New information shows that China’s strength in the pharmaceutical industry is growing. Last year, a Chinese company called Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals became the top sponsor for clinical trials worldwide, according to a report by Citeline. This growth is due to changes in regulations and the benefits of conducting trials in China, which is becoming a major center for research and development (R&D).
Heidi Chen, an expert from Citeline, said that China’s regulatory changes over the past decade have greatly helped its biopharmaceutical industry. Chinese companies, which used to mainly supply ingredients to Western pharmaceutical companies, are now competing with them.
Jiangsu Hengrui, with over 400 ongoing clinical trials, increased its R&D projects by 19% in 2024. This year, the company made significant deals with major pharmaceutical companies like Merck & Co. and GSK, worth up to $12 billion.
The rise of Chinese companies in clinical trials is just one of the changes highlighted in Citeline’s report. The report also shows shifts in the focus of research, with cancer (oncology) remaining the most studied area. Six of the top ten sponsors in the report have strong cancer drug development programs. Although the growth in cancer trials slowed down, it still made up over 37% of all new trials.
New types of cancer treatments, such as T cell therapies and antibody-drug conjugates, are keeping cancer research at the forefront. The second most studied area was central nervous system (CNS) diseases, which saw a 14.7% increase in new trials. This includes studies on pain, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease. Pain treatments moved up to the eighth most studied disease.
Research on autoimmune diseases also increased by 14.6%, with a rise in cell and gene therapies. These treatments are showing promise, especially in diseases like lupus and scleroderma. Cardiovascular disease trials saw the highest growth rate at 15.6%, driven by an aging population and advances in cell and gene therapies.
Research on rare diseases continued to rise, with regulatory changes making it easier to conduct trials. The use of artificial intelligence and other digital technologies is also speeding up drug development. Chen predicts more partnerships and data sharing in the future.
In summary, China’s pharmaceutical industry is growing rapidly, with significant contributions to global R&D. The focus remains on cancer, CNS diseases, and new technologies, with a promising future for digital health and collaborations.