CIIE Showcases Next-Gen Innovative Therapies: Simplifying Treatment and Advancing Toward Functional Cures

From diabetes to asthma, from hepatitis B to cancer, the challenges faced by modern medicine in many common disease areas are no longer about "having no drugs available," but rather how to make the treatment process easier, more patient-friendly, and provide patients with a better treatment experience.

From November 5 to 10, the 8th China International Import Expo was held in Shanghai. The medical device and healthcare exhibition area attracted leading global multinational pharmaceutical companies such as AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and Sanofi. They brought a series of "upgraded" innovative therapies: some with lower injection frequency, some transitioning from intravenous infusion to subcutaneous injection, and some even moving towards "cures."

Innovative Drugs Doing "Subtraction"

China ranks first globally in new cancer cases and deaths. Anti-tumor drugs have always been a key area for multinational pharmaceutical companies to invest in and are also a popular category at the CIIE. At this year's CIIE, many innovative anti-cancer drugs are expected to help patients achieve a "less is more" approach in their treatment process.

Johnson & Johnson's innovative pharmaceutical exhibition area showcased multiple oncology products, including Amivantamab Injection (subcutaneous injection). This drug, in combination with Lazertinib, is applicable for first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) carrying epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations. As a monotherapy, it is used to treat adult patients with advanced NSCLC carrying EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations who experience disease progression during or after platinum-based chemotherapy. According to Johnson & Johnson, compared with intravenous infusion, the subcutaneous formulation of Amivantamab, which made its China debut this time, reduces infusion-related reactions by 80%, and the initial infusion time is shortened from 5 hours to less than 5 minutes.

Many anticancer drugs require patients to complete treatment through injection or infusion in the hospital, whereas oral administration offers greater convenience. During the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE), Boehringer Ingelheim held a celebration at its booth for the launch of Domatinib tablets in China. Its market entry marks a new era in the treatment of HER2-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in China with oral targeted therapies. Reportedly, this drug is the world’s first and only approved oral HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) for non-small cell lung cancer.

In terms of improving patient experience, "long-acting" has become a common focus for many pharmaceutical companies.

On November 7, Bayer held a national media launch event in China for Aflibercept 8mg. The product was approved by the National Medical Products Administration in May this year for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). It is reported that during the initial three months, the drug is administered once a month, and then based on the doctor’s assessment of vision and/or anatomical outcomes, the treatment interval can be extended to every four months. Longer treatment intervals are expected to significantly improve treatment adherence and quality of life for patients with nAMD.

GSK Showcases Mepolizumab, a Targeted Human Anti-Interleukin-5 (IL-5) Monoclonal Antibody Biologic, at the CIIEAt this year's China International Import Expo (CIIE), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) presented mepolizumab, a targeted human anti-interleukin-5 (IL-5) monoclonal antibody biologic. In 2022 and 2024, this drug received approval in China for the indications of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis and severe eosinophilic asthma, respectively. This year, it was also approved for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. Beyond benefiting a broader patient population, the drug helps patients move from simply "relieving symptoms" to "achieving long-term disease stability." During the CIIE, Dr. Yuxiong Ke, Vice President of GSK and Head of Medical Affairs in China, stated that looking ahead to GSK’s future pipeline, the company is exploring the possibility of extending the treatment interval for severe asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps to once every six months.

Subtraction is also being applied to Type 1 diabetes treatments. For patients with Type 1 diabetes, multiple daily insulin injections are a heavy physical and mental burden. It is estimated that patients in Stage 3 of Type 1 diabetes need to inject insulin at least four times a day, amounting to over 1,460 injections per year. The Tzield (teplizumab) injection exhibited by Sanofi at this year's CIIE is the world’s first and only innovative drug that delays the progression of Type 1 diabetes. It was officially approved for marketing in China this September and is suitable for pediatric and adult patients aged 8 years and above with Stage 2 Type 1 diabetes to delay the progression to Stage 3. Once patients reach Stage 3 of Type 1 diabetes, they require daily insulin replacement therapy, which is relatively cumbersome. The "proactive intervention" provided by the Tzield injection effectively helps reduce the needle burden for patients with Type 1 diabetes.

Innovative Drugs May Drive "Functional Cure" for Certain Diseases

In addition to improving the medication experience, some multinational pharmaceutical companies have also begun to aim for the goal of "curing" diseases.

Taking hepatitis B as an example, the "Technical Guidelines for Clinical Trials of Drugs for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection" issued by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the National Medical Products Administration proposes that new drug development should focus on "functional cure" as a key endpoint in study design; this goal has also recently been formally incorporated into the "China Action Plan for the Prevention and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis (2025–2030)," marking an upgrade to a national paradigm shift.

GSK's booth at this year’s CIIE also showcased an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) drug, which is expected to become the world’s first innovative chronic hepatitis B drug approved with "functional cure" as the clinical trial endpoint. On November 8, Professor Wei Lai from Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital pointed out at the medical session “For a Future Without Hepatitis B”: “Standard antiviral treatment has achieved long-term stable viral suppression, significantly improving patient outcomes, but patients still have further clinical needs. In China, over 80% of liver cancer cases are caused by hepatitis B infection; thus, chronic hepatitis B patients remain exposed to the long-term risks of cirrhosis and liver cancer. They not only hope for control but also seek a cure.”

Professor Wei Lai stated that China currently has a population of approximately 75 million people living with hepatitis B. Prevention and treatment efforts have shifted from "incremental prevention" of new infections to a new phase focused on "existing case management." Meanwhile, "functional cure" is becoming the key breakthrough in reshaping the diagnosis and treatment landscape. In the future, guided by the goal of achieving a "functional cure," the treatment model for chronic hepatitis B may undergo a paradigm shift from "long-term control" to "a curable future," promoting the integration of medical care and prevention.

Rare Disease Field Expects More Innovative Drugs

If the upgrading of common disease drugs is about making "1 to 10" optimizations, then exploration in the rare disease field represents a "0 to 1" breakthrough. Currently, global medications cover less than 10% of known rare diseases, leaving 90% of these conditions without effective treatments. In the past two years, multinational pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sanofi have been increasing their investments in the rare disease sector. At this year's CIIE, several multinational drugmakers showcased their strategic layouts in the rare disease space.

AstraZeneca China Vice President and Head of Rare Disease Division, Hu Yiqing, stated in an interview with The Paper that pharmaceutical companies must maintain a certain level of profitability to sustain continuous investment in research and development, which is normal business logic. The absolute number of rare disease patients is indeed small, so the R&D costs allocated to each patient are bound to be much higher than those for common drugs or cancer drugs. This is why the industry has been calling for the government to provide corresponding pricing incentive policies for rare disease pharmaceutical companies. The R&D cost of a single rare disease drug is very high, usually between 1.5 to 2 billion US dollars, but the clinical value it creates for individual patients is extremely high. Many rare disease patients may suffer lifelong disabilities if not treated promptly. For an individual disabled from childhood, the medical and livelihood costs borne by the country are extremely high, undoubtedly imposing a significant burden on society and the nation. However, if patients can receive timely medication and treatment to return to a normal life, especially children who have been ill since young, they can grow up to become pillars of society.

Hu Yiqing believes that China has very fertile ground, with policies now paying attention to and supporting the development of China's rare disease sector, enabling the country’s biotech innovation to leapfrog ahead. Although the incidence of rare diseases is extremely low, China has a massive population base, which means that in absolute numbers, the number of rare disease patients here will certainly far exceed that of any other single country—a significant advantage. “I believe that China's rare disease sector will be able to contribute an undeniable force to global innovation in the future.”