Pharma innovations gain traction abroad

Chinese pharmaceutical innovations are gaining greater scientific visibility, as a growing number of high-quality clinical studies led by domestic researchers appear in leading international medical journals, experts and business insiders said.

A recent example is a Phase III ovarian cancer study which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, one of the highest-impact journals in oncology, marking a rare milestone for a Chinese researcher-led gynecological cancer trial in the journal.

The study, known as FZOCUS-1, evaluated fuzuloparib, a PARP inhibitor developed by Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd. It tested the drug, with or without apatinib, as a first-line maintenance therapy and provided stratified evidence to guide treatment based on patients' genetic profiles, specifically their BRCA and HRD status.

Conducted over six years at 54 hospitals across China, the study demonstrated that fuzuloparib-based maintenance therapy significantly delayed disease progression compared with a placebo.

"The research, designed and completed by Chinese teams, provides solid evidence that can help improve treatment decisions in China and abroad," said Wu Lingying, the study's principal investigator from the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

Wang Quanren, vice-president of Hengrui Pharma, said the publication reflects the rising scientific credibility of China's drug innovation.

While China's PARP inhibitor market has become increasingly competitive, Wang told China Daily that the FZOCUS-1 findings should be understood as a shift in treatment standards rather than a mere battle for market share.

Industry analysts said such high-level evidence strengthens physicians' confidence and influences clinical decisionmaking, and may translate into sustainable commercial value.

The milestone reflects a wider maturation of China's life sciences capabilities. According to the 2025 China Life Sciences and Biotechnology Development Report, China published 255,903 life sciences papers in 2024, representing a 10-year compound annual growth rate of 11.35 percent. China's share of global life sciences publications rose to 28.67 percent in 2024, nearly doubling from 2015.

China's drug regulator has also accelerated approvals of domestically developed innovative products. The National Medical Products Administration reported that in the first half of 2025, 43 new innovative drugs were approved, including 40 developed domestically, marking a 59 percent increase year-on-year.

Zhang Fangning, a partner at McKinsey & Company, told China Daily that China's innovation system has proven highly effective in driving innovation in a fast and cost-effective manner, supported by "an innovation-conducive macro environment, a dense local ecosystem and a strong talent base".

However, she noted that first-in-class innovation requires deeper translational research, long-term investment and stronger academic-industry linkages — areas that are still evolving.

"The key question is not how many papers are published," one brokerage analyst wrote in a recent note, "but how many of these innovations ultimately translate into globally adopted therapies."

Hengrui Pharma is already moving to address this challenge. The company has initiated an international multicenter clinical trial of fuzuloparib for prostate cancer study in Europe, where patient enrollment has been completed and follow-up is ongoing.

Wang said publication in a top-tier journal serves as a form of "scientific credibility endorsement" that can support overseas regulatory engagement and collaboration.

"The publication demonstrates our ability to design, execute and publish clinical research at international standards," Wang said, adding that it helps build trust with regulators, investigators and potential partners abroad.

lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn