The 24th Shanghai International Forum on Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Industry, sponsored by the Shanghai Center of Biomedicine Development, kicked off on August 17 in the Oriental Beauty Valley in Fengxian District, Shanghai. Under the theme “Breakthrough and Integration, Innovation Driven High-Quality Development of Biomedical Industry,” the forum focused on cutting-edge, disruptive technologies and hotspot issues in biomedicine. Held both online and offline, it consisted of an opening ceremony, a keynote speech, a closed-door meeting, and ten sub-forums, presenting a feast on biomedicine for the industry.

China-made original drugs that address both symptoms and root causes

Present at the opening ceremony were Chen Kaixian and Li Jinsong, academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shen Jianzhong, deputy director of the China National Center for Biotechnology Development, Zhu Qigao, deputy director of the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (STCSM), Zhang Qing, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Drug Administration, Li Zheng, secretary of the Fengxian District Party Committee, Yuan Quan, chief of Fengxian District, Fu Daxu, director of Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Zhang Peirong, director of the Standing Committee of Fengxian District People’s Congress, Chen Yongzhang, chairman of Fengxian District Political Consultative Conference, Luo Dajin, deputy secretary of Fengxian District Party Committee, and Li Lei, deputy chief of Fengxian District.

Mr. Zhu Qigao, deputy director of the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality

Mr. Li Zheng, secretary of the Fengxian District Party Committee

Mr. Liu Ping, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Economic and Informatization Commission

Ms. Rebecca Pun, commissioner for Innovation and Technology, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region of the People’s Republic of China

Mr. Shen Jianzhong, deputy director of the China National Center for Biotechnology Development

Zhu Qigao, deputy director of STCSM, Li Zheng, secretary of the Fengxian District Party Committee, Liu Ping, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Economic and Informatization Commission, Rebecca Pun, commissioner for Innovation and Technology, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region of the People’s Republic of China, and Shen Jianzhong, deputy director of the China National Center for Biotechnology Development, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony.

Mr. Yuan Quan, chief of Fengxian District

After that, Mr. Yuan Quan, chief of the Fengxian District, introduced technological innovations in biomedicine and the development of the industry in Fengxian. He pointed out that it is necessary to accelerate the development of the biomedical industry, expand and strengthen the industrial ecosphere, and continue to promote the Oriental Beauty Valley brand, making more contributions to building a world-class biomedical industry cluster in Shanghai.

Mr. Li Jinsong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the Key State Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, CAS

The event also witnessed wonderful reports on cell therapy’s cutting-edge technology and market outlook, the sustainable development of the modern pharmaceutical industry, China’s independent development of innovative drugs, and biotechnology. The reports were given by Li Jinsong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the Key State Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, CAS, Xu Fujie, deputy director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Beijing, Jiang Jiandong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Yiping W. Han, academician of American Academy of Microbiology and professor of Columbia University, Feng Xiangdong, head of Drug Technology R&D Department of Novartis Institute of BioMedical Research, Su Weiguo, executive director, CEO, and Chief Scientific Officer of Hutchison Whampoa Pharmaceutical Shanghai Co., Ltd., and Garry Neil, president and CEO of Avalo Therapeutics.

Mr. Jiang Jiandong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering

Mr. Jiang Jiandong thoroughly reviewed drug development in China and called for more attention to this field. The successful application of artemisinin and arsenic trioxide shows that the world has recognized China for its drug research. Many of China’s original drugs are derived from plants, minerals, and microorganisms. Compared with single-target Western drugs, they feature multiple components and address symptoms and root causes.

Not long ago, HUTCHMED, a representative company of innovative drugs in China, announced that FRESCO-2, a global phase III study of fruquintinib for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, had reached the primary endpoint, which was a milestone in China’s efforts to promote the innovative drug to patients around the world. At the conference, Dr. Su said that HUTCHMED, focusing on clinical efficacy, will continue to pursue and produce innovative first-rate, China-made drugs.

Launch of biomedical industry index

The “2022 Biomedical Industry Index” was released at the conference. Based on the leading biomedical data system of HY Research, the index is developed using quantification with multiple indicators to identify the directions and priority areas of investment and financing in the primary biomedical market. Building on how the Yiyun index is compiled, the new index also refers to the observation of, and research on, cutting-edge technologies and innovation trends by the Shanghai Center of Biomedicine Development and the insight into the development of the biomedical industry by Oriental Beauty Valley.

As indicated by the contribution of each sector between 2020 and the first quarter of 2022, drugs made up half of the investment and financing in the biomedical field, while the proportion of the service and digital health sector fell due to the pandemic. In the meantime, the contribution by medical devices gradually increased to 35% in the first half of 2022. Excessive valuation and repeated innovation have led to a correction in some fields. However, the biomedical industry has maintained steady growth despite periodic under-valuation and market clearing.

Promising future for disruptive technology

The closed-door meeting refers to a high-end forum on disruptive biomedical technologies. At a time when technologies like artificial intelligence and virtual reality are developing swiftly, this forum, defined by innovative thinking, focused on discovering directions for disruptive technology. Present were some of the “35 Innovators Under 35” in the Asia-Pacific region, including Cao Zhixing, professor and doctoral supervisor of the East China University of Science and Technology, Xiang Bin, founder and CEO of CommBio Therapeutics, and Li Lingsong, founder and chairman of Shanghai Ruijikang Biomedicine Co., Ltd. and researcher of the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute in the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In addition, a group of top scientists, young sci-tech professionals, and technological entrepreneurs from cutting-edge fields also gathered and discussed topics such as digital twins and metaverse, the development of new drugs for gene therapy in bacterial vectors, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). Centered on key technological innovations and breakthroughs, the closed-door meeting tried to promote the biomedical industry with new models of technological development.

Stay tuned for upcoming events

There were also sub-forums on ten hotspot issues, including “Advances in Nucleic Acid Medicine and Technology,” “Clinical Trial of Innovative Vaccine,” “Frontiers in Cell Therapy and Its Application,” and “Collaborative & Innovative Development of Biomedicine in the Yangtze River Delta,” “R&D and Application of Antibody Drugs,” “Biomedical Engineering Technology and Innovation,” “Innovation in Green Medicine,” “Management of Human Genetic Resources and Biosafety” and “Innovative Application of Synthetic Biology.” People engaged in those industries from all over China gathered at the sub-forums from August 18th to 19th to share their experiences and ideas. In addition, the virtual Sino-ROK Biotechnology Investment Forum will take place in the same period.

At the “Innovation, Quality, and Efficiency – Forum on Collaborative Innovation and Development in Biomedicine in the Yangtze River Delta,” the first “Party Building Alliance for Biomedical Innovation Service in Shanghai” was unveiled to realize “Big Service” through “Big Party Building.” The alliance is a meaningful attempt at building an innovative party-building organization in the field of biomedicine that serves the whole Yangtze River Delta region, which will help implement the national strategy of the region’s integrated development and be an influential model of an industrial party-building alliance.

The 12th Shanghai Medical Devices and Biotechnology Exhibition were held simultaneously at the BIO-MED online exhibition hall, where exhibitors such as Roche Pharmaceuticals China, Agilent Technologies, Amgen Biotech, and Fosun Pharma released their latest products, fully displaying the innovativeness and vitality of the biomedical industry in Shanghai.