China emerging as major force in global biopharma innovation

BERLIN, May 22 (Xinhua) -- China has been turning into a major force in global biopharmaceutical innovation with its industry rapidly evolving, driven by long-term policy planning, expanding healthcare access and a fast-maturing research ecosystem, a Bayer executive told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

Speaking on the sidelines of the China Innovation Day event in Berlin on Thursday, Stefan Oelrich, a member of the board of management of Bayer AG and head of its pharmaceuticals division, said the pace of China's progress in life sciences had caught the attention of even long-time industry observers.

He said China had moved "from fast follower to best-in-class molecules in certain areas" and was now "moving to first-in-class and really even being a clear inventor of new treatment modalities."

More patents are now being filed in China than any other country, which Oelrich said was "an indicator for innovation to come."

He attributed the country's rise in part to sustained policy support and long-term strategic planning in healthcare and biotechnology.

In 2016, China launched the Outline of the Healthy China 2030 Plan, laying out long-term goals to improve public health, expand healthcare access and strengthen disease prevention nationwide. The initiative had already produced tangible results, Oelrich said, citing improved access to modern medicines in the country and rising overall health standards.

He also pointed to China's current five-year plan, which was released this year and places biopharmaceutical innovation among the country's strategic priorities.

"When China puts something in the five-year plan, they do it with determination and they're also doing it with speed," he said.

The plan also includes a target of raising average life expectancy to 80 years by 2030, reflecting what Oelrich described as China's long-term focus on disease prevention, primary healthcare and broader access to quality medical services.

Of particular note to Oelrich was China's push to extend healthcare access from large cities into rural regions and narrow the gap in care quality across different parts of the country.

"We are seeing a much more equitable distribution in access to really high-quality healthcare," he said.

The broader expansion of healthcare access was also improving the availability of innovative medicines, Oelrich added, creating long-term opportunities for multinational pharmaceutical companies.

"China has been and continues to be an extremely important market for Bayer. It's our second-largest market in the world," he said.

The German giant, which has operated in China for more than 140 years, plans to continue expanding investment in the country, including in research and early-stage drug development. Oelrich said the company would deepen cooperation with Chinese universities, research institutes and biotech startups.

Meanwhile, China's growing role in global pharmaceutical innovation was already reshaping the industry worldwide, Oelrich said. "We're going to see a stronger presence of Chinese products in the market. That's already happening," he said.

As China's innovation capabilities continue to grow, cooperation between China and Germany, as well as Europe, in life sciences would become increasingly important, he said.

"We're now in a position where we can truly co-create together for a better world," Oelrich said, adding that healthcare innovation should ultimately benefit all people regardless of geography.

"When we invent something new, when we discover a new mechanism of how a disease works, that's not something that we then exclusively give to someone in a certain country," he said. "That's typically something that we try to give to the whole world."