Chongqing, a key economic hub in southwest China, has unveiled a plan to support the development of innovative drugs as the country steps up its push for scientific and technological self-reliance.
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Key goals include having one to three innovative drugs approved for market launch each year by 2027 and building three innovative drug industry clusters to encourage joint research and development (R&D) and technology transfers, with the authorities pledging support for innovative enterprises, research institutes and universities to lead their establishment.
“Focusing on breakthroughs in core technologies for innovative drugs and accelerating product development, we will continuously optimise the industrial innovation system,” the municipal government said in a 25-point plan released to the public on Thursday.
Proposals for the country’s next five-year plan, which will guide economic development from 2026 to 2030, include accelerating the sci-tech self-reliance drive and supporting the development of innovative drugs.
Chongqing, traditionally a manufacturing-driven industrial base, saw its first Class 1 innovative drug – an injectable treatment for psoriasis – receive market approval last year.
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According to the National Medical Products Administration, a Class 1 innovative drug is one that contains new compounds with clear structures and pharmacological effects, has clinical value, and has not been marketed anywhere in the world before.
Chongqing joins a growing list of Chinese economic hubs aligning themselves with key innovative industries, such as Hefei positioning itself as a centre for the production of electric vehicles, Shenzhen as an artificial intelligence (AI) hub, and Hangzhou’s focus on AI, robotics and advanced manufacturing.