China Healthcare Select

Beijing InnoCare Pharma has received approval from China's National Medical Products Administration for zurletrectinib (Yinuoxin/ICP-723), a next-generation TRK inhibitor for treating adults and adolescents aged 12 and older with NTRK fusion-positive solid tumors. Designed to overcome acquired resistance to first-generation TRK inhibitors, zurletrectinib demonstrated an overall response rate (ORR) of 89.1%, a disease control rate of 96.4%, a 24-month progression-free survival rate of 77.4%, and an overall survival rate of 90.8% in registration trials. The drug exhibited remarkable brain-penetrant activity, achieving a 100% intracranial ORR and a 100% 12-month intracranial duration of response. In pediatric and adolescent trials, the confirmed ORR reached 100%, with one patient who had progressed on a first-generation TRK inhibitor achieving a complete response. The safety profile was favorable, with predominantly Grade 1 or 2 treatment-related adverse events and low rates of dose interruption or discontinuation.

Unlike assembly-oriented players in the industry, Meridian has achieved full-stack independent intellectual property rights across its laser source, laser power supply, and energy monitoring self-calibration system, with the comprehensive cost of core modules reduced by 90% compared with imported products. Moreover, its supply chain has been fully localized, with no risk of overseas supply disruption.

Shenzhen Core Medical Technology has received regulatory approval to begin clinical trials for DuoCor 2, its fully magnetically levitated implantable biventricular assist system. As the first such device in China to enter human testing, DuoCor 2 addresses the critical unmet clinical need of whole heart failure, a condition with a two-year survival rate of just 23%. Building on the proven technology of its Corheart 6 LVAD, DuoCor 2 features a specialized right heart pump and an integrated intelligent control system. This innovative design replaces the cumbersome dual-LVAD workaround with a single controller and percutaneous cable, significantly reducing the risks of infection and pump thrombosis. Having already seen successful compassionate use in Europe, DuoCor 2 is poised to potentially become the world's first approved biventricular assist system, breaking into the global 'no man's land' of whole heart failure treatment.

At the 21st Cold Region Conference of Cardiology in June 2026, Shenzhen RaysightMed and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University successfully demonstrated the world's first full vascular intervention procedure performed by an AI embodied intelligence surgical robot on a large animal. Transitioning from mechanical assistance to autonomous execution, the system leverages large language models and real-time multi-modal image recognition to independently identify vascular anatomy, plan intervention paths, and execute procedures without point-by-point human control. The animal experiment outperformed manual surgery in task completion rate, radiation dose reduction, and fluoroscopy time. This groundbreaking achievement marks a significant milestone for China's indigenous medical innovation, spearheading a new era of global intelligent intervention and paving the way for future multi-center clinical validation and deployment.

Gluetacs Therapeutics announced that its first-in-class RSK dual-functional degrader GT818 has received clinical trial approval from China's CDE for treating advanced malignancies, including solid tumors. This milestone highlights the successful strategic partnership between Gluetacs and Shanghai Medicilon Inc. Since 2021, Medicilon has provided end-to-end preclinical research services for GT818, overcoming the significant development hurdles of PROTAC molecules. GT818 is the third PROTAC or molecular glue drug for which Medicilon has assisted Gluetacs in securing an IND filing, underscoring Medicilon's growing expertise in cutting-edge modalities and its commitment to accelerating innovative drug development.

Merck & Co. has submitted a Class 1 import new drug application to the China Center for Drug Evaluation for enlicitide (MK-0616), an oral macrocyclic peptide PCSK9 inhibitor. Accepted on July 9, 2026, enlicitide is designed to deliver LDL-C reductions comparable to injectable PCSK9 antibodies with a placebo-like safety profile, as evaluated in the comprehensive CORALreef clinical trial program. If approved, it would become the first oral PCSK9 inhibitor on the market, offering a convenient alternative to current injectable therapies and significantly advancing cholesterol management in China.