AstraZeneca returning for sixth successive expo

By participating in the China International Import Expo for the sixth successive year with cutting-edge healthcare products and solutions, AstraZeneca, a United Kingdom-headquartered global pharmaceutical company, is underlining its unwavering commitment to the Chinese market.

This year's CIIE kicked off in Shanghai on Sunday and will end on Nov 10. A large pharmaceutical company by revenue in China, AstraZeneca has participated in the expo since its inaugural edition in 2018. For the sixth session, AstraZeneca will exhibit its achievements over the past three decades in China at its 1,000-square-meter main booth, showcasing innovative therapies and new drugs involved in such areas as tumors, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and rare diseases. Two of its flagship innovative drugs are debuting at the CIIE this year.

During the expo, the company plans to announce the latest progress of its investment and business layout in China and expects to ink collaborations with several local enterprises to jointly establish world-level production bases, develop new drugs and help Chinese enterprises go global.

With confidence in China's research and innovation capabilities, AstraZeneca will establish a global R&D subcenter in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Currently, there are more than 180 projects in the company's R&D China pipeline, and R&D of key projects is on par with progress outside China. In response to the country's dual carbon goals, AstraZeneca will utilize the expo to display results in promoting green and sustainable development in terms of drug research, production and operation, business models and other fields.

Sustainable Markets Initiative China Council, founded in August 2022, will host the inauguration of a health system working group at AstraZeneca's exhibition booth. The first batch of group members is expected to have 16 companies engaging in medical care, energy and supply chain sectors.

As co-chair of the working group, AstraZeneca will work with all parties in contributing to the sustainable development of China's medical industry.

Earlier efforts of the company in driving green and low-carbon transformation included its production bases in Wuxi and Taizhou, Jiangsu province, which have been building themselves into smart and zero-carbon factories.

During this year's CIIE, Astra-Zeneca is expected to sign a new strategic cooperation memorandum with the Wuxi High-Tech Zone, and a new investment cooperation agreement on the Taizhou project with the Jiangsu provincial government. The investment agreement aims to introduce core technologies of diabetes drugs and related production and supply chains to build Taizhou into a global production base of AstraZeneca in relation to diabetes.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of AstraZeneca entering the Chinese market. Since 1993, the company has continued to contribute cutting-edge technologies and boost local innovation strength.

China is AstraZeneca's second-largest market in the world and an important part of its global research, development, supply and innovation networks.

"The CIIE is a pioneering initiative by China that benefits the whole world through the development of China's economy," said Wang Lei, executive vice-president of AstraZeneca. As an old friend of the CIIE, AstraZeneca has taken 'always optimistic about the Chinese market and increasing investment in China' as the theme for its activities in the expo," Wang noted.

This year, AstraZeneca is scheduled to bring more global medical solutions to Chinese patients, and promote the implementation of more Chinese innovation projects through investment in a bid to offer more world-class made-in-China options for global patients.

"Through the CIIE, we hope to further attract attention and expand cooperation with local partners. Also, by conducting high-level collaborative and innovative projects, we hope to help stimulate China's innovation capacity, promote high-quality and sustainable development of its economy and consolidate our commitment to the country," Wang said.

AstraZeneca has constantly increased its investments in manufacturing in China. This year the company has made two rounds of investment in its manufacturing and supply base for inhalation aerosols in Qingdao, Shandong province, bringing the project's total investment to $700 million. During the expo, the second-phase construction of the plant will be initiated.

The new factory will be designed and constructed in line with the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold standard, and promote green and low-carbon development in the region by using solar energy and local green electricity.

Through the CIIE, AstraZeneca has established ties with local governments across the country, facilitating its efforts to set up regional headquarters in Beijing, Guangzhou in Guangdong province, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, Chengdu in Sichuan province, and Qingdao.