Gao Bo An, Global Collaboration Ambassador of the Zhangjiang Pharma Valley Conference: From "Bringing Global Drugs to China" to "Taking Chinese Innovation to the World"

Thank you very much. I am deeply honored and delighted to stand here today as an ambassador for the Shanghai International Biomedical Industry Week.

In fact, I have been in Shanghai for many years, and being able to participate in such a platform and organization is something truly special for me.

Here, allow me to thank the organizers for giving me the opportunity to participate in the Shanghai International Biomedicine Industry Week.We thank the Shanghai government for its long-standing commitment to advancing the biomedicine sector and fostering the development of the pharmaceutical industry, making significant contributions to global health.

Distinguished guests, colleagues, and friends, for today's keynote address, I simply wish to share a set of data with you and pose one question.

When I came to China in 1990, my job was to introduce global medicines into the country. Today, my focus has shifted to: how to enable Chinese pharmaceuticals to better reach the world.

For a significant portion of my career, I worked at multinational pharmaceutical companies. This afternoon, however, I would like to focus on how China's homegrown scientific research is shaping the global health industry.

According to McKinsey data, China's share of the global biopharmaceutical R&D pipeline was only around 2% in 2015 but has since risen to approximately one-third. For the multinational enterprises present here, this means that China is emerging as a critical source of innovation that must be actively engaged through strategic partnerships and collaboration.

However, a drug pipeline is merely a vision; it does not mean that patients are already benefiting from these medicines. Therefore, I believe we must uphold a higher standard for what constitutes true innovation.

Developing a new molecule against a single known target is far from sufficient. True innovation must deliver tangible clinical benefits. We must strive for better treatment outcomes, reduce the burden on patients, and ensure that new diagnostic and therapeutic solutions are affordable for more healthcare systems.

Here, I would like to cite a real-world example: a cell therapy from China that was developed through international collaboration. In multinational clinical trials, it demonstrated an improvement in overall survival for patients with multiple myeloma. This clearly illustrates the kind of achievements that can be realized when China's scientific and research capabilities are combined with international development expertise.

The gap between scientific advancement and patient accessibility remains a central issue on today's agenda.

When patients judge the value of an innovation, they look at whether they can access the treatment locally when they truly need it, and whether they can afford it.

A single agreement cannot establish a complete patient care pathway. Patients require credible clinical evidence, regulatory approval, financial security, a stable supply chain, and clinicians with the necessary expertise. Similarly, once a medical device leaves the factory and is put into use, it requires ongoing operational support and personnel training.

Therefore, I urge everyone to consider: the nations that waited the longest for the previous generation of pharmaceuticals and medical technologies should not remain the last to benefit from this wave of innovation. This includes Southeast Asia, Africa, and the broader Global South.

This is precisely where Shanghai's value lies and the reason behind the unique influence of the Shanghai International Biopharmaceutical Industry Week.

Shanghai, and Zhangjiang in particular, offers the world opportunities that extend far beyond any single company, project, or asset; instead, it is cultivating a comprehensive, world-class innovation ecosystem.

Scientific research, healthcare institutions, technology, and capital can converge here to transform research concepts into actual diagnostic and treatment solutions.

Therefore, our criteria for evaluating this grand event should not be limited to whether it merely convened another conference on biomedicine or healthcare.

More importantly, can we enable international partners to truly integrate into this innovation ecosystem and jointly bring innovation to patients?

In this process, the government plays a very important role.

We have already heard extensive discussion on this matter today. The government can foster collaboration between research and capital, improve infrastructure, establish trusted partnerships, ensure policy continuity, and pave the way for long-term cooperation.

The Shanghai municipal government's ongoing development of these capabilities stands as compelling evidence. In Zhangjiang, we are already witnessing this progress firsthand.

For multinational corporations, I believe China should be integrated into global strategy and R&D systems much earlier, rather than being viewed merely as a market destination.

For domestic Chinese enterprises and research institutions, R&D should be initiated at the project's inception with a global perspective, targeting patients worldwide and addressing diverse national healthcare systems to truly focus on unmet medical needs.

This is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. And every person here today is both a participant and a driver of this process.

Therefore, for today's panel discussion, I hope it can truly be put into practice.

We have gathered here not to marvel at these impressive figures, but to identify: what exactly remains the obstacle preventing research findings from truly reaching clinical practice?

Later, we will also hold three panel discussions that examine the same issue from three different perspectives: what role should China play in addressing global health challenges?

We will discuss with our UK partners how the payment system can bear the cost of innovative treatments, as well as address healthcare accessibility in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Global South.

When it comes to medical devices, we cannot focus solely on product delivery and installation; we must also address subsequent staff training, operations, and whether the device can truly integrate into daily clinical workflows.

We will also discuss the collaborations required to translate research findings into clinical practice.

For example, regulatory authorities across different countries and regions need to establish better coordination and mutual trust.

When evidence is sufficient and conditions are ripe, can we reduce redundant regulatory work and improve the efficiency of cross-border approvals and circulation without compromising safety standards?

For another example, when a drug receives approval, can payment assurance, supply chain readiness, and clinical application preparation be advanced simultaneously?

If these steps are not all in place simultaneously, even if a product receives approval, it does not mean that patients can immediately access effective treatment.

I hope the ensuing discussion can be as concrete and practical as possible.

We must identify the real obstacles that exist in reality, clarify what decisions need to be made, and determine who will drive implementation in the next step.

I have always believed that the true leaders who will drive this industry forward in the future will not be those seeking one-off transactions, but rather participants committed to deep, long-term collaboration and placing high value on mutual trust.

Trust is not won through a contract, but built through long-term accumulation. Partners must be open, share evidence, and honor their commitments. Even when clinical trial results fall short of expectations or challenges arise in advancing patient access, as long as both parties remain willing to confront issues openly and continue collaborating, trust will only deepen.

So, my final suggestion for today is actually quite simple.

I hope that by the time the meeting concludes, everyone will have identified a partner, pinpointed a specific patient access issue, and determined the next steps.

Select a specific drug or technology and invite clinicians, regulatory authorities, and payers to engage in a joint discussion.

Clearly designate the project manager and set measurable goals.

Then, when we return here next year, I hope everyone can provide genuine progress reports to one another. For instance: Has a clinical trial been launched? Has the approval pathway been further clarified? Has treatment funding been secured? Do hospitals meet the conditions required to adopt this new technology? Can physicians and their teams apply it safely and in accordance with regulations?

I would like to say: Let Shanghai become a new starting point, and let Zhangjiang serve as a key node.

Here, let us connect with one another.

Ultimately, the standard by which we judge success should be whether patients worldwide have gained better health and well-being as a result. This must also serve as our criterion for evaluating the success of this conference.

Thank you all.