China rises to world's second place in new drug development

BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China has risen to the world's second place in terms of new drug development, with domestic drugs under research accounting for over a fifth of the global total, a health official said on Thursday.

In recent years, a series of innovative medicines developed by China -- including some anti-cancer drugs -- have been approved for market launch, filling gaps in the country's portfolio of homegrown treatments, said Guo Yanhong, deputy head of the National Health Commission.

Guo added that one of the new drugs, Zanubrutinib, has received approval for use in many other countries.

At a press conference on China's healthcare progress from 2021 to 2025, the official also highlighted the country's advances in high-end medical device development.

Breakthroughs include a homegrown photon-counting CT scanner with up to triple the resolution of traditional machines, faster scans, and lower radiation exposure. Domestically developed orthopedic and soft-tissue surgical robots are improving precision and reducing trauma, while ECMO machines, artificial hearts, and proton and heavy-ion therapy systems have also been independently developed and deployed in hospitals.

These innovations are helping more patients access affordable, cutting-edge, domestically produced medical equipment, Guo said.

Additionally, the official underlined homegrown innovations in disease prevention and treatment, citing a new therapy for immunotherapy-resistant metastatic colorectal cancer developed under a major national science and technology program.

According to Guo, the therapy increased treatment response rates from 13 percent to 44 percent and extended patients' progression-free survival by 61 percent, achieving the best outcomes internationally in this field.

China's medical technology innovations have strengthened its healthcare capacity and technical capability, playing a vital role in safeguarding people's health, Guo said.