New anti-cancer drugs among main highlights of CIIE

World-leading pharmaceutical enterprises pledged during a news conference on Tuesday to introduce new anti-cancer products at the second China International Import Expo which will take place from Nov 5 to 10 in Shanghai.

The area showcasing anti-cancer products and solutions will be a key component of this year's fair, said Shi Huangjun, deputy secretary of the Party committee of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) Co Ltd.

Wu Kun, head of Pfizer China, said that the company will present several innovative drugs at the upcoming trade fair, including a breakthrough therapy for advanced breast cancer. He explained that this is because cancer research is a hot topic in the pharmaceutical industry and has been receiving considerable media attention in recent times. In addition, cancer cases are rising in the country every year.

Wu added that the reform of the national registration policy for new drugs has resulted in the faster approval of new pharmaceutical products over the years, and that the pace of new drugs being introduced into the Chinese market today is comparable to that of European countries and the United States.

Also in attendance at the conference was Liu Jianbin, market director of Elekta China, a medical enterprise specializing in radiotherapy treatment for tumors. Liu said that China, which is now the second largest radiotherapy market in the world, is poised to overtake the US and become the first within three years.

Zhang Likun, vice-president of MSD China, said that the company will display high-quality innovative drugs, vaccines and animal health products and services to help promote the Chinese government's HealthyChina2030project. MSD, also known as Merck&Co in the US, will have a stand that measures almost 800squaremeters at this year's fair, he added.

Other major pharmaceutical companies that attended the conference and expressed an intent to participate in the second CIIE were Roche and Johnson & Johnson.