Reported by 21st Century Economic Reporter Ji Yuanyuan from Shanghai
As the potential of the Chinese market is further unleashed. As a platform for promoting high-level openness, the CIIE has brought unprecedented opportunities to healthcare enterprises worldwide.
This year marks the fifth appearance of the world's leading biopharmaceutical company, Mercado, at the China International Import Expo (hereinafter referred to as the "CIIE"). Focusing on the theme of "Shining Life, Healthy China", MSD showcases innovative medical solutions covering the entire life cycle through three exhibition areas - from prevention to treatment, from cooperation to ecology, and from inheritance to the future - with innovative drugs, vaccines, and rich research pipelines in key disease fields, fully showcasing MSD's deep involvement in the Chinese market for more than 30 years, A firm belief and long-term commitment to sharing the opportunity to enter the blog. At the same time, we will work together with leading domestic research institutions, pharmaceutical and technology enterprises in China to introduce more innovative medical solutions covering the entire life cycle from prevention to treatment, and accelerate the improvement of China's medical ecosystem construction.
The CIIE is a platform for promoting high-level openness and an important window for multinational enterprises to showcase their innovative capabilities and advanced concepts, "said Anna Tian, Senior Vice President and President of China at MSD, Thanks to the huge platform effect of the CIIE, MSD has joined hands with various partners in the Chinese medical ecosystem to jointly create high-quality development of the medical system. With innovative product capabilities as the starting point, MSD is based on the present, laying out the future, and accelerating the construction of a beautiful vision for a healthy China. The five visits to the CIIE and its participation as the chairman of the CIIE Pharmaceutical Special Committee for the first time also demonstrate MSD's unwavering confidence and commitment to the Chinese market
From prevention to treatment
With the introduction of the "Healthy China 2030" Plan Outline, there have been significant and positive changes in the pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem in China in recent years. On the one hand, the national level guides the transformation and upgrading of industrial innovation, continuously deepens drug approval reform, and improves the efficiency of clinical development and approval of new drugs. On the other hand, the reimbursement and admission system for innovative drugs has also undergone changes since 2017, accelerating the commercialization of innovative drugs and further incentivizing enterprises to continue investing in innovation.
The CIIE is an important stage for showcasing global innovative technologies and products. Supported by the strong spillover effect of the CIIE, multinational pharmaceutical companies have multiple star exhibits from previous CIIE sessions, which have landed faster under the acceleration of CIIE and serve the needs of patients. This fully reflects the strong spillover effect of the "exhibition products becoming commodities" and "exhibitors becoming investors" of the CIIE.
At this year's CIIE, MSD showcased innovative vaccines and therapeutic drugs, as well as animal health products, to tackle the global challenges of human and animal diseases. With the continuous advancement of the research and development process, over the next five years, MSD aims to introduce more than 50 innovative products and indications in China. From prevention to treatment, it comprehensively protects life and health, highlighting MSD's clear business layout and strong research and development capabilities.
Vaccine is one of the most effective means to prevent infectious diseases. As a leader in the vaccine field, MSD has listed human papillomavirus (HPV), rotavirus, hepatitis A virus, and pneumococcal vaccines in China, building a safe and solid health defense line for Chinese people of different ages. Starting from 2022, the applicability of the Mercado nine valent HPV vaccine has been extended to women aged 9 to 45 years old, and the expansion of new indications is also actively carried out, aiming to help more groups stay away from HPV infection related diseases, including cervical cancer.
In the field of cancer, diabetes, anti-virus and other major diseases treatment, MSD's star therapeutic drugs have attracted much attention. Among them, the tumor immunotherapy PD-1 inhibitor was approved as a new indication in China two months ago, and this appearance in Jinbo is its debut after the approval of its new indication. Since being approved for listing in China in 2018, 11 indications have been approved so far in China, aiming to change the treatment mode of various malignant tumors with high incidence rate, high mortality and great difficulty in treatment. Currently, more than 80 clinical trials are being conducted in China with 20 different tumor types, covering high incidence cancer types in China, including gastrointestinal tumors, female tumors, respiratory and urinary system tumors, which may bring hope for more patients and families in the future.
The products and research pipelines exhibited by MSD at this CIIE are all based on MSD's strong scientific research capabilities, including cutting-edge scientific discoveries or breakthrough therapy recognition that have won the Nobel Prize in Biology or Medicine in recent years. Throughout, MSD has continued to conduct in-depth research in these high-end and cutting-edge fields, with the aim of transforming the latest scientific research achievements into life-saving drugs.
From cooperation to ecology
Currently, innovation in medical technology and the transformation of technological achievements have become key issues for the development of the healthcare industry. The 14th Five Year Plan adheres to scientific and technological innovation as the core support for China's modernization construction. The "Healthy China 2030 Plan Outline" further clarifies that improving technological innovation capabilities and accelerating the transformation of innovation achievements are key work goals, in order to achieve high-quality development of the medical industry, ensure people's livelihoods and public health, and meet the new needs of the people for personalized and precision medicine.
At the same time, the level of medical innovation and research and development in China is undergoing rapid development. In terms of technological innovation and project achievement transformation, there are still challenges such as insufficient research and development resources, long technology transformation chains, a lack of versatile talents, and traditional development models. Various measures have been launched in various regions to break through various blockages, guide the industry to further strengthen cooperation between industry, academia, and research, build a shared and co created medical innovation ecosystem, integrate multiple advantages, and solve industrial development problems through industrialization.
At this year's CIIE, MSD and Peking University officially announced the establishment of the "Peking University MSD Joint Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Technology". The laboratory's launch ceremony was held on the CIIE, an international platform that always advocates openness, sharing, and cooperation, marking a new level of partnership between the two sides.
In fact, Peking University and MSD's exploration of the construction of an industry university research innovation ecosystem began in 2020. The two sides have conducted multiple collaborations in the fields of real-world data research, clinical research, epidemiological research, and the construction of a public health talent system, with fruitful results. The series of real world data and evidence standardization studies launched in 2020 have effectively promoted the development process of real world research in China, expanding the application boundaries of real world research throughout the entire lifecycle of medical and health products and services; Clinical and epidemiological research targeting human papillomavirus (HPV) and rotavirus (Rotavirus) aims to innovate and optimize solutions for safeguarding public health; In February of this year, both sides joined hands to launch the "Jingwei Plan" public health young and middle-aged technology backbone talent training project, in response to the important call in the "14th Five Year Plan" outline to "build a strong public health system and strengthen the construction of public health talent team".
In order to better promote the implementation of the Healthy China Blueprint and the upgrading of the medical industry, Peking University and MSD have upgraded and built a more comprehensive, systematic, and efficient partnership based on existing cooperation achievements, and established the Peking University MSD Joint Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Technology.
MSD always believes in the power of cooperation and ecology. Over the past 31 years of being rooted in China, we have been working together with local partners in research and development, manufacturing, distribution, and public health talent cultivation to bring innovative health solutions for disease prevention and control to human health and animal welfare. Through stable and solid partnerships with multiple parties, we bring high-quality drugs and vaccines to Chinese patients and consumers, helping the public improve their health Health awareness and literacy empower the talent construction of China's medical and health system Tian Anna said.
From Inheritance to the Future
Everyone is the first person responsible for their own health. In recent years, the level of health literacy among Chinese residents has continued to improve. The "2022 Monitoring of Chinese Residents' Health Literacy" released by the National Health Commission shows that the health literacy level of Chinese residents reached 27.78% in 2022, an increase of 2.38 percentage points compared to 2021, and continues to show a steady improvement trend. Popularizing health knowledge and improving the level of national health literacy is one of the most cost-effective and effective measures to improve the level of national health.
Since 1989, when the world's most advanced genetic engineering recombinant hepatitis B vaccine technology was transferred to China, MSD has always shown an open and inclusive attitude of cooperation, and worked with partners from all walks of life to carry out cooperation projects to promote public health and patient care. A series of activities held at this Expo further reflected MSD's long-term commitment to "help China's medical ecological construction, and jointly build a healthy China".
In China, cervical cancer is one of the common gynecological malignancies, and its incidence has shown a significant upward trend in recent years, making it an undeniable public health issue. On the occasion of the third anniversary of the official release of the "Global Strategy for Accelerating the Elimination of Cervical Cancer" by the World Health Organization, Olympic champion couple Qin Kai and He Zi also held a "Gold Medal Guardian - HPV Science Popularization Dialogue" with Ms. Tian Anna on the stage of the CIIE, providing new thinking for enhancing public awareness and prevention concepts of cervical cancer and related diseases caused by HPV.
In addition, the booth of Mosha Dongjin Expo also witnessed the fifth anniversary of the "Key to Life" Cancer Immunization Assistance Program, lavender garland, Mojia Sugar Talk, Wei "Ai" old friend talk and many other patient care and disease science popularization activities, helping cancer, diabetes, and AIDS patients to enter a high-quality life.
Enabling more Chinese people to enjoy innovative medical technology achievements cannot be achieved without sincere cooperation with local partners. The 12 year collaboration between MSD and Chongqing Zhifei Biotechnology to improve the accessibility of various vaccines is an important proof. As of September 2023, the MSD HPV vaccine has cumulatively protected over 40 million Chinese women of appropriate age.
China is an important component and strategic cornerstone of MSD's global presence. Under the leadership of the "Shining Future" strategy, MSD will always be a trustworthy and leading partner in the Chinese medical ecosystem. We will continue to work together with partners from all walks of life in politics, industry, academia, research, and medicine to bring high-quality drugs and vaccines to patients and the public in China, and strive to improve drug accessibility and affordability, so that the value of drugs can benefit more people, Assist the development of China's public health industry to accelerate the pace of entry and exit.