Beijing introduces measures to boost pharmaceutical innovation

BEIJING -- Beijing has introduced the latest version of a comprehensive package comprising 32 new measures to support the development of the innovative pharmaceutical industry, local authorities announced on Monday.

The plan, co-issued by Beijing Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau and another eight authorities, include measures to slash the clinical trial start-up time to under 20 weeks, launch a fully automated biobank for key diseases, develop AI models for pathology and drug development, and launch a 50-billion-yuan (about 6.95 billion U.S. dollars) health care industry fund.

These measures will stimulate the overall vitality of innovative pharmaceutical enterprises further, boost research and development capabilities, and enhance health care services, the bureau said.

The 2025 policy package builds on last year's reforms, which drove 8.7 percent year-on-year growth in Beijing's health care sector, leading its total value to exceed 1 trillion yuan for the first time. Previous developments include accelerated clinical trials, streamlined rare disease drug approvals and fast-track channels for urgently needed imported medicines.