China Direct

Major China drug approval for AstraZeneca

 

China has become the first country to approve CBI member, AstraZeneca’s new anaemia drug. The new medication, which has been developed with FibroGen, is awaiting approval from the American and European regulators.

AstraZeneca expects the new medication to launch in China during the second half of 2019.

AstraZeneca has already brought 30 new products to market in China and has almost doubled sales in the market since 2012. The China market generates nearly a fifth of the pharmaceuticals company’s revenue.

The company’s latest offering, Roxadustat, is a first of its kind oral anaemia treatment called a hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl inhibitor. AstraZeneca have taken a novel and innovative approach to treat anaemia which involves using this inhibitor to mimic the body’s response to being at high altitude to boost the production of red blood cells.

Roxadustat has been approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration to be administered to patients suffering from anaemia caused by chronic kidney disease who are on dialysis. The new pill is being advertised as a more convenient alternative to receiving injectable blood enhancers, known as EPOs (erythropoietin) and is less invasive course of treatment than being on dialysis.

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease in China is already relatively high at 10.8% and is predicted to increase over the next few decades, especially among rural regions. The rise in the number of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease is linked to associated surges in the number of people suffering from diabetes and hypertension caused by environmental and behavioural changes linked to China’s socio-economic development. The World Health Organisation has identified obesity in China as a major health concern, with obesity levels in some cities being as high as 20%. Environmental and behavioural changes have been identified as the main casual factor for chronic kidney disease, diabetes and obesity, in the countryside prevalence is much lower across the board; 5%.

AstraZeneca’s Roxadustat medication should make it easier to dispense medication nation-wide and ensure that patients living in rural areas are not deprived treatment because of the costs and reliance on dialysis. Currently 90% of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease undertake a course of haemodialysis, but this treatment plan requires a medical facility to have relatively sophisticated and expensive equipment and facilities in place.

The company recently announced plans to increase R&D capacity in China, demonstrating AstraZeneca’s commitment to the market. The company recorded 12% y/y growth this year and plans to bring 7 new medications to market from their bases in Wuxi and Taizhou in Jiangsu province.

Please read more here.

GSK launches phase two of lung disease treatment project in China

CBI member, GSK has launched phase 2 of its Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) treatment and diagnosis project in Beijing.

COPD is an umbrella term used to describe progressive lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis and refractory (chronic asthma). Latest research has shown that there are 99.9 million COPD patients in China, over 80% of whom haven’t received proper medical treatment, such as lung function tests.

As a result of the high levels of industrial pollution in China, lung cancer tops China’s malignant tumour incidence rate, recording 730,000 new lung cancer patients in 2015. This statistic accounts for nearly 36% of the world’s total.

GSK’s “Xing Fu Hu Xi” (Happy Breath) campaign has been designed to better promote the implementation of the national policy for tiered treatment of COPD, and to promote standardised and long-term management of COPD across various levels of healthcare institutions.

During Phase One of the Happy Breath Campaign, more than 200,000 people received COPD screening and over 15,000 people conducted the lung function test.

With Phase Two, GSK hopes to involve a further 1,500 medical institutions to the scheme and add to the current 8 pilot areas (Gansu, Guizhou, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong and Henan) by including Zhejiang province and expanding into two subsequent provinces.

The second phase of the project also aims to build on GSK’s recently launched online training system for COPD diagnosis. Launched in June 2018, GSK’s new platform allows doctors to study towards certification in standardised COPD diagnosis and treatment. According to GSK’s Phase One Report, around 120,000 pulmonary specialists participated in online activities organised as part of the Happy Breath Campaign.

Thomas Willemsen, General Manager, GSK China said, “GSK has over 30 years of experience in respiratory diseases in China and is committed to improving public healthcare capabilities in chronic airways diseases, including COPD […] the project will provide clinical data to drive the implementation of government policy on COPD tiered diagnosis and treatment. It will help to enhance disease management for COPD among physicians of all levels and provide guidelines for appropriate medication, so as to reduce the disease burden of COPD patients and improve their quality of life.”

Please read more about GSK’s work to tackle respiratory diseases in China here.

Cervarix is approved for cervical cancer prevention in mainland China

 

CBI Member GSK announced today the age limit of its HPV vaccine Cervarix has been approved to extend to 45 years according to the results of technical review from the Centre of Drug Evaluation, China National Drug Administration (CNDA)*.  With the approval, it has become currently the only vaccine for cervical cancer prevention in the female population aged 9-45 years in mainland China.

Cervical cancer is caused by persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in female genital tract. The incidence and mortality rate of cervical cancer ranks the highest of all malignant tumors in the female reproductive system in China1, with about 100,000 new cases and 30,000 cases of death per year. HPV16 and HPV18 are the most common high-risk HPV types in cervical cancer. In China, more than 84.5% cases of squamous carcinoma of cervix are related with persistent infection of the two high-risk HPV types2. The first peak is 15-24 years and the second peak is 40-44 years for high-risk HPV infection in Chinese women.

Please read more here .

UK & China offer AMR (antimicrobial resistance) research funding

UK researchers can apply for a share of up to £10 million for joint projects with Chinese partners to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Innovate UK is to invest up to £10 million in UK businesses, on behalf of the Department of Health. The Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) will invest up to 60 million RMB to fund the Chinese partners. The aim is to support novel projects that neither country would be able to conduct within the same timeframe without the other’s expertise. These should develop new products or services against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The closing date for registration is 15 May 2018 for Chinese applicants and 30 May 2018 for UK applicants.  For more guidance on how to apply and assessment criteria please read the competition guidance: For UK applicants: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/98/overview For Chinese applicants: http://www.most.gov.cn/mostinfo/xinxifenlei/fgzc/gfxwj/gfxwj2018/201803/t20180326_138789.htm  For further information please get in touch with the contacts listed in the above links.

 

Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) : UK-China funding competition opens

Innovate UK has announced the opening of a new collaborative competition between the UK and China to develop solutions that address the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will invest up to £10 million in UK businesses and academia. This will be delivered through Innovate UK. The Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology will invest up to 60 million Renminbi to fund the Chinese partners.

Please read more here.

CBI makes the case for British Business in China

 

CBI MAKES THE CASE FOR BRITISH BUSINESS IN CHINA

The CBI’s Director-General is visiting China this week on a trade visit with the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Theresa May.

Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI Director-General, said:

“The Sino-British relationship is a tremendous success story. From services to schools, and iPhones to tea, our countries have a special and integral place in each other’s lives.

“British businesses are keen to play their part in further deepening and engraining the economic ties between China and the United Kingdom. With the consumer market alone worth over £3.3 trillion, this relationship creates thousands of jobs in the UK and China, raising living standards and boosting productivity.

“As the UK forges a new global trading future, it is well ahead of the curve in making the most of its relationship with the world’s fastest growing economy. By making inroads into China’s lesser economically known regions, the UK stands to profit from China’s move from manufacturing and infrastructure into technology and services, writing a new chapter in the golden era of relations.”

30 January 2018

Notes to Editors:

Read the CBI’s latest report on British trade and investment with China, Sterling Assets China.

Across the UK, the CBI speaks on behalf of 190,000 businesses of all sizes and sectors. The CBI’s corporate members together employ nearly 7 million people, about one third of private sector-employees. With offices in the UK as well as representation in Brussels, Washington, Beijing and Delhi, the CBI communicates the British business voice around the world.

Media Contact:

CBI Press Office is available 24 hours a day on 0207 395 8239, or email: press.office@cbi.org.uk. Follow the CBI (@CBItweets), Carolyn Fairbairn (CBICarolyn) and CBI China (CBIBEIJING) on Twitter.

GSK launches joint China healthcare project in Guangzhou

Supported by CBI member GSK, “New Respiration and Frequent Care” online management platform for patients with asthma in China (“the project”) was launched today in Guangzhou to improve the asthma control level.

Organised by Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease (GIRD) and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, the project aims to establish a standardised and nationwide asthma patient registry database to improve the diagnosis and treatment of asthma in China and patients’ self-management capabilities.

The project is expected to last for three years. The first 12 months will cover 56 hospitals from eight regions, including Liaoning, Beijing, Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei, Shanghai, Zhejiang and Guangdong.

Tapping on the mobile and digital technologies, the project will establish a closed-loop asthma management system based on the asthma patient registry database comprising outpatients’ treatment and their self-management outside hospital.

In this way, the project encourages closer communication between doctors and patients for an improved asthma control rate.

Please read more here.

GSK announces new China healthcare initiative

Supported by GSK, "Happy Breath", COPD Tiered Diagnosis and Treatment Project (“the project”) was launched in Beijing. The project is organised by the Chinese Association for Health Promotion and Education, the Respiratory Subspecialty Cluster of China-Japan Friendship Hospital and the Telemedicine Management Training Centre of National Health and Family Planning Commission, and co-organised by the Chinese Association of Chest Physicians.

Tapping on the benefits of Subspecialty Cluster and telemedicine, it is designed to better promote and implement COPD tiered diagnosis and treatment, and improve grassroots health capabilities. The project is expected to last for three years, benefiting around 18 million Chinese citizens.

The first 12 months will cover all the hospitals and healthcare clinics in the eight selected pilot cities/areas. It aims to enhance grassroots health capabilities through online and offline trainings, telemedicine and tele-discussion on difficult cases, the suitable use of guideline recommended COPD treatment and spirometry test. It will also encourage the two-way referral and synergy between pulmonary specialists and general practitioners for an enhanced tiered-healthcare system and better COPD disease management.

The objective of disease education is to raise public awareness on COPD and encourage early screening and appropriate treatment for a better health outcome.

Please read more here.

GSK partners with Ali Health to launch China online health platform

 

CBI member GSK China and Ali Health jointly announced a strategic partnership to launch an innovative adult vaccination service system. The system will include online disease education and consultation, online HCP appointment booking, and deliver convenient online-to-offline (O2O) end-to-end service for users.

Moreover, community healthcare service centres nationwide can utilise this platform to manage vaccination enquiries and requests. This will help enhance efficiency at the centres and help reduce costs and workload, thus optimising public healthcare institutions’s resources.

By year-end, the platform is expected to cover 1500 community healthcare service centres in more than one hundred cities nationwide, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Wuhan. As living standard improves, people’s approach of healthcare has been gradually shifting from "disease treatment" to "disease prevention".

However, there is still a lack of adequate disease prevention awareness among the general public, including knowledge of the means and pathways of disease prevention. For example, many adults are not fully aware of the government’s immunisation programmes that are available to them, or which healthcare institutions offer disease-preventing vaccination services. Innovative adult disease prevention service was created to cater exactly to this large unmet need.

Please read more here.

GSK announces two major China healthcare initiatives

 

Cervarix, first vaccine for cervical cancer prevention in mainland China, has officially launched

CBI member GSK announced that Cervarix, the first approved vaccine for cervical cancer prevention in mainland China, has been officially launched in the market. The first imported batch of Cervarix has passed inspections by quality inspection authority, and can now be supplied to the market.

This addresses the current high level of unmet medical needs of a great amount of Chinese women within the appropriate age group for a vaccine that can help prevent cervical cancer. Like other vaccines, Cervarix can be vaccinated at community hospitals and health service centres where available.

Professor Youlin Qiao, Head of Epidemiology Department, Cancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CICAMS) and Peking Union Medical College, said, “Cervical cancer is a common form of malignant tumour that severely threatens the health of women.

There are 100,000 new cases of cervical cancer in China each year, and over 30,000 deaths due to the disease. It is the third most common cancer amongst women from the ages of 15 to 44. For this reason, cervical cancer vaccination together with cervical cancer screening will significantly reduce the incidence of cervical cancer and pre-cancerous lesions, thus reducing the burden of this disease”.

Please read more here.

 

GSK aids hepatitis prevention and treatment in poverty-stricken areas of the western region

On the occasion of World Hepatitis Day, under the guidance and support of the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC), GSK and the China Health Promotion Foundation (CHPF) signed a Letter of Intent.

Under the framework of a strategic partnership, GSK will support CHPF to carry out the "Poverty Alleviation and Health Preservation - Hepatitis Prevention and Treatment" programme.

This programme will be in line with the broader strategic aims of China's "Healthy Silk Road" initiative to strengthen academic exchanges and cooperation between the western region and the southeast coastal areas of China, improve the country's prevention and treatment of hepatitis, and enhance the hepatitis prevention system and team capacity building.

To address regional discrepancies in medical treatment standards across the country, the project plans to select hospitals from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou to collectively establish the China Hepatitis Prevention Training Institute.

Aimed at supporting Western China, the Institute is expected to train local personnel who will form the backbone of hepatitis prevention and treatment network and drive improvements in the western region’s hepatitis treatment capability. The programme will also establish an expert medical team, which will visit poverty-stricken areas of the western region to carry out grassroots hepatitis prevention and control work, as well as health promotion activities.

In addition, this programme will employ a variety of approaches, including: live events, clinical consultations, health lectures, publicity displays, and media reporting, to further promote health education on the prevention and treatment of hepatitis in Western China.

Please read more here.