At a routine State Council policy briefing on April 15, He Yaqiong, Director of the Consumer Goods Industry Department at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), stated that China's pharmaceutical industry has demonstrated strong resilience and vitality, now largely meeting the public's daily medication needs. Currently, there are approximately 160,000 drug approval numbers nationwide. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, more than 200 innovative drugs and nearly 300 innovative medical devices were approved for market launch, signaling a tangible shift in drug pricing for public welfare.
He Yaqiong highlighted progress through three key areas: innovation capability has significantly improved, with China accounting for about one-third of the global pipeline of innovative drugs under research. Anti-cancer medications such as zanubrutinib and ivonescimab have gained international recognition. Overseas licensing deals for innovative drugs surpassed $130 billion in 2025, reaching a record high. The industrial foundation continues to strengthen, with China being the world's leading producer and exporter of active pharmaceutical ingredients. The advantage of integrated formulation manufacturing is expanding, and Chinese companies now occupy six spots among the world's top 50 pharmaceutical firms. Supply chain resilience has enhanced through continuous improvements in the national drug reserve system. Six joint production consortia for low-volume drugs have effectively alleviated shortages of over 130 clinically essential medications.
He Yaqiong revealed that MIIT is drafting the "15th Five-Year Plan for the Pharmaceutical Industry," with next steps focusing on four key accelerations: accelerating the development of "innovative pharmaceuticals" by supporting the timely production, market approval, and hospital availability of innovative drugs, enabling patients to access affordable new medicines locally; accelerating "accessible pharmaceuticals" by addressing the medication needs of children, the elderly, and rare disease patients, ensuring cost-effective use of resources; accelerating "digital and intelligent pharmaceuticals" by integrating artificial intelligence into the pharmaceutical industry to balance quality, price, and accessibility, promoting volume-driven sales and premium quality; and accelerating "open pharmaceuticals" by embracing integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine and global collaboration, helping more high-quality, innovative Chinese-made drugs benefit patients worldwide.
Comments