Bioeconomy becomes burgeoning force

The bioeconomy has led to the formation of industries of considerable size in all four major fields mentioned in the plan－medical and health, food security, biosafety and green and low-carbon－and each industry has also formed a variety of mature core products and services to meet market demand. Those industries include basic science research services, vaccine development, new drug research and development, tumor detection and molecular breeding.

In the field of agriculture, the emergence of many molecular breeding products, cash crop genome sequencing and the discovery of a large number of molecular genetic markers have provided a wide range of resources for precision molecular breeding, thanks to the advancements in gene sequencing technologies.

"As enterprises develop and apply bioeconomy technologies to meet market demand, the plan will help shape and regulate the fast development of related industries to ensure their healthy growth," Tian said.

Wei Dong, CEO of EdiGene, a Beijing-based biotech company that develops genome-editing technologies, said the company is excited about the release of the plan, calling it a visionary design to propel the growth of the biotechnology and industrial ecosystem.

"As a biotech focusing on translating gene-editing technologies into transformative therapies, we are particularly thrilled by the plan's emphasis on cutting-edge biotechnological innovation and strengthening biotech companies' role as the driving force behind such innovations," Wei said.

The plan encourages innovation in gene, stem cell and immune cell therapies through stronger collaboration among academic institutes, clinical centers and industry players to speed up translational and clinical research, forging new models of regenerative and precision medicines.

In addition, it calls for innovation alliances with networks of entities led by industry leaders to accelerate development and translation of key technology breakthroughs. It also highlights the need for global development, encouraging the industry to collaborate with global partners and set up R&D centers, manufacturing sites and commercial networks abroad.

"Such an emphasis points out the strategic road to success for the development of the bioeconomy in China. No doubt technological innovation is always the key driving force, just as we have seen," Wei said.

Gene-editing translation clusters are taking shape globally, creating thriving biotech innovation ecosystems with efficient academic-industry cooperation. This has attracted billions of dollars in investment and greatly accelerated the translation of breakthrough gene-editing technologies into transformative medicines with curative potential while contributing significantly to economic development, he said.

In China, such prototype clusters are emerging in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta region, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and other areas, he said.

After years of development, China has become the largest exporter of active pharmaceutical ingredients, which are made from organic molecules, the second-largest market for pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and a key exporter of pharmaceutical research and development. The country has witnessed a growing number of bioindustrial centers covering fields such as biomedicine, biomedical engineering, bioagriculture and biomanufacturing, which play a key role in driving regional economic growth, said Xu from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Citing the experience of advanced countries like the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Japan, Xu said China needs to ramp up efforts to support and develop national scientific research institutions and high-level research universities, establish and improve first-class scientific and technological facilities and innovation platforms, implement major innovative projects, cultivate leading enterprises, complete industrial chains, and build high-level bioindustrial clusters.

Looking at the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Xu said the country needs to ramp up efforts to make breakthroughs in key fields. These include brain science and brain-inspired technology, which aim to employ neuroscience principles to develop human-like artificial intelligence.

They also include genetics, drugs and vaccines, advanced diagnosis and treatment technology, precision medicine, medical devices and breeding technology. Xu said other areas include advancing the innovative and integrated development of biotechnology, information and materials technology and advanced manufacturing.

More efforts should also be made to promote the construction of national labs in the field, advance the training of talent and deepen institutional reforms in fields like the clinical evaluation of drugs, Xu added.

Wang Xuegong, vice-president of the China Pharmaceutical Enterprises Association, said China needs to increase investment in basic research in key fields such as next-generation biotechnology and promote the convergence of development in biotechnology and information technology. Other needs include improving mechanisms for applying scientific and technological achievements, increasing financial support for innovative enterprises, and encouraging foreign companies to set up R&D centers and production centers for innovative drugs, Wang said.