A symposium was held for selected companies in the 9th round of national centralized drug procurement on the morning of November 6. The event provided in-depth insights into the current trends, investment opportunities and cooperation space in the biopharmaceutical industry. This aims to further support the development of Fengxian as a destination for prominent brands in the biopharmaceutical sector and a vital hub for Shanghai in creating a world-class biopharmaceutical industry cluster. Xia Kejia, Director of the Shanghai Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau, and Yuan Quan, Secretary of the CPC Fengxian District Committee, were present at the meeting and delivered speeches. Wang Yiqun, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Fengxian District Committee and District Mayor, provided an overview of the district's relevant information.

Xia Kejia extended heartfelt thanks to the CPC Fengxian District Committee and district government, and the attending companies for their strong support in the 9th round of national centralized drug procurement. He pointed out that the procurement program aims to lower the cost burden of drugs on the public, regulate the circulation of pharmaceutical products, and and enhance the safety of medication usage. This is to provide better access to medical treatment for the general population. It is crucial to intensify the research and development of innovative drugs, continuously improve the application of independent innovation and research achievements. Attention should also be given to generic drugs, encouraging the participation of high-quality generic drugs in fair market competition to effectively reduce patient medication costs and insurance expenditure. Xia expressed hope that the attending companies would have a full understanding of Fengxian, invest in Fengxian, while emphasizing that Fengxian should seize opportunities, accentuate its strengths, and increase efforts in attracting investment to establish itself as a prominent hub for the biopharmaceutical industry.

Yuan Quan emphasized that the biopharmaceutical industry is among Shanghai's top three priority industries for development. In recent years, Fengxian has established two municipal-level biopharmaceutical industrial parks, known as the "Oriental Beauty Valley" and the "Life Science Blue Bay," facilitating the continuous growth of the biopharmaceutical sector. Looking ahead, it is important to enhance the industrial and innovation ecosystem, with a focus on the "five innovations" of fundamental theories, underlying technologies, disruptive projects, interdisciplinary integration, and commercialization and application. Key efforts should be devoted to advancing the research and development of critical technologies and nurturing more trending products. Fengxian is committed to creating a favorable business environment and providing outstanding support services to enterprises. It will expedite the implementation of mature projects while fueling innovation and development of pioneering projects. Yuan expressed a desire for major pharmaceutical companies to explore opportunities in Fengxian and contribute ideas and resources for the high-quality development of the biopharmaceutical industry in the district.

Representatives from companies like Fresenius Kabi and Chia Tai Tianqing delivered speeches during the event. Wang Chun, Deputy Chief of the Fengxian District People's Government attended the meeting.

Following the meeting, Shi Zihai, Vice Administrator of the National Healthcare Security Administration, and other officials visited the Nankiao Town Community Health Service Center to assess the implementation of nationally procured products.

According to reports, there are a total of 42 products included in this centralized procurement, covering over 100 specifications. These products span across 11 pharmacological categories, including hypertension, diabetes, anti-tumor, anti-infection, gastrointestinal diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Among them, there are 8 commonly used drugs for the nervous system, 7 drugs related to the digestive system and metabolism, 6 systemic anti-infection drugs and cardiovascular drugs, as well as one drug each for sensory organ, blood and hematopoietic organ. The list comprises both special-grade antibiotics like Caspofungin injection and nationally monitored drugs like Esomeprazole magnesium enteric-coated granules, Piracetam injection, and Rabeprazole oral delayed-release formulations. Moreover, this round of centralized procurement features a more scientifically determined dosage ratio, standardized application requirements, optimized selection rules, fair regional price differentials and stable execution expectations. Not only does it help reduce patients' medication costs, but also it drives the regulated development of the pharmaceutical production and distribution sectors, significantly contributing to the health and well-being of the population.