a microcosm of a global platform for openness and cooperation, reflecting the Lecheng Pilot Zone’s concrete actions to promote the development of a global health industry for all.
Mao Chaofeng, Member of the Standing Committee of the Hainan Provincial Party Committee and Executive Vice Governor of Hainan Province; leaders from relevant provincial departments and agencies, including the Hainan Provincial Health Commission, Hainan Provincial Medical Products Administration, Customs, Hainan Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Hainan Free Trade Port Office, Hainan Provincial Department of Commerce, Hainan Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, Hainan Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Hainan Provincial Healthcare Security Administration, and Hainan Banking and Insurance Regulatory Bureau; as well as officials from the Qionghai Municipal People’s Government, the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone Administration, and the Lecheng Medical and Drug Supervision Administration; along with renowned experts and scholars such as Academician Luo Qingming, attended the opening ceremony.
During the inaugural event, a total of 25 multinational corporations showcased more than 300 pharmaceutical and medical device products not yet marketed in China at Boao Lecheng. These companies included Boston Scientific, Pfizer, Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, Lumenis, Leading BioSciences, and Ocumension from the United States; Astellas Pharma, Santen Pharmaceutical, and Menicon from Japan; B. Braun, Fresenius, Fotona, and Merck from Germany; Bioxis from France; JK Plastic Surgery Center, LICOL, and Yuantai from South Korea; Allergan from Ireland; Cochlear from Australia; MED-EL from Austria; Novo Nordisk from Denmark; OLON from Italy; and UCB from Belgium, among other renowned healthcare enterprises.
Meanwhile, Chinese enterprises such as Yuanxin Huibao and Shulan Healthcare have also brought their products to the area, preparing to launch a new round of cooperation with the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone to deliver more affordable medical services to Hainan.
Following the exhibition, Boston Medical, Yiling Life Care Center, Yuanxin Huibao, and other companies launched new products in Lecheng. VCBeat (WeChat: vcbeat) has summarized the related content.
At the exhibition, Johnson & Johnson China showcased its core competencies, presenting a range of innovative technologies and products across multiple business segments, including electrophysiology, ophthalmology, breast and aesthetic surgery, orthopedics, cardiology, and general surgery. On the same day, Johnson & Johnson released an interim report from a real-world data study on the Catalys Femtosecond Laser System for cataract surgery, marking another significant step forward in the product’s registration and clinical adoption in mainland China.
Johnson & Johnson Vision’s Catalys Femtosecond Laser System is the first equipment product introduced in the Boao Lecheng Pilot Zone. Following the successful performance of the first Catalys femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery at Boao Super Hospital in November 2019, over 100 procedures have been completed to date, benefiting more than 70 cataract patients with this innovative technology. According to the “Interim Report on Real-World Study of Catalys Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery” released today, as one of the leading femtosecond laser treatment systems globally, Johnson & Johnson Vision’s Catalys helps improve surgical precision and safety, yielding favorable postoperative outcomes. Wang Liping, General Manager of Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision China, stated, “Leveraging the pilot policies in Boao, we can obtain real-world clinical evidence more rapidly, thereby accelerating the approval and market launch of global innovative products in China.”
“Based on the practice and data accumulated in this study to date, the use of the Catalys system to perform corneal incisions, anterior capsulotomy, and lens fragmentation in adult subjects according to indicated indications has demonstrated favorable success rates. Furthermore, as other endpoints of the study, monocular uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) and monocular best-corrected distance visual acuity (BCDVA) at four weeks postoperatively showed significant improvement compared with preoperative levels. One patient had a preoperative binocular visual acuity of only 0.01 and a high degree of nuclear sclerosis. Following the procedure, this patient’s postoperative visual acuity recovered to 1.2,” stated Professor Chen Wei, Principal Investigator of the Catalys Femtosecond Laser Cataract Real-World Study, Vice President of the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, and Director of the Ophthalmology Center at Boao Super Hospital, while analyzing the interim report.
In addition to the Johnson & Johnson Vision Catalys Femtosecond Laser System, Johnson & Johnson showcased dozens of globally advanced innovative products and cutting-edge technologies at this international medical device exhibition. These included the next-generation TECNIS Symfony® Plus extended depth-of-focus intraocular lens for cataract surgery combined with presbyopia correction; ACUVUE® OASYS® with Transitions™ Light Intelligent Lenses, a smart photochromic contact lens recognized as one of TIME magazine’s 50 Best Inventions; the ATTUNE Rotating Platform Knee System, the world’s first biological rotating platform knee prosthesis; and the VIZIGO Steerable Sheath, a curved, bidirectional, adjustable steerable sheath with visualization capabilities suitable for all cardiac chambers. These exhibits will be updated periodically in the future to demonstrate Johnson & Johnson’s innovation strength across various fields and its steadfast commitment to serving the well-being of patients in China.
Boston Scientific is conducting real-world data studies on its products in Boao Lecheng. The EXALT Model D, the world’s first single-use duodenoscope for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (hereinafter referred to as the FDA) in December 2019 and was granted the FDA’s “Breakthrough Device Designation.”
This product is not yet available in mainland China. This pioneering device is designed to replace reusable duodenoscopes; by eliminating the need for reprocessing and repair, it ensures that patients receive a brand-new, sterile instrument during each procedure, thereby mitigating the risk of potential iatrogenic infections. This advantage is particularly critical for surgical operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, marking a significant advancement in endoscopic technology.
During the video conference, Academician Li Zhaoshen of the Chinese Academy of Engineering stated that in light of the severe global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, greater attention should be paid to the issue of cross-infection in healthcare facilities. The use of single-use medical devices in clinical treatment will bring about substantial improvements in preventing iatrogenic infections, offering new insights and approaches for endoscopic procedural protection in the post-pandemic era. It is hoped that the real-world data study currently being conducted will accelerate the registration and approval process for this product, enabling more patients in China to benefit from it at an earlier stage.
Furthermore, at this international medical device exhibition, Boston Scientific showcased 24 innovative medical device products spanning seven key areas: interventional cardiology, structural heart disease, peripheral and oncology interventions, endoscopic interventions, urology and pelvic health, cardiac rhythm management and electrophysiology, and neuromodulation. Among these were six products that have either won or been nominated for the Galen Prize, often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of the pharmaceutical industry.”
Notably, the Rezum* water vapor thermal therapy device for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which has not yet been launched in the Chinese market, has attracted significant attention from industry professionals. Data shows that over 50% of men aged 60 and older worldwide suffer from BPH. Rezum water vapor thermal therapy utilizes the heat from water vapor to rapidly reduce prostate volume, thereby alleviating related symptoms such as difficult urination. With an average procedure time of just 8 minutes, it is well-suited for outpatient day surgeries conducted at community hospitals. Leveraging advantages such as short procedure times, rapid recovery, and high safety profiles, this technology not only reduces the disease burden for middle-aged and elderly patients with BPH but also fully enhances the utilization of primary healthcare resources, facilitating the decentralization of medical services and supporting the development of a tiered diagnosis and treatment system.
In addition to numerous large-scale medical devices, Yuanxin Huibao, a domestic commercial insurance service provider, also participated in this pharmaceutical and medical device exhibition. It jointly established the “Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone Integrated Insurance Service Platform” with the Lecheng Pilot Zone. On this platform, it launched the “Hainan Lecheng Global Special Drug Insurance,” an inclusive indemnity-based medical insurance product covering both domestic and overseas special drug expenses for residents of Hainan.
This insurance covers nearly 40 special drugs, including both domestically and internationally marketed specialty medications, with a maximum claim limit of RMB 1 million. Eligibility is open to any individual who was enrolled in Hainan’s local basic medical insurance scheme in the previous year, regardless of age or health status. The product has been duly filed with the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission.
Furthermore, Yuanxin Huibao will streamline the entire pharmaceutical reimbursement process. For prescribed medications unavailable within the hospital but accessible at external pharmacies, insured individuals can obtain direct payment services at designated pharmacies upon approval of their claims by submitting commercial insurance credentials and relevant prescriptions. By integrating direct hospital billing for social and commercial insurance with direct pharmacy medication reimbursement, patients can enjoy immediate reimbursement for medications whenever needed, whether at hospitals or pharmacies.
Peng Xuan, Co-CEO of Yuanxin Huibao, told VCBeat, “The Hainan Boao Lecheng Global Special Drug Insurance is a project combining social and commercial insurance. Its coverage extends to all residents in Hainan Province enrolled in either urban resident basic medical insurance or employee basic medical insurance; therefore, Hainan’s social security agencies also assist in promoting this insurance.”
“Meanwhile, we have also launched the ‘Hainan Boao Lecheng Global Special Drug Insurance and Real-World Study Insurance Plan.’ By collaborating with global pharmaceutical manufacturers in the product design of the Hainan Boao Lecheng Global Special Drug Insurance, we aim to expand the list of imported foreign drugs, collect clinical data on the use of cooperative foreign drugs that are not yet registered in China but are urgently needed for clinical purposes among the overall insured population, convert this data into real-world evidence, and accelerate the registration and approval of new drugs in China, thereby enabling more patients to access foreign medications at an earlier stage.”
Of course, the Lecheng Special Drug Insurance is only a starting point. In the future, Yuanxin Huibao will attempt to expand the Lecheng Special Drug Insurance model to more cities, enabling residents in those areas to access treatment regimens with drugs not yet launched in China while in Hainan.
In addition to the establishment of more collaborative projects in the Pilot Zone, twelve major centers—including the Boao Lecheng Real-World Data Research and Innovation Center, the Boao Lecheng International Hospital Exchange Center, and the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone Patient Service Center—were officially unveiled at the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Exhibition. Hainan Yiling Medical Industry Development Co., Ltd. and Clos Champirol signed an agreement for the Sino-French Rehabilitation Medicine Training Center; Hainan Boao Lecheng Sinopharm Holding Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. partnered with MEDIMEX; and Ciming Boao International Hospital completed an online signing with Schebo Biotech AG.
Overall, this major innovative initiative launched by the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone represents a breakthrough for Lecheng under the framework of the Hainan Free Trade Port. It will accelerate Lecheng’s development into a global showcase center for innovative pharmaceuticals and medical devices, a clinical trial center for drugs and devices marketed abroad but not yet in China, an incubation hub for small and medium-sized international innovative pharmaceutical and medical device enterprises, and a key window for foreign pharmaceutical and medical device companies to enter the Chinese market, thereby supporting the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port.
The “Never-Ending” International Exhibition of Innovative Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices is undoubtedly a microcosm of the accelerated development of the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone. In 2020, Hainan entered the first year of its Free Trade Port construction, accelerating efforts to build the port. As one of the key industrial parks within the Free Trade Port, the Lecheng Pilot Zone has gained new opportunities on top of achieving “triple synchronization” with international advanced standards in medical technologies, pharmaceuticals, and equipment. Over the next three to five years, it will become possible to establish the Lecheng Pilot Zone as a world-class international medical tourism destination and a platform for medical technology innovation.