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China Is a Source of Innovation for Pharmaceutical Industry, AstraZeneca’s Executive VP Says

AstraZeneca sees China as a source of innovation, not only for China but for the globe, according to the executive vice president of the UK pharmaceutical giant.

“You can see that AstraZeneca regards China as a source of innovation from a number of recent business development efforts that we have made in the country,” David Fredrickson told Yicai at the World Economic Forum.

AstraZeneca cooperated with AbleZeta and Gracell Bio on cell therapy, with KYM Biosciences on an antibody drug conjugate for gastric and liver cancers, and with Eccogene on the development of oral GLP-1 medicine, Fredrickson noted, adding that these are examples from the past several months of how AstraZeneca sees China as a great contributor to global innovation in the oncology space.

China has always been an important market to bring innovative medicines for AstraZeneca, Fredrickson pointed out. Since entering the Chinese market in the 1990s, the company has launched over 40 innovative medicines and has now reached a total of over 16,000 employees in research and development, manufacturing, and sales and marketing in the country, he added.

Commenting on the changes brought in by the coronavirus pandemic and steps to take to be ready for a potential new pandemic, Fredrickson said that the healthcare sector came together to address Covid-19, becoming more resilient and sustainable.

However, the industry still needs to ensure that there are public-private partnerships focused on the highest areas of unmet need for diseases and of possible future pandemics, focus on system resilience by investing in health more than the treatment of sickness, and provide a regulatory framework that allows us to meet response and deliver medicines equitably around the globe, Fredrickson explained.