A sprawling life sciences hub in Beijing is accelerating its drive to turn laboratory breakthroughs into marketable innovative drugs, central to China’s pursuit of global competitiveness in the pharmaceutical sector.
The Zhongguancun Life Science Park, located in the capital’s Changping district, is nurturing an ecosystem that integrates basic research, clinical development, manufacturing and healthcare services. An innovative treatment for hepatitis B and D developed by a company based at the park is already nearing conditional approval.
As China seeks to upgrade its pharmaceutical industry from a producer of generics to a creator of novel therapies, industrial clusters like the Zhongguancun Life Science Park have become crucial.
These state-backed hubs are designed to streamline the notoriously long and expensive drug development process, fostering collaboration between scientists, startups and hospitals to bolster the country’s self-sufficiency in critical medicines and vie for a larger share of the global market.
Established over several years, the 7.2-square-kilometer park is home to over 1,000 innovative pharmaceutical companies, according to a park representative. It houses national-level research and development institutions such as the National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS) and provides access to over 3,000 hospital beds at nearby facilities, including the country’s first international research hospital focused on clinical translation.
The park also hosts nearly 60 service platforms and incubators, such as C-Campus Innovation Center, which has supported 102 early-stage companies, many focused on developing first-in-class drugs.
This integrated approach is exemplified by Huahui Health Ltd., a pharmaceutical firm co-founded by Li Wenhui, a senior researcher at NIBS. The company’s flagship drug, known as Libeiweita, a monoclonal antibody for treating hepatitis B and D, is expected to receive conditional marketing approval on the Chinese mainland by late 2025 or early 2026, said Cai Baochuan, the company’s vice president of operations.
The drug, which is based on research from Li’s team, was granted “breakthrough therapy” designation on both the Chinese mainland and in the U.S. Its new drug application was accepted by China’s top drug regulator in December last year and given priority review.
Li noted at a recent industry summit that basic research is a critical source for first-in-class drugs. Besides drugs, the park is also fostering enterprises in other cutting-edge fields, including cell and gene therapy (CGT), artificial intelligence-powered health care and brain-computer interfaces.
The hub has attracted 22 neuroscience companies, with a recent clinical trial seeing five implant surgeries of a new device called Beinao-1. In the CGT field, companies in the park have over 190 products in their pipelines and have secured nearly 30 clinical trial approvals, accounting for about 5% of the national total. Nearly 100 digital medical firms have obtained 19 artificial intelligence-related Class III medical device certificates, representing almost 40% of Beijing’s total.
Looking ahead, the park plans to deliver the core facilities of the Changping Laboratory and attract more national-level research institutions. It will also enhance policy support, with plans to increase rewards for clinical trials of new drugs and the launch of innovative medical devices. Beijing is also set to release new measures to support the high-quality development of Changping’s pharmaceutical and health industry.
