On the afternoon of September 11, 2024, Dr. Song Ruilin, Executive President of the China Pharmaceutical Innovation and Research Development Association (PhIRDA), met with Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, President of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), President and CEO of Novo Nordisk, along with EFPIA delegation. The two sides had in-depth discussions on strengthening innovation and cooperation in the pharmaceutical industry between China and Europe.

Meeting between PhIRDA and EFPIA

Dr. Song extended a warm welcome to President Jørgensen and EFPIA delegation and highly praised EFPIA’s significant contributions to promoting innovation and regulatory reform in the biopharmaceutical industry in Europe and globally. Dr. Song noted that, as China is the world’s second-largest economy, the Chinese government has consistently prioritized high-level opening up, striving to create a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment. In recent years, a series of policies have been introduced to encourage innovation in the biopharmaceutical industry, creating favorable conditions for the rapid development of China’s pharmaceutical industry.

At present, Chinese innovative pharmaceutical companies have entered a new stage of development, requiring a global outlook and international expansion. We are witnessing an increasing number of innovative projects conducting Multi-regional Clinical Trials (MRCTs), and many innovative products have conducted simultaneous submission in China and the U.S. or Europe. A growing number of innovative companies, especially PhIRDA’s members, are setting globalization as their development goal. Recently, the Chinese government announced the complete removal of restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector and foreign-invested enterprises are allowed to carry out the development and application of technologies relating to human stem cells and gene diagnosis, and treatment in the pilot free-trade zones in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, as well as in the Hainan Free Trade Port, for the registration, launch and production of relevant products. This will provide European pharmaceutical companies with more convenient conditions, a broader market, and development opportunities in China.

Dr. Song expressed his hope that this would serve as an opportunity for both sides to deepen cooperation further, engage in multi-dimensional and close collaboration, and actively contribute to bringing the benefits of SINO-European pharmaceutical innovation to patients worldwide.

He also extended a sincere invitation to President Jørgensen and EFPIA members to attend the 2024 China BioMed Innovation and Investment Conference (CBIIC), to be held from November 30 to December 2 in Guangzhou, to jointly establish a platform for cooperation and exchange between the pharmaceutical and investment industries of China and Europe.

President Jørgensen fully acknowledged the important role that PhIRDA has played as an industry association in promoting the development of the pharmaceutical sector. He stated that China’s regulatory reforms have achieved fruitful results, and the Chinese government’s ongoing efforts to establish a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment have laid a solid foundation for cooperation between the pharmaceutical industries of China and Europe. The biopharmaceutical industry is a high-tech sector, and with the continuous emergence and rapid development of macromolecules, data protection systems have increasingly become a shared concern for innovative pharmaceutical companies in both China and Europe, as well as globally. Differences in regulatory systems across countries pose significant challenges to global pharmaceutical innovation, making international regulatory harmonization a key driver of progress.

President Jørgensen expressed his hope that China would continue to strengthen regulatory integration in the future, establish consistent regulatory policies aligned with international standards, encourage more flexible drug manufacturing methods, and advance the modernization and internationalization of its regulatory framework.

He also expressed EFPIA would like to collaborate with PhIRDA to deepen cooperation in pharmaceutical innovation, international regulatory harmonization, and IP protection, aiming to accelerate the approval process for drugs in both China and Europe and promote the high-quality development of the pharmaceutical industries in both regions.

To strengthen cooperation between the biopharmaceutical industry associations in China and Europe and promote cooperation among member companies in China, Europe, and globally, PhIRDA and EFPIA formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The two associations will hold a meeting annually in China or in Europe, to build a SINO-Europe platform for cooperation and exchanges. A regular exchange mechanism between two associations will be established. The two sides will share information on policy developments in the respective countries and regions on a regular basis. Besides, they will promote the cooperation in the organization of expert events and work collaborations on topics of common interest, including with other relevant stakeholders. The associations will actively organize members to participate in relevant industrial meetings and activities hosted by the other party, to promote pragmatic cooperation between the Chinese and European pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Song and President Jørgensen witnessed the signing ceremony.

Lu Xiaoti, Deputy Secretary-General of PhIRDA and Thomas Gelin,  
Executive Director of International Affairs of EFPIA signed the MoU

The signing of this MoU lays a solid foundation for long-term and stable cooperation between the two parties in pharmaceutical field. Both sides will fully leverage their resources and advantages, with a focus on cooperation in areas such as drug R&D, regulation, IP protection, and data protection to drive innovation in the biopharmaceutical industry between China, Europe, and globally, benefiting patients worldwide.

The meeting was attended by Feng Lan, Secretary-General of PhIRDA; Renaud Gabay, Managing Director of RDPAC; Réka Szanto, Associate Director of International Affairs of EFPIA; and Jackie Mortensen, Associate Director of Global Public Affairs and Patient Relations of Novo Nordisk.

Group Photo

European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA)

The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) represents the biopharmaceutical industry operating in Europe. Through its direct membership of 37 national associations, 40 leading pharmaceutical companies and a growing number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), EFPIA’s mission is to create a collaborative environment that enables our members to innovate, discover, develop and deliver new therapies and vaccines for people across Europe, as well as contribute to the European economy.