Novartis to accelerate innovative portfolio and medical treatments

Global pharma company Novartis will enhance cooperation with Hainan's pilot zone of international medical tourism.

It will explore more partnerships in translational research and real-world research, as well as support talent development and international exchanges.

Novartis signed a new strategic cooperation memorandum with the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone Administration on Saturday in Shanghai during the 4th China International Import Expo.

The partnership between the two can be traced back to August 2018. Shortly after its establishment, Lecheng took the lead nationwide to introduce Novartis' strategic product Secukinumab to allow Chinese patients to have early access to this innovative drug.

During last year's expo, Novartis and the pilot zone's administration signed a strategic cooperation memorandum, aiming to accelerate Novartis' innovative portfolio and medical treatments to reach Lecheng.

This year, Novartis' three innovative medicines were introduced to Lecheng, which not only enabled Chinese patients to have early access to global innovative treatments, but also quickened the launch of Novartis' products in Chinese market.

In addition, among the 75 overseas special medicines in Lecheng Global Special Drug Insurance's 2021 version, eight innovative medicines from Novartis are covered, ranking first in quantity among selected peer companies.

With the signing of the new MoU at this year's expo, Novartis and Lecheng will carry out more extensive and comprehensive strategic cooperation.

Based on the use of products in the pilot zone, the two will cooperate in clinical real-world data research in a bid to advance innovative research projects and talent development, facilitate scientific research as well as international exchanges and cooperation.

They will also optimize and manage real-world research platform, and transform real-world data to high-quality real-world evidence, so as to provide reliable data to help advanced medical treatment reach China, and contribute to the Healthy China Initiative.

Lu Xiaolei, deputy director of the pilot zone's administration, said Lecheng is the country's first experimental area to carry out clinical real-world data applications. It has benefited from multiple pilot policies to make itself a new highland for medical innovation and applications.

"We will step up efforts to promote the construction of the real-world data platform, and build Lecheng pilot zone into an international research platform for the sharing of data and academic achievements," she added.

Dan Brindle, president of Novartis Group (China), added: "The MoU signed today is a version 2.0 of our strategic cooperation. It is another exemplification of Novartis' endeavor to vigorously conduct collaboration and promote innovation in joint hands with all parties in China's healthcare industry."